Outside Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

What's your Texas BBQ joint's slogan?

Continuing with our new feature Build Your Own Texas BBQ Joint, today I ask what you'd pick as the slogan for your Texas BBQ joint. We've got our locations and names. What are our slogans/taglines?

Signs at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

The rest from Best of Texas (Bandera, TX)

First visit to Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

A few weekends ago in Dallas, Brad and I met our friend BBQ Snob at Lockhart Smokehouse. It was our first visit to the new, Lockhart-style BBQ joint in the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. Here are the first pics. Many more on the way. Do you spy the BBQ Snob?

Chopped-brisket sandwich & pork rib at Best of Texas Bar-B-Que (Bandera, TX)

Doni Simmons had a successful career touring far and wide as an Elvis tribute artist, and now he's making music from a BBQ pit. After closing his BBQ joint in the Houston area, he has set up shop on the outskirts of Bandera, Texas. If I'm correct, when I stopped in, they had been open just 3 months. He had one front-of-the-house staffer, but it was just him in the back. I watched him slice and then chop the brisket for my sandwich and the pork rib off a fresh rack. I would (and will, next time I'm in) order both again. (I took the rib to go and ate it that night, after heating it in the oven.) I didn't try the sauce, because the sandwich didn't need any. Factoring price, quantity, & quality, it was one of the best CB sandwiches I've had. The only thing I didn't like about my meal was the iced tea. Like most places' tea, way too weak and watered down. Tea should be dark brown. Steep those leaves good and strong, people!!!

Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse July 4 Giveaway!!!

Not long ago, our good buddy Kevin Kelly held a fantastic giveaway for Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse (Elgin, TX), and now we're fortunate enough to bring one to you. In time for your July 4 fun, 5 lucky winners will get a tasty prize from Meyer's. We're giving you several easy ways to enter, and each way can get your name in the hat once (Thus, you get a maximum of 4 entries.).

1. Email me.
2. Comment below this post.
3. Retweet this.
4. Comment below this Facebook post.

We'll draw the winning names out of the hat one week from today. All entries must be in by the end of this Sunday (11:59 PM Central). So, get your name in the running for a July 4 treat like no other! HUGE thanks to the fine folks at Meyer's for making this wonderful giveaway possible! Be sure to follow them on Facebook & Twitter. Here are the prizes:

1st prize: BBQ feast: 4-5 pound smoked brisket, 3 pounds of smoked sausage, 16-ounce bottle of original BBQ sauce, 6-ounce bottle of bean seasoning, and 7-ounce bottle of BBQ rub. Enough to feed 8-10 hungry mouths! (Shipping available only for addresses in the Continental U.S.)

2nd prize: Deluxe sausage sampler: l pound each of original, garlic, beef, hot, tejano, jalapeno & cheese, sage, original summer sausage, and jalapeno summer sausage. 9 pounds of sausage!

3rd prize: Sauce variety pack: 1 Original, 1 Spicy, 1 Honey Mesquite, 1 Texas Hot Pepper & Wing (Shipping available only to addresses in the Continental U.S.)

4th prize: One pound of any of the 3 varieties of Meyer's jerky (turkey, original beef or sweet and hot beef)

5th prize: Spice variety pack: 1 regular bottle Meyer's Texas BBQ Rub (used on the briskets at Meyer's), 1 bottle of Meyer's Texas Bean Season, 1 bottle Meyer's Smokehouse Season (used on the pulled pork and beef ribs at Meyer's), and 1 bottle of Meyer's new 3 Mistake Chili Seasoning. (Shipping available only to addresses in the Continental U.S.)

Outside Live Oak (Austin, TX)

Inside Live Oak (Austin, TX)