Barbecue Capital Of TEXAS Is Lockhart

This is the reason we drove 150 miles west out of Houston; Kreuz. It is worth it every time. We had sat around the house with no power or water for a day when we and the neighbors began talking of warm food and instantly we all agreed to drive to Kreuz before they closed for the night (which meant we had to leave right away if we wanted any chance).

We made it in record time and enjoyed the magical experience of what is Kreuz. The smell of the building when you walk in is like nothing else- Oh how I love it!

The rub is perfect and the rule of the house is "No Fork No Sauce."

It doesn't need it either. (Sauce is thought to hide the lack of quality in a meat). It just melts and falls apart lovely- especially the fatty brisket pieces. So yum. (Shhh, secretly, this place is my favorite)

(Less photos though, simply because the meat did not last in front of us- too delicious. We had limited timing too!)

So the next day (Sunday, and Kreuz is not open) we visit Smitty'S, the rivalry of Kreuz. When it all began they were both Kreuz, and then a man by the name of Smitty's joined the family in business. After the passing of the father, the children argued and eventually one kept the Kreuz name to a new building while the other kept the original building and called it Smitty'S.

Three of the number one barbecue best are all located very near each other, two being in Lockhart and the third being in Lulling (only minutes away really).

All three use the same technique of having a fire with the smoke traveling a slight distance to the meat- it requires much patience and attention and so very few continue this style of barbecue but the results go extremely far. It is well worth it.

Next, finally, is Monday's visit to Lulling's City Market. I cannot recall the name at the moment, but the editor or one of the writers for Gourmet Magazine named this their favorite meal ever (stating even though you would think it would be something fancy and expensive, the meat was so true and divine nothing has been better).

It comes very close to Kreuz in my opinion, VERY close. In fact I absolutely love them all. Just look at it in its divine beauty- oh so perfect. Yum!

This is barbecue done to perfection and with love. It is always the same people you see working at these places, too. I love that. They know and truly love what they do and do it extremely well.

They have been doing this for years and years, and it shows. Even the cash register has soaked in the smoke throughout the years, lol. What a lovely place to be.