Barbecue

Snow’s BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

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

Terry Black’s Barbecue

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9/10. Cool environment and delicious BBQ that you don’t have to wait hours for, I would recommend this place to anyone coming through Austin

Date Visited: 1/28/2021

Address: 1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 12:50 PM. Opens at 11:00 AM

Owner: Mark Black (Great-grandson of Edgar Black Sr., the son of Terry & Patty Black.) His twin brother Mike and sister Christina also own and operate, with Mark and Christina running their 2nd location in Dallas’s Deep Ellum neighborhood. Cool part of Texas History

Website: https://terryblacksbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2014 in Austin, then 2017 in Dallas (7 years)

Number of People in Line: 5 people, but the dinning room was full with about 45 people sitting down already

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $30 w tip and beer. Brisket, spare ribs, jalapeno cheddar sausage, turkey

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Offset Smoker

Best Dish: Brisket or Turkey

Best Sauce: Spicy

Best Side: Didn’t try any, need review

Interior Description: Cool BBQ shanty vibe with outdoor and indoor seating. Similar to other Texas joints, you can grab a beer while you wait in line for your order

Pro Tip: Second-best brisket I’ve had in Texas after Franklin’s, but don’t sleep on the turkey. Since they don’t cut burnt ends, grab some lean and fatty brisket when you come

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Best brisket in Austin after Franklin’s. It had the most seasoning of any other Texas spot that I tried, with a great bark texture and a good smoke ring running through it. Moist, but still having structural integrity to it, the lean and the fatty cuts were both good. With how they were trimmed, you could eat multiple pieces of either the lean or the fatty and not get overwhelmed with richness. It was a little cold by the time I had gotten there, so arrive as close to opening as you can for the best experience

Burnt Ends – Not made here, as they do lean or fatty cuts with their brisket

Pork Spare Ribs: 

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Really good salt and pepper blend for the seasoning, with the pepper really shining through. Moist and tender, but not quite falling off the bone. Very tasty rub overall, but would still put some Colorado locations ahead if it

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: I got this at the recommendation of my line carver, and it was a solid recommendation overall. Mild spice to it, with the flavor and consistency reminding me of home, with a similar profile as cheddar brats of northern Wisconsin. Would order again

Turkey

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Extremely juicy turkey breast with great seasoning and a slight smoke flavor running through it. Would order again as it’s probably the best turkey I’ve had in Texas

Sauces – Original & Spicy

0/10 Ranking: 6.5/10 and 8.5/10

Description: Both sauces are tomato-based, but the spicy one has a mustard vinegar aftertaste that is pretty good. Original is nothing special, though

Interior & Menu Photos

Evie Mae’s BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8.5 to 9/10. Yes, worth a stop, especially as a nice break in the drive between Denver and Austin/southeastern Texas. Cool interior, free beer, and good BBQ make for a good time while in Lubbock

Date Visited: 1/27/2021

Address: 217 US-62, Wolfforth, TX 79382

Day of the Week: Wednesday

Time of Day: 2:38 PM. Opens at 11:00 AM

Owners: Arnis & Mallory Robbins

Website: https://www.eviemaesbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2014 as a food truck in Tucson, AZ then moved to Lubbock and opened current location in spring 2016 (7 years)

Number of People in Line: 0 in line, 5 sitting

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $27 w tip.

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Reverse flow offset smokers

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, some others

Best Dish: Burnt Ends

Best Sauce: (Needs review)

Best Side: (Needs review)

Interior Description: 2-story BBQ joint with large interior space, with counter ordering and a large beer trough right when you walk in

Pro Tip: Grab yourself a beer while you wait in line, as they are free if you’re grabbing some food, similar to several other Texas locations

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7 to 7.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Brisket was slightly tough with about 1/4 inch smoke inch to it. I had the lean cut pieces, but they may have been too dried out with closing time being at 3PM and me getting there at 2:38

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Extremely juicy with a good blend of meat and fat, leaning on the fattier side. Might be the juiciest burnt ends I’ve ever had, but seasoning and smoke were relatively mild, but very good balance overall

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Description: Tender and juicy, but again, not enough smoke or seasoning flavor coming through. Salt and pepper rub only, I believe, but didn’t confirm

