Saturday, March 17, 2012

Mustang Creek Bar-B-Q


LOUISE: Mustang Creek Bar-B-Q
33574 Us 59 Hwy

Louise, TX 77455

979-648-2600

Open Tues-F 10:30-5
, Sat-Sun 10:30-3


You may be familiar with this tiny place between El Campo and Louise along Highway 59. It's most famous menu item, the Bohemian Special was highlighted by Texas Monthly in 2006, named the best barbecue sandwich in Texas by Robb Walsh in 2009, and featured as one of the top 21 BBQ sandwiches in the U.S. by Garden & Gun magazine in 2011. Let's just say this place has been 'discovered', and I was going in with high expectations.


Photo by Nicholas McWhirter

We watched as pitmaster Cecil carefully assembled the sandwich from peppery slices of brisket, spears of smoked sausage, dill pickles, sliced white onions and plenty of spicy and sweet barbecue sauce. When it's all put together, it's a behemoth sandwich. The textural clashes and multiple flavors make for a great sandwich whose flavor was not lacking. I had eaten several meals on this day, but I didn't want to put this sandwich down. It's worth the drive, even if it's 90 minutes from Houston.



We were too late for the ribs, so we just got a plate of sliced brisket. The smoked meat alone was a disappointment. Rubbery slices from the lean end were underdone, yet still well seasoned and smoky. Good thing the sandwich gives me another reason to visit, so I can see if this brisket was just an anomaly and to try those ribs.

Rating ***

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DISCLAIMER:

Each joint is judged on the essence of Texas 'cue...sliced brisket and pork ribs. Sausage is only considered if house made. Sauce is good, but good meat needs no adornment to satisfy. Each review can only be based on specific cuts of meat on that particular day. Finally, if the place fries up catfish or serves a caesar salad, then chances are they aren't paying enough attention to the pits, so we mostly steered clear.

-THE PROPHETS OF SMOKED MEAT