Many of our readers are familiar with Corkscrew BBQ, the food trailer that serves some of the best BBQ in the entire Houston area. They've had universally good reviews, including a rare two-star review from The Houston Chronicle's Alison Cook. They've been so successful that they've had to expand from their original pit to a higher capacity model, and from their small food trailer to a modern, larger trailer. Even with these expansions, they still sell out of their BBQ every day. Rain or shine, in hot or cold weather.

Waiting for BBQ at Corkscrew

Just about everyone who's been to Corkscrew loves 'em... with one notable exception. There's another BBQ place, called Pit Master BBQ, that's in a shopping center on the main road near Corkscrew's side-road location. Unlike Corkscrew, Pit Master is a full restaurant, with walls, air conditioning, restrooms, and all the other accoutrements that come with a brick-and-mortar shop. Yet they don't seem to be able to compete with the little BBQ trailer. It's a classic David-vs-Goliath story, but instead of David being armed with a slingshot, he's got BBQ meats as his weapon of choice.

Pit Master is only lacking two things: Great BBQ and a sense of ethics. I've eaten at Pit Master a couple of times, and found their food to be utterly unremarkable - the type of corporate BBQ that's available all over the place, and simply isn't memorable. Until Corkscrew opened, Pit Master was the only BBQ spot in the area, and without competition their unremarkable BBQ wasn't a serious problem.

Apparently the appearance of a master pitmaster like Will Buckman upset Pit Master's apple cart, because according to reports, Pit Master's owners have tried to get Corkscrew BBQ shut down. Repeatedly.

Nichole Buckman, one of the owners of Corkscrew BBQ, shares the sad tale on her Facebook page:

"Well we are working on going permanent, starting the processes this week. We'll be staying in the same location in the trailer, we'll be getting bathrooms put in and we'll be able to sell beer and wine, yea!

"Everyone can thank Pitmaster BBQ for that...why you ask? They decided to go to the commissioner and try and have us shut down for having a pit room and canopy that was APPROVED but not written in the laws of having a food truck. So all those still frequenting them, this is how they treat other local family owned business, they try and shut them down bc they are loosing business, which has NOTHING to do with us but all with the quality of their food.

"I wish they would think that when they try and shut us down they are potentially taking the roof over my kids heads way, food from their mouths and clothes off their backs. I would never do that to a person, its shameful. We will not be bullied by them, it's not the first time they've been trying to shut us down since we opened."

We make no secret about being fans of Corkscrew BBQ and their world-class food. And we applaud Nichole's positive attitude, and her drive to make her business even better. Corkscrew is a perfect example of how hard work, customer service, and dedication to a superior product will enable a small business to thrive, even in a tough economy.

We hope Pit Master tries a new approach - serving better BBQ, as opposed to whining to local government to get a family business shut down. Until that happens, we ask each of our readers to ask themselves what sort of business they'd like to support.

And we welcome a rebuttal from Pit Master in the comments. We'd love to hear your side of this sordid story.

Update: We recap the first Houston BBQ Festival.

When you think of America's great barbecue towns, you think of Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas's own Lockhart. But if Chris Reid and Michael Fulmer have anything to say about it, Houston will be added to the national short list of great places to enjoy 'Q.

It's not that Houston doesn't have great barbecue. It does. From legendary smokehouses like Thelma's, Burns, and Virgie's to current favorites like Gatlin's and Corkscrew, Houston pitmasters put out some superlative brisket, ribs, sausage, and other smoked meats. What's been lacking has been public perception and visibility, and the Houston Barbecue Festival aims to change that.

J.C. Reid, and a close friend (photo: Paul Sedillo)

To be held March 24, 2013, the Houston Barbecue Festival brings together some of Houston's top barbecue talent in one location. Already on the docket are Blake's, Brook's, Burns, Corkscrew, Gatlin's, Gerardo's, Lennox, Pizzitola's, Ray's, Tin Roof, and Virgie's.  More may be added.

The festival kicks off at 1pm, and runs until 5 at the Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Road. (map). It's near the south end of MetroRail, so those who'd rather not drive have an option.  For the price of an admission ticket attendees can sample tastings from each of the assembled 'Q joints - it may be the greatest assembly of pit talent under one roof that Houston has ever seen.

"You can get great barbecue in Houston, without having to drive to Lockhart." says J.C. Reid, one of the event's organizers. Reid is a food writer and noted expert on Houston barbecue.  In 2011 Reid established the Houston BBQ Project, a comprehensive database of Houston barbecue joints, complete with an interactive map.

