Balderas Grocery & Bar-B-Que

WAELDER: Balderas Grocery & Bar-B-Que
419 W Us Highway 90
Waelder, TX 78959
830-788-7155
Open M-Sat 6:30am - 9pm

Update: This joint is CLOSED. It will open on 04/15/13 as Crossvine Market & Bar-B-Que.

2012: I read about this joint on another blog and it really got my hopes up. Even if the old Eureste's had changed hands, we were hoping for some well smoked meats at the new version called Waelder Grocery. When we pulled up to the parking space along the street we noticed that it had changed hands again, and the new name was Baldera's Grocery. A guy working the register motioned towards the back of the store when we asked about the barbecue. Through a couple of doors and past a make-shift dining area we found the pit room. The old brick pit looked well worn which kept hopes high, but it took a few minutes before someone showed up to get our order.

The brisket was so over cooked that it came apart in chunks. A bit of mashed potatoes and gravy would have been more appropriate accompaniments than barbecue sauce. It was just sad roast beef. Pork ribs were so dry that edges were frayed as they were cut from the rack. They had been wrapped up tight for some time, so what once was bark was now wet and gummy. The only saving grace was a well spiced sausage with some kick from garlic and spices along with some unexpected herbal notes. It had good smoke, but like everything else had dried out considerably. It might be the same building and the same pit, but it didn't seem like this joint was up to the level of the other joints that have called this building home.

Rating ** 

C&J Barbeque

COLLEGE STATION: C&J Barbeque
4304 Harvey Rd.
College Station, TX 77845
979-776-8969
Open M-Thur 10:30-8:30, F-Sat 10:30-9, Sun 11-3
www.cjbbq.com

C&J is a mini-chain around the Bryan/College Station area that gets plenty of love from the locals. I'd been told the best brisket in town could be found here, so I had to check it out. Service was in the classic cafeteria style with meats being cut on a back counter that was still in view. That allowed me to get some good lean slices and a few fatty chunks as well.

The lean brisket had plenty going for it. The slices looked great with a good crust and thick smokering. They were moist, nicely tender, and somehow they were almost flavorless. It just tasted like a mass of wet, unseasoned beef. The fatty chunks had at least a hint of smoke, but the fat was poorly rendered and still chewy. At least the sides of loaded mashed potatoes and a vinegar-heavy slaw were interesting.

The ribs were a step up. They also looked great, and this time the seasoning came through. A nice bark and tender meat beneath made for a great texture, but the smoke was just too hard to discern. I guess they must rely too much on the gas assist in that gas smoker. A few more sticks of wood could have made this some above average barbecue.

Rating **

Blue Moon BBQ

EDGE: Blue Moon BBQ
18746 E. OSR
Hearne, TX 77859
979-549-4800
Open W 11-4, Thur-Sun 11-7

To call this an out-of-the-way joint would be an understatement. It's address is in Hearne which isn't exactly close, and the closest town is the unincorporated Edge, Texas whose cemetery has a higher population than the town. Blue Moon's owner Rick Moon said his family immigrated to this area a few generations back, so he couldn't think of a better place to open this joint when he moved back from Houston five years ago.

I started with a bacon wrapped jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and brisket. The bacon was crisp, the pepper tender, and the filling adequately meaty. I should have ordered more than one.

Slices from the brisket flat were very dry, and the pitmaster explained that he was trying to catch up and get his briskets done by cranking up the heat. He let them go a little long, then admitted he didn't have time to let it rest before slicing it. I guess the lunch service around here is more brisk than I assumed. The brisket had good smoke, as did the pork loin which remained a lot more moist. The well seasoned cut had a nice ring of rendered fat around the edges and an exemplary smokering. Baby back ribs had a good bark along with a heavy rub. The subtle sweetness didn't overpower the smoke, and the meat came cleanly from the bone. These were some great ribs.

One of the oddest sides I've seen is on this menu. Onions, tomatoes and chopped brisket are sauteed together in a skillet then cornbread batter is poured in for a kicked up skillet cornbread. To serve it they cut a wedge, cover it in cheese and give it a quick zap to melt the cheese. It wasn't as bad as it looked, but it was also more unique than good.

Back in the pitroom I got to check out the huge steel barrel smoker that was still putting off some post oak smoke. A fresh brisket was on the cutting board and Rick cut off a couple slices from the fatty end. It was far superior to the lean stuff I got with my meal and showed just what their high end was. I know the profit margins are low, but Blue Moon would do themselves a favor to turn some of those bad briskets into chopped beef and serve the good ones that I know they have in the back.

Rating ***