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 6.5 to 7/10

Description: Dry and somewhat bland, with only pepper flavor coming through. Wouldn’t get it again

Interior & Menu Photos

Wayne’s Smoke Shack

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10. Undecided on whether it’s worth a visit again. The prices were some of the highest in Colorado for brisket, which failed to impress, but I would be down to give them another review at some point, as it does have the BBQ ambiance to it

Date Visited: 10/13/2020

Address: 406 Center Dr, Superior, CO 80027

Day of the Week: Friday

Time of Day: 11:15 Am. Open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Wayne & Sam Shelnutt (Husband & Wife)

Website: https://www.waynessmokeshack.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2011 and expanded in 2017. Suffered severe smoke damage on December 30th, 2021 in the Superior fire, re-opened June 6th, 2023

Number of People in Line: 15

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $38 with tip

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Commercial Electric Smokers (Need to verify)

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Brisket

Best Sauce: (Needs review)

Best Side: Not the mac & cheese

Interior Description: Seating for about 30-40 with long wooden tables and plenty of room to spread out. Even though it’s in the suburbs and by a large mall, it still creates a good environment and barbecue feeling/vibe when coming through the doors

Pro Tip: Skip the pork belly

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Good flavoring and seasoning, but slightly overcooked and just a little too fatty, needing to be trimmed a little more. They don’t serve burnt ends here, as everything is cut either fatty or lean in true Central Texas style

Burnt Ends – Not served here

St Louis Style Spare Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Description: Good texture that melts in your mouth without losing its structure completely. Nice salt and pepper blend, with some sugar or additional seasoning that gives off a sweetness to it. That said, it does need more flavor to put it over the top, and a little sauce is required for maximum enjoyment

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 7/10 for original flavor

Description: A sweet pulled pork that doesn’t have much BBQ flavor in it. While it does have a unique taste that is enjoyable overall, it comes off too sweet and needs sauce to salvage it

Pork Belly

0/10 Ranking: 5/10

Description: Way too fatty, needing only 1/8 lb max for an order. While pork belly typically is a softer texture BBQ, this one was too mushy and too fat heavy to enjoy much of it. Wouldn’t order again

Sides – Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 6.5/10

Description: The noodles were cooked well, but the cheese flavor coming through was underwhelming. Wouldn’t order this side again.

AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10. Need to go back for another official review, but would say it’s worth a visit for old school brick and mortar feel

Date Visited: 10/29/2020

Address: 2180 S Delaware St, Denver, CO 80223

Day of the Week: Friday

Time of Day: 12:00 PM. Opens at 11:00 AM

Owner: Jared & Amanda Leonard

Website: https://www.pitbarbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Started in Chicago in 2010. Opened January 2019 in Denver

Number of People in Line: 4 with 6 sitting down already

Regional Style of BBQ: Texas

Total Cost: $42

Type of Wood: Post Oak

Type of Smoker: Offset

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Burnt Ends

Best Sauce: (Needs review)

Best Side: (Needs review)

Interior Description: Gives off the old-school Texas BBQ joint feel when you step inside, from the long wooden tables, to the counter service ordering, it creates a cozy atmosphere that isn’t achieved at most other Colorado locations

Pro Tip:

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Good blend of meat and fat, and was still plenty juicy even at 12PM from when they opened. Simple salt and pepper blend for the brisket, with maybe a 1/4 inch smoke ring running through it. Moist with good smoke flavor, nothing else really comes through for the seasoning, requiring a little bit of sauce to enhance it

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Solid burnt ends overall, with good flavor that doesn’t require any sauce. They were just slightly overcooked, but had a deep level of smokiness running through them. As with the brisket, the smoke is the main flavor that comes through, with minimal seasoning making its way to the taste buds

Pork Spare Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Good smokiness flavor running through it, without much else, similar to the brisket and burnt ends. The ribs were just slightly overdone, but still had good overall flavor to them, but nothing too special

Ragin’ Hog BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7.5/10 and Yes. Overall, I would only come back here for the ribs and the mac & cheese, maybe the collard greens. While the owner was extremely passionate during my talks with him, there are better overall barbecue spots in Colorado. That said, I would put their ribs in the top 5 here in the state, being slightly behind Smok, Post Oak, & Rollin’ Bones.

