Mills County BBQ Company has closed.

With great sadness, I report that Mills County BBQ Company (Goldthwaite, TX) has shut its doors. It was easily among the handful of the best BBQ I've had in Texas, and I had the privilege of getting to know (and love) the wonderful folks there. I hate this. It makes my stomach and my heart hurt.

Outside Mills County BBQ Company (Goldthwaite, TX)

A couple of weekends ago, while at the cookoff in Goldthwaite City Park (pics to come), I walked across the highway for a visit to Mills County BBQ Company. These are the pics I snapped out front and out back:

Video: The Manic American dines at Mills County BBQ Company (Goldthwaite, TX)

A while back, I posted a fantastic writeup from my buddies at The Manic American about their first visit to Mills County BBQ Company in Goldthwaite, TX. These Northeasterners travel around the country and world, documenting their adventures; and Texas BBQ is one of their passions. Yesterday, they started posting videos from their latest Texas BBQ swing. Here is the one from Goldthwaite.

Super Bowl Media Party: BBQ Caterers (Round 1)

NOTE: This last picture is of Blue Ribbon Barbecue. I could never get a clear shot of their sign! I suspect the banana puddings they served had something to do with that.

Best of 2010: Best Turkey

Winners (tie): Mills County BBQ Company (Goldthwaite, TX) & Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q (multiple TX locations, including Austin) - pictures in same order


Others receiving votes: Black's, Schoepf's, Casstevens, The Salt Lick, Blue Ribbon

The Manic American storms Goldthwaite!

Saw a post on our Facebook page the other day from some guys who travel all over the country for their site The Manic American (Check out their Facebook page.). They've been coming to Central Texas for BBQ once a year for the past 3 years, and this year, they added some new places that they'd read about on our blog. One of them was Mills County BBQ Company in Goldthwaite, our pick for the Best Turkey of 2009. I was really happy to hear that the turkey didn't disappoint! Here is their great writeup (and great not b/c they give me a shout out, which I'm so appreciative of, Dan & Rob) of their visit to Mills County.

Mills County BBQ Company to go

Pork ribs, turkey, ham, sausage, and pies to go from Mills County BBQ Company in Goldthwaite, TX. Don't try this, kids. We're professionals. Hands at 10 & 2, and eyes on the road.

Whatcha got, West Texas???

Today, I'll be making the 383-mile drive from Abilene, Texas, to Ruidoso, New Mexico. Knocked out 4 hours of the trip yesterday and, naturally, stopped at Mills County BBQ Company in Goldthwaite. Stocked up on pork ribs, turkey, ham, and sausage; and great to see proprietor Chris Paskett, as always. Pics forthcoming. I've said it before, but if you haven't been to MCBC, you should make the trip. I don't know how many times I've stopped in (more than 5, less than 10), but not once have I had a dry bite - of anything. Flavor is always on target. As a group, their meats can hang with anyone's.

Anyway, it's my first time on this road. First time in NM. And the farthest West I've been in Texas. Making the return trip on Monday via same route, so I've got a couple of chances to have BBQ along this path unknown. Anyone have any recommendations? Here are some the towns I'll pass thru: Sweetwater, Snyder, Post, Tahoka, Brownfield, Tokio, & Plains. Would love to hear your suggestions via comment or email.

Putting on goat weight in Goldthwaite

I'm spending the day in Goldthwaite, the Meat Goat Capital of America, where I will be one of the judges for the 13th Annual State Championship BBQ & Goat Cook-Off. I'll be judging some more cookoffs in the coming months, but this one is my first, so I'm pretty pumped. Looking forward to hanging out with my friends from Mills County BBQ Company and to making some new ones. If you happen to be at the event, come say "hello." I'll be the short kid in the Man-Up shirt and will most likely be talking really fast and sweating.

The rest from Mills County BBQ Company

More fish fryin' at Mills

A Friday evening well spent: BBQ and fried catfish in Goldthwaite, Texas

No trip through Goldthwaite is complete without a stop at Mills County BBQ Company. Amber and I stopped in last Friday to pick up a bunch of BBQ for the road and ended up staying for a while to spend some time out back with our friend (and MCBC owner) Chris Paskett and the men who were helping him with the weekly fish fry.

Chris has got some good things going on these days. In addition to building an outdoor seating area, complete with picnic tables and a music stage, Chris brings in a crowd every Tuesday for fajitas, every Thursday for ribeyes, and every Friday for catfish, french fries, and hushpuppies. I ate a couple of the catfish filets, right out of the fryer, and they were darn good, as was the tartar sauce. And, as usual, we left with a huge box full of BBQ. They were out of pork ribs, so we had to settle for turkey (Man Up's Best Turkey of 2009), ham, brisket, and sausage.

I'm looking forward to seeing Chris and the gang again on April 24, when I'll be in Goldthwaite to judge the 13th Annual State Championship BBQ & Goat Cook-Off. (More pics on the way from Friday evening.)