Milt's Pit BBQ

KYLE: Milt's Pit BBQ
905 N Old Hwy 81
Kyle, TX 78640
512-268-4734
Open Tues-Sat 11-8, Sun 12-7
www.miltspitbbq.com

Update: Milt's has MOVED, but just down the street. They are now located at 208 W Center St. in downtown Kyle.

2011: After meeting Logan on the first trip, I got to meet his dad Milt on my next visit. Milt was born in Texas but moved to California for work. After having enough of the west coast, he headed to DFW and soon tired of the treeless landscape. After reading an ad for a defunct BBQ joint in small town Texas, he moved his family to Kyle to try his hand at smoking meat. After several research trips to Lockhart and a few years of practice, I'd say Milt has it down.



Instead of the Lockhart sausage, I opted for the staff recommended jalapeno sausage made by V&V Sausage Company from Cistern, Texas. It's an all beef sausage that had a pleasant kick and a better flavor than the Lockhart sausage. Brisket was just as good as the first trip. Silky smooth lines of fat were sandwiched between tender, smoky meat. The crust and smokering were both prominent on these flawless slices. Ribs were also similar to the first trip, if a bit better. The meat was still a bit chewy, and the glaze was a bit more subdued. The whole snack was enjoyable, and the trip got better with a tour of the pits.



Two large pits are in operation to feed the demand that Milt has created. While touring the smoke filled back room, we were offered a few slices of a freshly smoked turkey breast. Although it was tongue searingly hot, the moist meat had incredible flavor with a nice level of smoke. Yet another meat that Milt's does well.

Rating ****

01/2010: Milt's is a bit of a rarity for Texas BBQ joints in that it's open on Sunday. That worked out perfectly for me as I headed back from a weekend trip in San Antonio. Milt's is just off I-35 about 1/2 hour south of Austin. It came with high hopes given all of the good things I'd heard from BBQ loving friends, and the lack of media coverage elsewhere made it even more intriguing. Orders are placed with the friendly staff just inside the door at a window reminiscent of a fast-food restaurant. Meat can be ordered by the 1/4 lb, so I went for a helping of ribs, brisket and Lockhart sausage.



I sat at a picnic table in the dining room to grab a few bites before I got back on the road. The sausage, which is a beef sausage that comes from Kreuz in Lockhart. This coarsely ground sausage had good snap and a great smoky flavor. Brisket slices were perfect. The smokiness in the brisket was excellent as evidenced by the well formed crust and beautiful smokering. The overall flavor, texture and moisture were great with just enough well rendered fat clinging to each slice. The ribs seemed to take a cue from Smitty's with a slightly sweet glaze applied once they were done smoking. The flavor was great, but they could have used a bit more time on the smoker to build that smoky flavor, and to get the meat a bit more tender.

After that quick bite inside, I met the pitmaster, Logan, and told him how much I enjoyed the place. He said it was a special day since the business was celebrating their second anniversary. With meats this well smoked, I'm sure they'll stick around for quite a while longer.

Rating ****