Snow’s BBQ

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 10/10. It is absolutely worth the visit and the early arrival time, as it’s a fun experience from start to finish. This should be a stop along any BBQ enthusiast’s tour, especially while the famous Tootsie Tomanetz is still smoking up her magic while overseeing the pits. Get there well before opening, ideally at least by 5:30 or 6:00 AM, if you want a chance to try everything they have; otherwise, be prepared to have your available options reduced down to simply what hasn’t already sold out. We got there at 7:39 AM after a slow start leaving out of Austin that morning, and ended up being number 281 in line, much to the disappointment of the group for our not having made the sacrifice to get there earlier. That said, we had a great time waiting for the food by talking to our line mates next to us and enjoying the free beer and Bloody Marys provided by Snow’s while you wait. When our turn in line finally came at 2:20 PM, all that remained was the sausage, but we were just happy there was anything left at all after our almost 7 hours of waiting. We grabbed our sausages to go and sat down in the pit yard, and almost immediately we found ourselves in conversation with the staff members, who appreciated our dedication for hanging around so long, especially with the looming risk they would sell out before we got to the counter. As such, they reciprocated our risk aversion by passing out free shots for our group and hanging out with us while we ate.

While the sausage was basically perfection in tube form, the thing that blew me away the most was that when I looked over to the pits, both Tootsie and Kerry were there together, spraying out the coolers and making sure the area was fully cleaned up for the day. I 100% would have expected to see a lower-tier staff member doing these things, especially after those two have been working the pits all day, as well as entertaining the customers with photos and raffles, but instead, there they were taking care of the grunt work while the rest of the staff took a break with us. The image perfectly sums up the level of passion and love they both put into their barbecue, and you can easily see how it translates into the crazy cult level following they’ve created.

Slightly beating out Franklin’s in Austin, I would say this is the most devout following I’ve ever come across for a barbecue pit, especially with being located in the middle of nowhere, Texas. After making the pilgrimage myself, I can honestly say that I would wait the 7 hours again and plan on returning as soon as I can to taste the full Snow’s experience

Date Visited: 1/30/2021

Address: 516 Main St, Lexington, TX 78947

Day of the Week: Saturdays only

Time of Day: 7:39 AM. Open at 8:00 AM

Owner: Kerry Bexley

Website: https://snowsbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened March 1st, 2003 (18 years)

Number of People in Line: 280, I won a free spice blend and koozie as Kerry called my number at 281 for the raffle.

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $10 for a sausage

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Offset pit smokers, metal and brick

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Sausage was all I had

Best Sauce: Original

Best Side: All gone by the time we order, need review still

Interior Description: You order inside, and then you head outside to covered picnic tables that are right next to all of the pits and smokers. The interior isn’t really the draw, though, as the experience is all about waiting in line and the energy that is created outside with all the BBQ lovers patiently waiting for their turn

Pro Tip: As I mentioned earlier, if you want the full menu available to you, you need to get there by 5:30 AM or 6:00AM at the latest. I’d also recommend bringing some lawn chairs or yard games to play along the way to pass the time

Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 10/10

Description: Best sausage that I had in Texas. Crispy and taut outer casing, with a delicious blend of fat, meat, and seasoning awaiting inside. It also had a solid smoke flavor running through it. One of the rare times that I actually enjoyed the entire sausage from beginning to end

Sauces

0/10 Ranking: 10/10

Description: Probably the best BBQ sauce I had while in Texas. Smoky and sweet, this was the first one I’ve had that wasn’t just a pure tomato based sauce

Interior & Menu Photos

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