Big Oak Bar-B-Que
210 S. Main St. in Buda, 512/312-1947
Monday-Friday, 10am-8pm; Saturday, 10am-7pm; Sunday, 11am-3pm
The once-pastoral acres south of Austin are experiencing quite a boom, and, last spring, some construction workers building the housing developments and big-box stores took the time to e-mail me about one of their favorite lunch spots. They’d gotten hooked on the Central Texas version of a classic Philly cheesesteak sandwich served at Big Oak Bar-B-Que in downtown Buda. Come to find out, the e-mail arrived not long after Big Oak owners Stacie and Larry Ludemann completed the liquidation of Buda Hardware and made a commitment to concentrate solely on selling barbecue. “We’d been happy operating the hardware store we inherited from my folks for several years, even though we really had dreams of being in the food business. In August of 2004, we started selling some barbecue at the hardware store,” Stacie Ludemann told me, describing the classic two-for-one small-town enterprise. “Then when Home Depot opened nearby last spring, we took that as a sign that our days in the hardware business were over, and it was time to focus on our own dream.”
The Ludemann’s dream realized sits at the corner of RR 2770 and Main Street in Buda, and it’s still a work in progress. The interior decor is simple and spare: concrete flooring, four tops, and picnic tables covered with checkered oilcloth, as well as a big-screen TV at one end. Orders are placed at the counter, and drinks (iced tea, coffee, water, and sodas; it’s still BYOB right now) are self-serve. Outside, comfortable wrought-iron lawn furniture is arranged under the sheltering branches of a big, beautiful oak tree. While we already knew Big Oak was popular with the working man, it’s obviously a family-friendly spot, as well. The food is fresh and affordable, and the space is kid-proof. Just the kind of place to drop in after softball or soccer with a carload of hungry kids. “We’re still getting to know our clientele and trying to figure out what the community will respond to, Stacie explains, “like staying open late the night of the Rose Bowl game or offering a movie night for families or staying open later on weekend nights in the spring and summer.”
The well-rounded Big Oak menu offers good barbecue for every taste, plus good side dishes and a couple of quirky house specialties. Meats are available by the sandwich ($1.99-5.25), the plate ($6.59-9.49), or the pound ($5.69-9.99), and include lean, moist brisket and chopped beef, chicken, turkey, a peppery pulled pork and meaty pork spare ribs, and a tasty beef-pork blend link sausage from Johnny G’s Butcher Block. Second-generation pit man Larry Ludemann grew up around the competition barbecue circuit and learned his craft from dad Leroy “the Bread Man” Ludemann, famous among competition cookers for baking sourdough bread on his custom rig. Larry learned his lessons well and turns out moist, flavorful meats, light on the smoke. A choice of savory beans; sweet, creamy cole slaw; or chunky red potato salad fill out the plates, along with pickles, onions, sliced bread, and a sweet/spicy sauce. They’ve recently added a homemade banana pudding and plan more desserts in the future.
The house specialty that generated the first e-mail is definitely worth a try. The Big Oak Philly ($5.25) is a toasted white or wheat hoagie roll stuffed with your choice of lean brisket, turkey or chicken, grilled onions, green peppers, and jalapeño slices with melted jack cheese. No wonder the construction guys loved it: It’s a very satisfying twist on the East Coast original. Frito pie aficionados will want to sample the BBQ Frito Pie ($3.99), a bed of Fritos topped with sauced chopped beef and tasty beans dressed with onions, jalapeños, grated cheese, and sour cream – another winning Big Oak version of a classic regional favorite. Following the dream of being in the food business appears to be just the right thing for the Ludemanns. Based on our recent visit to Big Oak Bar-B-Que, the expansion of Home Depot happened just in time to provide Central Texas barbecue lovers with another very reliable place to dine. 
This article appears in January 13 • 2006.