My Flatonia to Lockhart barbecue trail passes at least six barbecue joints. I stopped at four to bring home supper for our Lunar New Year celebration. Seven members of my family sampled food from each and this is what we decided.
Luling City Market was the overall favorite. When I got there late on a Friday afternoon, the smoker was empty of everything except pork ribs and sausage. Their sausage was unanimously decreed the best of the four kinds of sausages we tried. The pork ribs were pronounced excellent.
Kreuz Market in Lockhart had the best brisket of the three we tried. It was well cooked without being dry. Their German potatoes were the favorite of the sides we tried.
Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Q in Lockhart provided brisket, beef ribs, sausage, and sides. The broccoli salad was among the favorites. Neither sample of beef ribs was stellar, but Chisholm Trail’s were the better of the two.
Joel’s Bar-B-Q on I-10 at the Flatonia exit has been a favorite of mine for years, largely for the easy access to the interstate. The turkey and beans did not have any competition and were declared best in class. The pecan pie was excellent. It is interesting to note that Joel’s Polish-style sausage uses fine-ground pork, while the other three joints make a coarse-ground, loose-style sausage.
This weekend, invent your own barbecue trail cook-off.
1,176th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in February 14 • 2014.
