Day Trips: Mike Cotten's BBQ, Calallen
Barbecue dynasty continues with third generation of pitmasters
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., Nov. 11, 2016
Cotten's BBQ is again a culinary force in the Coastal Bend area of the Texas coast. A descendant of the legendary Joe Cotten's Barbecue, formerly of Robstown, Michael Cotten is carrying on the family tradition.
The original Cotten's burned down in 2011 after 43 years on U.S. 77 north of Corpus Christi. The institution began as a beer joint in 1947, and became known statewide for its smoked meats and waiters wearing maroon vests and bow ties. The joint was visited by presidents and celebrities, and made Texas Monthly's list of top 50 Texas barbecue places in 1997.
Joe's sons, Cecil and Kenneth, hoped the family business would be rebuilt at the location, but it never was. For a short period, Kenneth, the former manager of the destroyed establishment, operated an offshoot in San Antonio, but not enough customers recognized the name.
In 2012, Cecil's nephew, Michael, started building his own mesquite-scented barbecue reputation up the road from Robstown in Calallen. A loyal clientele has helped expand the smoke shop from a "to-go only" food trailer, to a dining room, and now a second location in Portland on the north side of Corpus.
Mike Cotten's BBQ's smoking stations are at 15013 Northwest Blvd. in Calallen and 1702 U.S. 181 in Portland across the Harbor Bridge from Corpus Christi. With a nod to his grandfather's traditions, the waiters wear red aprons and bow ties, and the tables are covered in red checkered tablecloths.
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