Date Visited: 2/11/2021

Address: 4361 Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO 80211

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 11:05 AM. Opens at 11:00 AM

Owner: Colleen & Stacey Van Tuyl

Website: https://raginhogbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2013 (8 years)

Number of People in Line: 0

Regional Style of BBQ: Memphis & Arkansas

Total Cost: $37 with tip. Included burnt ends, brisket, ribs, chicken, collard greens, & mac and cheese

Type of Wood: Mainly hickory and apple, but uses others as well

Type of Smoker: N/A

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, cumin, paprika

Best Dish: Ribs

Best Sauce: Carolina

Best Side: Mac & cheese

Interior Description: Very minimal, with room for maybe 10 people inside, with outdoor seating for 4 in front. More of a takeaway BBQ joint, it’s at the end of a strip mall in the Highlands.

Pro Tip: Go for the ribs, mac & cheese, & collard greens

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Paprika, salt, pepper

Description: Tasty brisket overall and easily one of the smokiest flavored ones in Colorado. Uses a hickory smoke with paprika, salt, and pepper for the blend. Not much flavor coming through from the seasoning; it’s pretty light, but the brisket is very tender and juicy, with the lean slice having good fatty strands running through it. They do separate the point after smoking them together to make burnt ends. While the brisket was juicy and smoky, it needed more flavor to come through overall, and so I give it an 8 to 8.5 due to the unique smoke flavor, which even beats out several BBQ joints in Texas by comparison

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Seasoning: Paprika, salt, pepper

Description: Good blend of fat and meat in each bite, but overall the brisket is bland and needs way more seasoning and/or sauce for it to be great. Seasoning looks to be minimal on the outer crust, but it does have a unique flavor to it that is enjoyable when you get some. They need sauce to maximize their flavor and were a little tough, so not necessarily worth a stop, but could be good on the right day

Pork Spare Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Best item on the menu for them. The 3 ribs were tender, but slightly tough, not falling off the bone. That said, they had good flavor running through the entire rib. They finish off the ribs Memphis style with a little bit of BBQ sauce at the end as well, which adds a nice sweetness to them. From talking with Stacy, I learned they like fatter hogs for the ribs, so they partner with local farmers to get specific fatty ribs for maximum volume. Top 5 ribs in Colorado, easily and would come back for them

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 6.5 to 7/10

Description: While juicy and tender, a very bland pork that demands sauce, as there’s next to no seasoning and just a little bit of smoke flavor running through it. Would not order again

Chicken

0/10 Ranking: 6.5/10

Description: Chicken was dry and mostly flavorless, with a little bit of smoke flavor running through it. Way too dry and will need to be drenched in sauce to eat. Would not order again

Sauces – Sweet

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Description: The sweet barbecue sauce tasted like a traditional American sauce that you can find in any store. Okay, but nothing special. The burnt ends were salvaged somewhat by the sweet sauce, as the others didn’t add much to them when applied

Sauces – Carolina

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: The Carolina had some nice spice blends to it, with the vinegar and tomato base coming through. While not really a mustard style sauce and it had some good heat blended in it for a well-rounded taste

Sauces – Memphis

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Description: Their version of a tomato-based sauce, it has a good flavor to it and is tasty overall, but nothing too special either

Sides – Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: The mac & cheese was cooked al dente and had a nice creamy texture and some really good cheese flavor running through it. It also seemed to have a little bit of smokiness and a sweet/spicy blend of seasoning sprinkled inside. Would absolutely order again

Sides – Collard Greens

0/10 Ranking: 7 to 8/10

Description: The owner recommended these, and in all fairness, this is the first time I’ve ever had them. Looks like there are some onions that are mixed in, and the cup had a lot of oil/juice throughout, which, due to my inexperience, I have no idea if it is normal or not. That said, they had a soft but structured feel to the bite, and with a good flavor coming through that reminds me of my grandma’s sweet sauerkraut. Texture was almost that of an artichoke heart and is definitely on the sweeter side of things, with a rich flavor. Could not eat more than a few bites of it due to the level of richness. I would need to try other collard greens and compare them to make a fair assessment of them

Interior & Menu Photos