Hays Co. BBQ, San Marcos TX

[Mean Gruene]

This place is the Texas Monthly Top 50 list for th first time this year and the ranking is well deserved.

Hays Co. BBQ & Catering passes the first two tests of a good BBQ joint
1)Smoke Test: If you dont see or smell smoke from a WOOD BURNING fire when you get out of the car, Get back in and go someplace else, and
2)Eye Test: If the dont cut the meat in front of you as you order it, turn around and go someplace else.

This place gets it right on both counts and works in the same BBQ tradition of the German/Czech Meat Markets of Central Texas. Meat is ordered at the counter by the pound and served on butcher paper. Sauce is optional. Brisket is Certified Angus and Sausage is home made on site.
On this visit I just ordered the brisket and a ring of the Pork & Beef sausage, and a ring of the Jalepeno and Cheese Sausage.
Two types of sauce are provided at the table. A mustard base spicy variety and a sweet variety. Both are really good.
Everything was excellent. Brisket was moist and tender with good flavor. It had a good 1/2 inch smoke ring with a flavorful salt & pepper bark. Both types of sausage had the right snap when bitten into. They do a fine grind on the meat so the texture of the sausage was soft that some my find too mushy and some may prefer a coarser grind but overall flavor was great. I would order it again.
Staff is really friendly and enjoyable to talk with. I had a conversation with the owner/pittmaster when I left and he was sure to give credit to his crew when I complemented his cooking. Nice guy.