Reid and fellow event organizer Michael Fulmer have done their homework. The pair has travelled extensively throughout Texas, sampling barbecue from some of the state's most storied pits. In their travels closer to home, they discovered some excellent barbecue in Houston, and thus the impetus for the festival was born.

Tickets are available online, and will not be sold at the door.  Admission is $40, which includes tasting portions from all participants. VIP tickets are available for $80, which include one hour early admission, drink tickets, and a swag bag including an event t-shirt.

When:
March 24, 2013 1pm - 5pm

Where:
Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Road (map)

We brought home brisket and pulled pork from Corkscrew BBQ tonight - first time I'd done carryout from them. Very well packaged, arrived in Indian Springs hot and moist. Loved that the pulled pork had its own vinegar-based sauce, a rarity in Texas. Brisket was superb as always.

As the Woodlands has grown, we've seen explosive growth in the local restaurant market.  Newcomers open every month, anxious to tap into the thriving economy by feeding hungry residents.  Some succeed. Some fail.  But all help the dining scene change and evolve into something more interesting.

Once thing we've bemoaned repeatedly is the lack of good BBQ in the Woodlands.  While there are a smattering of BBQ joints, we've yet to run across a place that serves the kind of 'Q that we crave.  Heck, most of the time when we're in the mood for BBQ, we hike down I-45 to Louetta and give Rudy's, the San Antonio import, our business.

So we were excited to hear from one of our Twitter followers about a new BBQ place opening up off Sawdust road.  Called Corkscrew BBQ, it is an oversized BBQ truck/trailer semi-permanently located on Budde road, half a block south of Sawdust.  Painted black with a bright pink roof, you won't miss the trailer when you drive down Budde Road, perhaps on the way to an Orwall little league game.

The Corkscrew BBQ Truck

Corkscrew BBQ is new to the Woodlands, but the people behind it are not new to BBQ.  Will and Nichole Buckman are the owners, and they have operated a successful catering business on the north side for years.  Corkscrew BBQ is the result of their desire to serve a bigger market on a daily basis, applying their hard-won expertise in the catering field.

So how is the BBQ?  As every real Texan knows, BBQ is all about slow-cooking meat with plenty of honest-to-Robb wood smoke.  Corkscrew's wood of choice is oak, and they use plenty of it.

Native Texas Oak is the source of fire and smoke in Corkscrew BBQ's pit

Unlike many urban BBQ places, Corkscrew's pit runs exclusively on wood - there's no gas involved at all.  Oak was selected because it's a fairly hot-burning wood, and Will Buckman prefers not to overpower the flavor of the meat with the flavor of smoke, and a hotter fire shifts the balance in favor of the meat flavor.

The pit itself is a good-sized rotary shelf unit, with individual meats wrapped in foil to retain their juices.

The pit at Corkscrew BBQ

Corkscrew smokes the traditional brisket, ribs and sausage, and also plans to go beyond the standards with occasional daily specials.  On our first visit, we were in a bit of a hurry, and sampled only the chopped beef sandwich.

Chopped Beef at Corkscrew BBQ

Chopped beef can tell you a lot about the philosophy of a BBQ joint.  Some places use the least desirable scraps, hiding the poor quality behind too much strong sauce.  Corkscrew's approach is one we prefer: Freshly chopped brisket, mixed with just enough sauce, topped with veggies.  Crunchy sliced onions and pickles (and jalapeƱos, if you'd like) complete the sandwich, and we liked the not-overly-sweet tang of the housemade sauce.

We returned two days later, and talked with Will Buckman about how their first weekend went.  They were very busy - apparently we weren't the only ones in the Woodlands who were hungry for a new BBQ spot.  Will insisted that we try his brisket, and hauled out a slab.

Brisket at Corkscrew BBQ

The brisket had a beautiful dark bark, and the grit of the house rub was plainly visible.  A cut revealed a quarter-inch smoke ring in a nice, dark pink.

He sliced off a sample (an outside cut from the fatty end) and we dug in.  The smoky flavor was subtle, but certainly present.  We've had BBQ where the smoke totally overpowered the flavor of the beef, but that wasn't a problem at Corkscrew.  The 'Q was slightly drier than we prefer, but a dash of the tangy housemade sauce addressed that problem, and added a nice bite to the flavor.

