Day Trips

Photo by Gerald E. Mcleod

Prause Meat Market in La Grange makes barbecue the old-fashioned way. That's not surprising when you consider the business has been in the same family for 105 years, and the current pit boss has worked over the hot coals for 40 years.

The earliest records show Arnold Prause had a butcher shop on the north side of the courthouse square in 1904, says Gary Prause. Gary's the fourth generation to continue the local legend. His brothers Brian and Mark and sister Kathy work at the shop, too. "My son is the fifth generation to work here," he says. "At one time, we had nine family members working."

It takes a lot of people to keep the wheels of the family enterprise turning. Behind the big plate-glass windows of the store is an operation that takes the meat from the hoof to the dinner plate. Not only does the market sell quality cuts of meat from its own processing plant, but it also has a smokehouse as well as the barbecue pit. "What sets us apart from grocery-store meat markets is the freshness," Gary says. "We can have the beef ready for sale in 24 hours instead of days or weeks."

Chefs in the area count on the quality of the meat counter's beef, pork, and chicken. The shop also offers custom-cut steaks and butchering. The Prause's smokehouse produces its own brand of bacon, Canadian bacon, and sausage. "In the smokehouse, we use mountain hickory wood from Tennessee," Gary says. The pork and beef sausage rings are seasoned only with salt, pepper, and garlic. "Grandpa used to always say, 'If you doctor it up with spices, then all you taste is the spices,'" Gary says.

Prause's barbecue pit boss, Monroe Schubert, uses post-oak wood to slow cook the meats with a mild smoky flavor. He started working with Gary's dad and two uncles at the meat market in 1965. Over the years Schubert has become something of a celebrity as one of the top barbecue maestros in the state.

To order barbecue, you go around to the counter behind the meat cases and order by the plate or pound. The sign on the wall says the staff doesn't make sandwiches, but they give you all the fixings to make your own.

For side dishes, try the homemade-style beans, coleslaw, macaroni salad, or one of three types of potato salad. "The sour-cream potato salad is like baked potato," Gary says. It comes with generous bits of Prause custom-made bacon mixed in.

Prause Meat Market is on the southwest corner of the courthouse square at 253 W. Travis (Business TX 71). About halfway between Austin and Houston, the market is open weekdays from 6:30am to 5:30pm except for Thursdays, when it closes at 1pm; Saturdays from 5:30am to 1pm; and closed on Sundays. To place an order, call 979/968-3259.

931st in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips" 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.