MARSHALL: Neely's Brown Pig
1404 East Grand Ave.
Marshall, TX 75670
903-935-9040
Open Tues-Thur 10-3, F 10-7, Sat 10-5
This wasn't a planned stop, but when I saw the simple brown pig cut-out on a pole alongside the road, I had to pull over. I didn't realize I was stepping into history until I noticed a sign commemorating the opening and learned the place opened in 1927. Their signature sandwich is the "Brown Pig" which is much like the “Pig Sandwich” first served at the old Pig Stands in Dallas and still found at the Van’s Pig Stand chain in Oklahoma. Here at Neely’s the brown pig sandwich is so popular that most folks just refer to the place as Neely’s Brown Pig.
Tables are available inside, but it just felt cooler ordering from the walk-up window and eating on the car trunk.
Hickory smoked pork butts are chopped fine and mixed with a thin red sauce then layered on a bun with shredded lettuce and a squirt of mayo. After just a few minutes the shredded lettuce had already wilted. The tender and finely chopped meat and sauces combined for a singular soft texture, but the seemingly disparate flavors worked well together. On any other day I could see myself eating a couple of these at one sitting, but we had a few more stops ahead so some restraint was in order. I'll try more of the menu on a future stop, but the Brown Pig alone makes it worth a stop, if just for a bite of history.
Rating **
As a former Marshall resident, I have been enjoying Brown Pigs for almost 60 years. It is a piece of Heaven on a saucer.
ReplyDeleteIf you get through there again, go inside. There are photos all over the walls documenting its history.
Also, you can fully appreciate the fact that the sandwich is toasted on both sides by a sandwich press as you put it in your hands. The twice fried hand cut fries are the perfect compliment and a bottle of the spicy vinegar based sauce is available to squirt on each bite.
John