The Top 50 BBQ Joints In Texas

[bigwheel]

Joe Cotten's Barbecue - Robstown
[/quote]

Only been to these two. Both are really good. I haven't been to Joe Cottens in 15 years or more because it 8 hours away, but I eat at Cousins every now and again. The Q and sides at Cousins consistently good (McCart and Bryant Irvin locations).

I wonder why the popular places in the DFW didn't make the list? These are supossed to be the best Q joints and they didn't make the list!

Hope to hit some of the others some day...[/quote]

The DFW joints didnt make the list cuz aint none of them worth a *hit. Joe Cotten's aint neither. They musta had some kinfolks on the picking committee in order to make honorable mention.

bigwheel

[Gator]

I stopped in one the top BBQ joints on the list this weekend, just to satisfy my curiosity. Let me first say that I have eaten there several times and these are really great folks who run a good business. If I was in the area, I would go there again. The service and quality of the food is good.

The BBQ tastes..OK, tastes like store bought BBQ sauce. The brisket didn’t have a smoke ring. The sausage had good flavor, but again it is very middle of the road. I tried the ribs on previous visits and didnt care for them. Sides were ok, not outstanding. Reminds me a lot of a Dickies BBQ joint.

A side note - I asked the lady at the register about the voting and it was done without their knowledge. "Someone came by one day" and ate just like a regular customer. They were not aware of it until they were notified about the ranking.

I think "Top 50" is too vague for me - I would have liked to seen a ranked list in order. It seems more like a "best of the area" list to me. That being said, this joint is the better choice in the area - agreed.

[Tex]

just picked up my copy yesterday!

[DaHorns]

I stopped in one the top BBQ joints on the list this weekend, just to satisfy my curiosity. Let me first say that I have eaten there several times and these are really great folks who run a good business. If I was in the area, I would go there again. The service and quality of the food is good.

The BBQ tastes..OK, tastes like store bought BBQ sauce. The brisket didn’t have a smoke ring. The sausage had good flavor, but again it is very middle of the road. I tried the ribs on previous visits and didnt care for them. Sides were ok, not outstanding. Reminds me a lot of a Dickies BBQ joint.

A side note - I asked the lady at the register about the voting and it was done without their knowledge. "Someone came by one day" and ate just like a regular customer. They were not aware of it until they were notified about the ranking.

Which one was it?

[Gator]

PM sent.

[Gator]

OK, DaHorns cleared up something for me (duh) the list is not in order of ranking - except for the top two listed. Is that right ?

Now, the list makes a little more sense to me. I sure would like to see how they ranked in order...

[Tex]

i finihsed reading all of the reviews last night. I still have the last issue they did on BBQ back in 2005, and have read the first one as well. It really seams like they rushed this one and like they were more focused on having a few reviews from each part of the state rather than focusing on the true top 50. their reviews dont say much either. im kinda disappointed.

i have some issues with them talking about the old Texas tradition of smokling meats in a pit and how its a dying art that we all need to support, but then they put some of those places that use gas "smokers" and rotisseries in their top 50. does that make sense?? am I just getting old and crochity

on the good side, there are some new places i've never heard of though that i really look forward to checking out. Snows being the first (i hope they're ready for the flood of people that are coming in the next few months) Im going to map them all out in the next couple of weeks.

i definitely appreciate them doing this issue every few years and look forward to it every time. theyve turned me and a lot of people on to some good stuff.

[txbbqman]

I was dissapointed in the review too....... they should of had specific categories to talk about each place....... like brisket, ribs, sausage, and sides for each place...... and I agree it was very obvious that they were trying find places for each part of the state......

[ChileFarmer]

Jacksonville, Stacy's - Jacksonville - Wood/Gas/Electric.
I like Stacy's, I always have the chopped beef sandwich combo. Plenty of meat on the sandwich and the sides are OK. The only thing about Stacy's you never know for sure when they are open. I think they do there cook and when the "Q" is gone they close. I know there pit is always smoking.CF

[Papa Tom]

I have a gas /wood/electric pit and while it certainly isn't traditional it's a good pit. It's an Ole Hickory and you load the fire box with wood and turn it on a gas starter fires to start the wood then when the temp comes up it shuts off the gas and the controller regulates the heat with forced air to stoke the fire and hold temp. If the fire should go out the gas will automagically light and relight the wood or hold the temp until corrected. Of course the rotisserie ain't traditional but it sure works good. Anyway bottom line is if all goes well the meat is cooked with a all wood fire and that is really what Q goodness is all about. You can also run the thing without gas but really the convenience is nice. It is the pit Mike Mills uses and he got relatively famous in the Q world.

Anyway my opinion of the list is it appears to me to be something a journalist might come up with for a story.

[bigwheel]

Got a chum who sells bbq at his Big mom and pop one stop type C Store who just acquired a largish Southern Pride. He just loves that thang and I have sure had worse tasting bbq off a lot of pure woodburning offsets. He is threatening to try and use it for comp using the propane portion only to start the fire. Guess if an Ole Hickory can do that trick the SP can too. Just guessing.

bigwheel

[Two Times]

Vinchek's is a good place if you are traveling east toward Houston. 90A is a nicer road than I10 and not subject to traffic jams on holidays.

Thanks for the tip, I'm heading that way on tuesday and I'll definitely check it out.

I must add that I really like the Salt Lick. The brisket is flavorful and always moist. And although there is no need for sauce on any of their meats, theirs adds to the flavor rather than masks it. I could drink it by the glass full.

[spiny norman]

City Meat Market - Giddings - Wood

Best dang sausage I've ever had. Allways make it a stop on my way to the coast.