Bunkhouse BBQ

CLIFTON: Bunkhouse BBQ
1001 South Avenue G 
Clifton, TX 76634
254-675-8409
Open Tues-Sat 11-8
www.bunkhousebarbeque.com

There is nothing more disheartening at a barbecue joint than watching the meat slicer take the back of their knife and scrape away the layer of beautiful fat cap and throw it in the trash. When the black crust on a freshly unwrapped brisket glistens with moisture it makes my heart skip a beat. No matter how many joints I've eaten at that day, my mouth waters and my stomach grumbles. I can almost feel the fat melting on my tongue as the fat jiggles on the cutting board. Then, to see that brisket violated by the back of a knife makes me want to press charges. I was on the verge of calling 9-1-1 at Bunkhouse BBQ.

I requested some fatty brisket in the hopes that some of the fat remained. I also added some ribs and pork loin to the order. Outside on the trunk it took just one bite of the beans and potato salad to determine their dubious quality. The thick ribs were tough and undercooked with a thick sweet glaze. The excessive salt and sugar blasted away any other flavors including the smoke. The pork loin was incredibly dry, but it tasted better than it looked. A dip into the homemade sauce just brought more of the excessive sweetness that was on the ribs. That brisket that could have been great was just inching beyond good. The meat was moist and had the perfect tenderness. All of the seasoning and smokiness were long gone, but it didn't have to be that way. Do us all a favor - keep the fat, keep the flavor.

Rating **