Brisket at Corkscrew BBQ

Bottom line:  Corkscrew's brisket is easily among the best to be had in the Woodlands.

Will had an enigmatic smile on his face, and handed me a small container.  "It's our cobbler.  Today's is apple."  Never being one to insult a man with a hot pit and sharp knives, I opened the container and sampled the warm cobbler.

Apple Cobbler at Corkscrew BBQ

Corkscrew's cobbler is superb.  A soft, flaky, buttery crust balanced with the zest of the spicy apples, sweet but not cloyingly so.  We're anxious to return and sample the other cobblers, including peach and seasonal berries.

The Woodlands has been in need of a serious BBQ joint ever since I've moved here, and Corkscrew BBQ is already filling that void.  Between the tasty brisket and superb cobbler, we'll be back, and often.  If you love BBQ, you will, too.

Corkscrew BBQ | Budde Road just south of Sawdust | The Woodlands, TX 77380
832-592-1184 | www.CorkscrewBBQ.com | Twitter: @CorkscrewBBQ

Corkscrew BBQ on Urbanspoon

Houston is hands down the best food city in Texas, and we Houstonians are spoiled.  We're used to being able to readily find great examples of pretty much any cuisine.

One area where we've had difficulty in Houston is Bar-B-Q.  Sure, Houston has some amazing BBQ joints, like Thelma's and Burns.  But the typical BBQ place in Houston serves mediocre BBQ, especially if you're looking for a convenient, family-friendly setting that won't challenge the less adventurous among us.

Enter Rudy's.  This San Antonio based chain has established several outposts in Houston, and has developed a reputation for better-than-average BBQ.  Our first visit (soon after the Spring store opened) wasn't memorable, but we'd been hearing good things, so we visited again.


Ordering at Rudy's is different than most BBQ restaurants, but will seem familiar to anyone who's been to any of the meat markets that often offer the best BBQ to be found.  Once you reach the counter, you order your meat by the pound, and it's sliced to order.  We prefer this ordering method.

On this trip, brisket was under investigation.  Rudy's gives you the option of lean or moist brisket; this corresponds to the wet or dry end of the brisket.  Wet, in this case, refers to fat, and that's where the flavor is.  We ordered our favorite: An outside cut from the wet end.

What arrived was some of the most beautiful brisket we'd seen in quite a while.  Moist, fork tender, rimmed with a beautiful 3/8" smoke ring, and encrusted with a perfectly charred pepper and spice rub, this brisket was ready for the cover of Texas Monthly.

And the flavor did not disappoint.  Lush, smoky, with that oak flavor that doesn't come on as fast as mesquite, but which provides a very satisfying BBQ flavor.  And this is real BBQ; sauce (or sause, as Rudy's spells it) is strictly optional.

We also sampled a link of Rudy's "Regular" sausage, the milder of the two offered.  It was good, with a firm texture and smooth smoky flavor.  But it was the brisket that stole the show.

Rudy's | 20806 I-45 North | Spring, Texas | 77373 | 281-288-0916

We're fans of Jasper's, the upscale restaurant concept from Dallas's Kent Rathbun.  We love pretty much everything about their Woodlands location, from the great spot overlooking the Market Street park to the gorgeous modern interior to the excellent service to the creative takes on traditional Texas favorites.  We've been many times, and consider it to be one of the best restaurants in both the Woodlands and the entire Houston area.

But a recent show on TV got our attention.  The claim:  Bon Appetit magazine ranked Jasper's BBQ ribs as their third-best ribs in the nation.  That's a serious claim, and it runs contrary to our First Tenet of BBQ Wisdom:  The Fancier the Store, the Worse the BBQ.

Since we love BBQ almost as much as we love a great burger, we had to test out the claim for our readers.

We visited Jasper's on a beautiful Thursday for a late lunch.  We started with the one thing we can never pass up at Jasper's, their outrageous housemade potato chip appetizer.

The thin-cut russet potatoes were flash-fried to perfection, and covered with Maytag bleu cheese mixed with chives and a mild soft cheese sauce.  The result is nothing short of amazing.  We've recommended this dish to everyone who goes to Jasper's, and the feedback we get is universally positive.

But now it's time to get down to the ribs.  Our server suggested that the half rack was plenty, so we took his advice and ordered them.  After a reasonable wait, they appeared.

The half rack was split into two three-rib bits, artistically stacked, and served with their creamy "baked potato" salad.

