Black’s Barbecue Lockhart

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7.5/10 and maybe. Might be worth a stop for the history of the region and its place in barbecue lore, but not for the barbecue itself. If you want some great barbecue that is still made by the family, hit up the younger generation’s location over at Terry Black’s in either Austin or Dallas for a better experience. As far as the original location, they get points for having the traditional barbecue vibes present and accounted for, such as old school signage on the walls and country legends such as Marty Robbins and Willy Nelson playing over the speakers; it’s definitely a call back to another time. Combined with the reasonable prices and the slices of white bread given with each order, they hold true to Texas tradition of being an affordable and filling option for its customers. That said, the love and dedication to the barbecue itself seems to have fallen by the wayside as the generations have passed it down. From my time engaging with the staff, it seems like this is simply a job and nothing more to them, with no love or excitement about the food emanating out at all, both in the experience and the taste of the meat. While this is one of the originals in Central Texas barbecue history, the standards and quality that made them famous appear to no longer be there, and as such, your time and money should be spent at other pits that are kicking out far better food and experiences

Date Visited: 1/28/2021

Address: 215 N Main St, Lockhart, TX 78644

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 10:00 AM. Open at 10:00 AM

Owner: Kent Black (3rd generation owner after Edgar Black Sr & Jr)

Website: https://www.blacksbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 1932 (89 years)

Number of People in Line: 0 when I got there and had 2 people come in by the time I finished up eating

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $20 with tip. 1/4lb brisket, 1 pork spare rib, 1 baby back rib, 1 small piece of burnt end, 1 Shiner Bock

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Steel & red brick pits

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Brisket for its smoky flavor

Best Sauce: Original

Best Side: Didn’t have any during my visit, needs review

Interior Description: Old school feeling with some modern updates along the way. From the red and white checkered picnic table cloths, to the wood paneled walls and floor, it creates a cozy, clean, and comfortable environment that any family would feel comfortable taking their kids to, but could also be enjoyed by the enthusiasts working their way from one pit to the next

Pro Tip: Skip making the trip down to Lockhart in general, as none of the originals have the quality they might have had at one point. Unless you are a history nerd for Central Texas barbecue lore, your time and money are better spent in other locations

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: I got a slice of the lean and a slice of the fatty. The lean was very juicy with good flavor and smokiness, but had little to no seasoning coming out of the bark. The fatty option was good as well, but it really didn’t provide an improvement from the lean. While they were both tasty and juicy overall, the lack of outer seasoning kept them from having a higher rating

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: When I placed my order, I wasn’t expecting to find burnt ends as an option, as they had offered me the choice between lean and fatty for my brisket. That said, the guy behind the counter cutting my brisket, heard my question and said he could cut me off a burnt end, which, I’ll be honest, sounded a little odd to me. He proceeded to cut me the very tail end of the flat, the complete opposite side of the point that he had just cut my fatty piece from, and handed it over to me. When I bit into it, the burnt end had the most intense smoke flavor I had ever come across, which I enjoyed, but being the end it was overdone and too tough to fully enjoy. Can’t say I would call this a true burnt end, as I think the guy was just trying to please me and my request, but I would be down to order again and see what round 2 has to offer, as that smoke flavor was no joke on intensity

The small dark piece in the middle was the “burnt end”

Pork Spare Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Description: Similar to the baby back ribs, they had minimal seasoning to them, but had great smoke flavor running through them. The ribs themselves were tender, but not quite to the level of falling off the bone. They were a good rib overall, but nothing special

Pork Baby Back Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Description: The ribs had minimal seasoning on the exterior, but had good smoke flavor to it. The texture wasn’t falling off the bone, but it was tender overall. Compared to the spare ribs, these had a lot more meat to them, so I’d opt for the baby backs between the two