Kreuz Market

LOCKHART: Kreuz Market
619 N. Colorado St. (Hwy 183)
Lockhart, TX 78644
512-398-2361
Open M-Sat 10:30-8
www.kreuzmarket.com/

Update: Two years ago, I took a road trip with two friends and stopped at 10 joints in a single day. Our final stop was Kreuz, and it did not disappoint. I was hoping to strike gold on this trip where Kreuz was again the tenth stop on a epic day of BBQ'ing. Roy Perez is the pitmaster here, and he was tending a tasty pit on this day.



We opted for a link, an end cut pork chop, and a thick slice of clod. The all beef link was juicy and robust. It had a great snap and plenty of spice. I prefer a link with a little pork in it, but this was great example of the all beef variety. The clod was rich and smoky. The perfectly tender meat was surrounded by a thick black crust and a great smokering just beneath it. It very well may be the best slice of clod I've ever eaten. The thick pork chop wasn't far down the ladder. Intensely flavorful and supple meat was enveloped by a thin line of perfectly rendered fat which gushed with salty flavor. I don't think there could have been a better ending to such a long day of eating, and I sat amazed as we finished every speck of meat despite our very full stomachs. It was a real testament to the quality of the meat, and to Roy's skill as the quintessential pitmaster.

Rating *****

2009: On two previous trips to Lockhart, Kreuz was solid, but it has never been other-worldly. I assumed this trip would be no different, but it turned out to be one of my best BBQ experiences. I've eaten mounds of BBQ in my time, but this day was different. Two companions and I had eaten at nine joints on a Saturday. We started early, so by 4:30 we were in our hotel room in Lockhart discussing the following day's line-up of Smitty's and Black's. A friend lamented that he wouldn't be able to try Kreuz, so it hit me that I'd never done 10 BBQ joints in one day, and Kreuz would make it an even 10. As we walked through the front doors, I couldn't imagine that another bite of meat would taste good, but that seductive smell began to change my mind as I gazed into the firelight of the smokers.



I bellied up to the counter to order. Just like Smitty's down the street, this joint offers both fatty brisket and shoulder clod which they refer to as "lean beef". Both were included in my pile 'o protein along with a spare rib and a pork chop.



We then commenced gorging with grease running down to our elbows. The lean brisket was phenomenal. It was moist, perfectly tender with a deep smokiness and robust flavor from the salty rub. The fatty brisket didn't fare as well. The flavor was fine, but it was simply too fatty for me to order it again. Spare ribs were a bit tough, but the deep smoke line and salt and pepper rub melded together to create some fine tasting pork. The pork chop was the biggest surprise. This lean meat can sometimes get dried out, but this slice was perfectly moist, tender and smoky. The salty rub was evident in nearly every delicious bite, and I picked the bone clean.

As I was leaving, I noticed that most of the customers had been taken care of, and Roy Perez, the semi-famous pit boss, was sharpening his knives. I walked over to ask for a picture, and he gladly obliged.



I was surprised when he handed me his newly sharpened knife to try some carving on my own. It was the perfect ending to a great eating experience, and a ground-breaking day.

2008: This is new building, but it comes with much history. You can read about this incredible family feud here. Walking into the smoke house, you'd guess this place has been around for ages. Between the well blackened tall ceiling and the smoke, you'd guess there was just a black hole above you. Ordering here is much like at a butcher shop. Decsribe the meat, and how much you want of it, and it's loaded onto a scale for pricing. They've starting selling some classic BBQ side items in the attached dining room, but the best accompaniments are the traditional crackers, cheese and pickles. No sauce is available here.

They are generous with their cuts here, but then you pay by the pound. We sampled both the fatty and lean briskets. The lean brisket was still heavy on the fat, but it was well rendered and smoky while the fatty brisket was simply carrying too much extra blubber to be enjoyable without a trim. A nice black crust held far too much salt on both cuts. The ribs were large, meaty and well cooked with nicely rendered fat. The crust was also salty, and the smoke could have permeated more of the meat.

In addition to the usual, we also sampled a pork chop which was dry, but the most evenly seasoned piece of meat of the day. They are known for their prime rib, but at $17.90/lb. this salty, slightly dry meat was not vastly superior to the cuts running sub $10/lb. The sausage here was fatty but with a good snap and a coarse grind...quite good.

Another note about the eating style in this portion of Central Texas is that your plate is a sheet of butcher paper, and your only utensil is a plastic knife. Eating with our bare hands became second nature after a few bites, and I'll have to admit that it's hard going back to a fork once I go back into proper Dallas BBQ joints. It garners a few looks, but it's worth it.