#5 LOCKHART SMOKE HOUSE - I Found Jesus in the Pits

Lost in fire and smoke

I found Jesus in the pits

Miracles happen

Thank you, BBQ Jesus

I have a soft spot for Lockhart Smokehouse.  It's right above my belt buckle and runs around my waist.  In fact, I've eaten so much BBQ at Lockhart's that I guarantee I've digested an entire cow (Life Goal Badge Unlocked!).

So when I found Lockhart on the list of Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ Joints, I wasn't surprised. After all, I was baptized by beef at Pecan Lodge, but I found Jesus at Lockhart's.

Doesn't every man want a place where everybody knows their name? Where people recognize them when they enter the door?  Know their favorite cut of meat and give them just a little more on the side?  Hand them their favorite beverage before their bottom hits the chair?

That's Lockhart Smokehouse for me. For nearly a year, I religiously visited Lockhart in downtown Plano with a group of volleyball dads. When we started going to Lockhart, they'd give you a free beer if you bought a hat. We bought all the hats they had. Soon after, they stopped the promotion and we boycotted them for three weeks...three terrible weeks.

During one of my many visits to Lockhart's, I attended Smoke School, a class on how to smoke brisket, taught by one of their high priests of beef. With the promise of all we could eat, we took the bait and signed up. As we sat on the high chairs waiting for our beef, we talked about our goals. One guy wanted to learn how to smoke brisket so he could cook for his church events. Another wanted to open his own BBQ restaurant with his son.

I wanted to eat.

This is the length of my attention sp..

When the class began, we learned how to select our brisket. How to season it. How to cook it. And what to cook it with.

For a guy with an attention span the size of a burnt end, it was all very intoxicating, but I needed to see where they made the magic happen.  I needed to see the pits.

It was there that I found Jesus.

He was perched on top of one of the smokers, observing the proceedings. I asked how he got there, but no one could give me a good answer. So I made one up. This was BBQ Jesus, sent to Plano to ensure that Lockhart's burnt offerings were held to the highest standard. Of course.

Lockhart Smoke House, Downtown Plano

The atmosphere in the Downtown Plano location is bursting with authenticity, which is pretty impressive, considering many people think the oldest thing in Plano is Collin Creek Mall. Lockhart is tucked into one of the buildings on 15th Street.

If you're thinking that there's no way you can get authentic Central Texas BBQ in Plano, TX, check out the history of Jill Bergus, whose family owns the joint and has ties to Kreuz Market. Their BBQ roots run deep.

When you walk in the front door, you're greeted by the Lockhart motto on the wall..."Wood, Fire, Meat & Beer."

Wood, Fire, Meat and someone finished the beer

Found the beer!

Hop in line and send someone over to the bar, which nearly spans the length of the restaurant. They are kings of craft beer and they have all the locals...thank goodness.  You might even order up a Burnt End Bloody Mary, easily the chewiest drink you'll ever enjoy.

So how's the food at Lockhart Smokehouse? Heavenly. Their brisket is top-notch, and so are their shoulder clod, smoked chicken, to-die-for burnt ends and jalapeno sausage. Pro Tip: It's spicy hot, which means no one else will eat the leftovers.

Pleased to meat you!

All must be rubbed with love. BTW, the sausage is from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, TX, so you know it's from royal lineage. And while I rarely rave about the sides, their habanero mac and cheese is my favorite side, bar none.

It's as if Lockhart Smoke House has been touched by an angel.

Thank you, BBQ Jesus, and thank you Lockhart Smoke House for some of the best BBQ in Texas!