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The Worst Bar-B-Q in Texas
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, February 23, 2008
Texans love their Bar-B-Q. They don’t use “barbecue” to describe meat cooked on an outdoor gril, however. Rather, “barbecue” refers to various meats cooked with spices that enhance the flavor. And if you don’t think barbecue is a big deal in Texas, just check out this documentary: Barbecue: A Texas Love Story.
Anyway, last week I had the worst barbecue in Texas. How do I know this? Because Rudy’s Bar-B-Q bills itself as having “The Worst Bar-B-Q in Texas.” You can be pretty sure this is meant to be ironic, though if you do a Google search you’ll find some detractors who really believe that Rudy’s barbecue is bad. Nevertheless, most people love Rudy’s.
You buy their Bar-B-Q according to the kind of meat and how much of it you want. You can get, for example, a half pound of turkey breast or a pound of brisket. The meat is cooked over slow burning oak with special spices. Rudy’s does not add barbecue sauce, but allows customers to add as much “sause” as they wish.
Rudy’s is found mostly in Texas, though it has stores in Oklahoma and New Mexico too. I went to the original Rudy’s, which is in Leon Springs, Texas, just to the northwest of San Antonio. It was Sunday afternoon, and the place was jammed with people. Still, we found ample room to sit for our feast.
Though Rudy’s offers some tiny efforts for the health conscious customer, like offering lean brisket, I wouldn’t recommend Rudy’s to anyone on a diet, unless you’re on one of those high protein, lo-carb diets, in which case Rudy’s might be perfect.
If this little post has made you hungry for Rudy’s, but you don’t live anywhere near a store, you could also buy some of their “sause” online. Note: it is pretty darn spicy. So if you’re not up for a bit of kick from the sause, you can always settle for what Rudy’s calls “Sissy Bar-B-Q Sause.”
Topics: Only in Texas |
4 Responses to “The Worst Bar-B-Q in Texas”
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February 23rd, 2008 at 10:03 am
When I moved to CA from TX and my new Sunday School Class at Hollywood Pres announced that they were having a Barbeque I was so excited. I arrived at the party and it was hot dogs and hamburgers on a grill. You can imagine my disappointment.
20 years later, still in CA, when someone says BBQ I still start to salivate before I remember that they mean grilling.
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:22 am
After eating the all natural brisket at Ruby’s BBQ in Austin, you’ll throw rocks at Rudy’s.
http://rubysbbq.com
While in Austin, also try Salt Lick BBQ
http://www.saltlickbbq.com
and Stubb’s BBQ with great music
http://www.stubbsaustin.com
At best, Rudy’s BBQ is a distant also ran.
Rick Brooks (refusing pulled pork w/vinegar sauce in North Carolina)
February 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
When people move to Texas, one of the first things I teach them is that, here, bbq is a noun. (And, in general, it refers to smoked brisket. As an adjective it can modify various pork products. It’s rarely used as a verb, and never for grilling.)
June 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
If you want to try some really BAD, as in awful Bar B Que, try the Rudy’s in Frisco, Texas. But if you like COLD cream corn and burned brisket, you may like the Frisco store.