We dug into the ribs, and were impressed by their tenderness; the meat came off the bone without any significant effort on our part.  It was thoroughly basted in Jasper's spicy-sweet BBQ sauce, and more of the sauce was on the side.

All we could taste was the sauce.  We simply couldn't taste the meat, and we didn't use the extra sauce.

We are firm believers that world-class BBQ is delicious with no sauce at all, and should be served with the sauce on the side, not pre-slathered on the meat.  We find the preapplication of BBQ sauce to be a crutch to disguise meat that hasn't been adequately rubbed or smoked; it's popular at high-end, high-volume BBQ restaurants because the meat doesn't have to spend hours on the smoker - the flavor comes from the sauce.  Folks who've never been to a great Texas BBQ joint probably won't see anything wrong with this saucing technique, but I contend that they've never really had great BBQ, either.

Bottom Line:  We enjoyed the ribs, but weren't blown away at all.  We believe that better ribs can be had at the County Line upscale BBQ chain, not to mention at landmark establishments like City Market in Luling.

And we're convinced that Bon Appetit really shouldn't be ranking ribs.

Labor Day weekend found us on a much-needed weekend jaunt to San Antonio, and we were fortunate enough to be in Luling around lunch time. So a stop at City Market was mandatory.

We'd never been during the lunch rush, and we were not the only folks with BBQ on the brain this day. The line was long (stretching throughout the restaurant, almost to the far door) but it moved quickly, and we discussed 'Q with some other hungry travelers.


After about twenty minutes, we entered the holy of holies, and approached the altar/counter. As always, the pit room is 20 degrees warmer than the rest of the restaurant, and the meaty, smoky aroma almost overwhelms you when you enter this remarkable space.

After we had received our BBQ, we searched for an open table, or even a spot at one of the big community tables. We finally located one in an out-of-the-way corner, and were able to dig into the BBQ.

As always, it was the pork ribs that stole the show. Meaty, juicy, and perfectly smoked, the rich pork flavor was superb, and the meat was so tender that it pulled from the bone effortlessly. We've eaten pork ribs all over the state, and we've never found any that compare to those here at City Market.

Brisket was excellent as well (especially the outside cut that we specified) with a beautiful 3/8" smoke ring and an infusion of smoky flavor. The only disappointment was the sausage, which was too mild and had a somewhat mushy texture.

After engorging ourselves on BBQ, we headed out of town, stopping for fuel and snacks at the big Buc-ee's store located on the main road. We realized that we envied the folks here in Luling, and are looking forward to our next trip to City Market.

City Market on Urbanspoon

One of our trusted sources just informed us that Thelma's has reopened. Houston BBQ aficionados can breathe a sigh of relief; some of our city's best BBQ is available once again.

I maintain that the best BBQ is found in little ramshackle shacks located in small towns off the beaten path in Nowhere County, Texas. So why do I like the County Line?

They do a good job at pretty much everything. Inviting, faux-camp decor. Friendly, professional waitstaff. And BBQ that's plenty good, and better than pretty much any other chain that I can name.

I started at County Line when I lived in Austin, and frequented both locations. The concept has made the trip down Hwy 290 with its goodness intact.

What to order? My favorite here are the baby back pork ribs. A full rack is large; a half rack is plenty for most folks. In either case you get some tender (but not falling-off-the-bone) meaty pork ribs, nicely prepared and doused with a sweet-but-not-too-sweet sauce. Beef lovers will be thrilled with their gigantic beef ribs, served with a sauce that's not quite as sweet, and the brisket is very good too.

Bread is another high point here. Why pay for bread in a BBQ joint? Because it's homemade and superb, fluffy and sweet and when topped with the provided honey butter it's a decadent addition to the carnivorous offerings on the table.

What's not to like? It's a bit more expensive than some places, but the prices aren't out of line for a sit-down meal; this one just happens to consist of very good BBQ.

County Line is a great choice for those who love great BBQ, especially if our town's more elemental BBQ joints are a bit too edgy for them.

The County Line: 13850 Cutten Rd, Houston, 77069, 281-537-2454

Thelma's Bar-B-Que, the landmark Houston BBQ spot was seriously damaged over the weekend by fire. They are closed until further notice, and there's no word about when and if Thelma will rebuild and reopen.

We at H-Town Chow Down wish Miss Thelma the best during this difficult time, and look forward to her reopening her legendary establishment.

Robb Walsh gives us the sordid details.

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