Wow!

[Poboy kartman]

Kinda speaks to Franklin's prowess as well...to get people to stand in long lines in Texas for BBQ....Is quite the accomplishment.

Thanks for the validation on Snow's....I've never been to either joint.

 

[RobertD]

I think the Franklins thing is two-fold.

1) It's supposed to be insanely great BBQ.

BUT 2) It has a line.
People see a line, and think, "heck, I better get in that line, looks like something good is going on!"

It's a self-perpetuating thing. I'd rather drive an hour to Lexington, (or Lockhart, or Luling) than sit around in a parking lot for BBQ. And the price? Holy smokes it's $20 / pound for brisket!!!

 

[Poboy kartman]

$20 a pound is pretty standard around here for brisket.

Which one (ones) do you go to in Lockhart? Kreuz Market, Blacks BBQ, or Smitty's Market?

 

[RobertD]

20 is normal?! Ugh! My BBQ joint down the road is $14, which itself is high. The other place nearby is 16. Beef is expensive these days. I've been BBQ'ing waaaaay more chicken these days.

My favorite in Texas is City Market in Luling. It's murder to drive in to Lockhart, and keep going another 10-12 miles, whatever it is, to get to Luling, but in my opinion it's the best. (And they have BBQ sauce, thin, spicy, vinegar and mustard style, and hey, I'm German so you know I'm all about it.)

"New" Kruez is fine, its just sterile, old Kreuz (Smitty's) is old-school awesome. Walking in, you could walk in the fire pit if you aren't careful! Now that's what I call a proper BBQ place!!!

If you want brisket (or beef ribs) Black's is great, plus they actually have sides.

Local's special is Chisolm Trail BBQ. Very good, just "new" (10 years??!) compared to the established ones.

It's so funny, people who aren't BBQ nuts don't even get the nuance that we're discussing, but it's a BIG DEAL to us Texans!

 

[Poboy kartman]

BTW: If there ever was a more competitive market in DFW besides BBQ. It's hamburgers. Again...I happen to live close to one of the best. (Actually two.)

Anytime the best burger in DFW comes up...inevitably, so does Kinkaids. And it often takes top honors when reviewed by the experts. I've been there, and wasn't all that impressed. Since it opened in the mid-forties, I may have just hit it at the wrong time as there has been years it was bashed pretty bad...but supposedly has reupped it's quality and is once again worthy of the top ranking. I think it's partly riding on reputation though...just because so many people know about it...(like Franklin's.)

So...another one even closer to me is Navajo Burger. It's also consistently mentioned in the top ten, as is Tommy's. It's in a gas station on Navajo Trail in Lake Worth. This is where it gets a little confusing. It started life as Tommy's burgers back as far as at least the mid-eighties. It became popular and successful and Tommy's began to spring up in several locations.They were good...but I still preferred the ones at the original location.

So...then Tommy's on Navajo Trail shut down. Bought by new owners...it became Navajo Burger...if anything...it still holds more true to the original than Tommy's, and the burgers are cheaper, too...(Although that's not a consideration in best burger judgment by the pros.)

Anyway...went and got one this morning!

 

[RobertD]

I honestly think I make the best burger. And, actually, the best steak as well! It's not that hard!!!

 

[Poboy kartman]

I can make a very good hamburger and a killer steak...(if I could afford steak)...I'm a chicken man now, too.

But...to make hamburgers like I'm talking about...you either have to grind your own meat...or have it custom ground to very exacting specifications. There's nothing in the grocery stores suitable for a proper hamburger....and the hamburger snobs take this into consideration when judjing these burgers.

Same thing with steak...a true steak aficionado goes to a steakhouse and drops a C-note for a reason. The good ones age their own beef, and even before aging...that beef is unavailable in grocery stores.

 

[RobertD]

I can recall the best steak I ever had. (maybe this should be a new thread!) ... OK hold on, starting a new thread. http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33946

 

[chancer]

Chicken is King in this Economy!
We eat a ton of Chicken and rarely get steak!

 

[Poboy kartman]

Yeah....28 cents a pound. What else can you get for that , potatoes maybe?