McClard's Bar-B-Q

ARKANSAS: McClard's Bar-B-Q
505 Albert Pike Rd
Hot Springs, AR 71913
501-624-9586
Open Tues-Sat 11-8
mcclards.com

Since I began planning a road trip from Dallas to Memphis, I had been looking forward to a stop in Hot Springs, Arkansas to get the "Ribs & Fry" platter at McClard's. A pound of saucy spare ribs are covered by another pound or so of fries. It's a simple plate that was described as near perfection from BBQ lovers everywhere.



Leaving the hotel on a gray and foggy morning, we made our way through town to the historic whitewashed building on the corner. The smell of wood smoke was thick in the air as we arrived just as they were opening. A few tables were taken, and we found a booth with a window view. Within minutes our order had arrived, and the smell of vinegar began clearing our nostrils. The sauce at McClard's is thin and tomatoey with a heavy dose of vinegar and black pepper.



The fries were hot, fresh and delicious. A dip into the sauce made them even better. After I'd devoured enough fries to expose a few ribs, I grabbed one to dig in. The ribs had a good smoky flavor from the brick pits and the hickory wood, but the meat was a bit tough and stringy. The fat needed more time to render, but the addition of the sauce created a great overall flavor.



A chopped pork sandwich was less successful. The finely chopped meat had almost no flavor on its own, and had a dry sawdust quality. Rather than slaw, the sandwich is topped with a thick layer of mayo and fresh chopped cabbage. Altogether, the sandwich was enjoyable, but it was really in spite of the meat. Beans were meaty enough to pass as chili north of Texas, and they had a great smoky flavor. As our check arrived (cash only), there was already a line forming for tables. Get there early and bring some cash.



While it may not have lived up to the high expectations I'd set in my mind, I really enjoyed McClard's. I won't pretend to have a great understanding of what constitutes great Arkansas barbecue, but I would expect moist pork and tender ribs to be high on the list of requirements. A huge pile of those incredible fries might cure many ills, but here's hoping that the rest of Arkansas and Memphis has more to offer.

Rating ***

Bodacious BBQ (Sulphur Springs)

SULPHUR SPRINGS: Bodacious Bar-B-Q
1228 South Broadway Street
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
903-885-6456 ‎
Open M-Sat 11-8:30, Sun 11-7

Bodacious has over a dozen locations. This is the fifth visited by this blog, and we're still in search of the perfect Bodacious. No matter how many we visit, each time a mediocre review is published yet another reader tells me to try a different location. It's become more of a humorous endeavor, but I'll continue to pull in under all those Bodacious signs until I find something great.



Brisket here had a hint of smoke flavor in the crusty bites, but the interior meat was nothing more than slightly dry roast beef. The slices had been completely trimmed, and lacked overall flavor. A dip into the oddly flavored sauce didn't help. The tomato based sauce is heavy on mustard and vinegar with little sweetness. I didn't find it pleasant. Ribs had plenty of punch from a very sweet rub whose ingredient list reads sugar, salt then black pepper. All of these were prominent in the flavor profile, but any sort of smokiness was missing in these thin St. Louis cut ribs. A side of beans were unremarkable, but the crunchy cole slaw with celery seed was enjoyable. Within minutes of posting my initial thoughts to Twitter that it was another so-so experience at Bodacious, someone implored me to try the Mount Pleasant location. The great Bodacious search continues.

Rating **

Mac's Bar-B-Que

DALLAS: Mac's Bar-B-Que
3933 Main St
Dallas, TX 75226
214-823-0731
Open M-F 10:45-2:15

Update: Mac's has become a regular lunch stop for me, and I made my way in again last week. I realized I had never gotten a proper tour of the pits, so Billy took me to the back to see that hickory fire in action.



The large smoker is built into the wall. There is one large fire pit on the lower right, and four large chambers to hold the bevy of meats. He's smoking briskets on a foil tray these days because it's so hard to find a supplier offering a good fat cap on the briskets. Capturing some of the run-off fat is needed to keep the briskets moist.



Another necessity is some serious security on the back door. A pipe, some welded steel and a pad lock or two keep the burglars out.



I also realized that I had never written about my usual order. This is for those of you that don't think that I like barbecue sauce. It is one of my favorite condiments, and I often enjoy it with smoked meat. It's just that I don't use it to judge the quality of the meat in my reviews. Mac's has a great sauce that is robust and smoky without too much sweetness. I love it poured over top a sandwich piled high with chopped beef and slices of hot link. All of this is wrapped in a grilled white bun, and I surround myself in napkins before commencing. The whole is certainly more than the sum of its parts.

Rating ***

2009: I headed over to Mac's with a friend last week. We chatted it up with Billy before ordering, and determined that he smokes with 100% hickory wood. I certainly could taste it on my two meat platter of sliced brisket and ribs. Alongside came some beans and fries.



The beans at Mac's are smoky, earthy and flavorful. Each bite packs a BBQ laced punch to the tastebuds, and their juice is great for dipping the crispy fries into. These are fries made from fresh cut potatoes and fried in hot soybean oil. This combination of sides are one of the finest in Dallas 'cue joints.

Oh yeah, there's meat too. Smoky moist brisket slices are fork cutting tender. Bites without crust could stand to be a bit smokier, but the overall flavor is beyond roast beef. The St. Louis style ribs have a slightly sweet rub on them with good smokiness as well. The meat is tug from the bone tender with well rendered fat throughout. Put it all together, and Mac's is good eating for sure.

2008: Mac's has been a favorite of mine for years. It's a two-person operation with Mac's son running the pit and serving up the 'cue while mom runs the register. The service is slow but charming. The building is small and located on a stretch of street that most wouldn't give a second look at, but the joint had character. This is just the conundrum that this harsh, single-minded judging causes...I have to take a place that I love for so many reasons, and ignore everything I like about it so I can sample the meat as impartially as possible. Here, the ribs were good. They had great tenderness and texture, but could have had more flavor and smoke. The brisket was monochromatic with no crust or smoke ring. It would pass for good tender roast beef, but nothing more. With all that said, I'll still return here before I make a return trip to most other joints in Dallas.