#10 - PECAN LODGE is the Perfect 10

It's 9:30 am on a Saturday morning in early January. I'm in Deep Ellum, sitting on cold concrete, hot coffee in my hand. There's always an idiot that's first in line at a BBQ joint. Today, that idiot is me.

I don't care. I'm happy. I'm home. This is the place that opened my mind and my heart to the beauty of barbecue. This is Pecan Lodge, the 10th stop in my quest to visit all of Texas Monthly's top 50 BBQ joints.

I've told the story about my baptism by brisket, which happened at the original Pecan Lodge location in the Dallas Farmers Market.  I didn't know what to expect from Pecan Lodge, but I fell in love with their BBQ after my first bite. After finishing my meal, I left Pecan Lodge converted...no more chain BBQ for me.

Some people will tell you that their "new" Deep Ellum location isn't as good as the original place. They will say Pecan Lodge has lost a step because they're serving more people. These are probably the same people who deleted their Chris Stapleton playlists the minute he won a Grammy.  They just move on to the next big thing after the masses find out about it.

Pecan Lodge is worth the wait and the new location has as much character as the food. There's something calming about Saturday morning in Deep Ellum. The streets are empty except for weekend cyclists rolling past, milk dud hats stuck to their heads. The clubs are quiet, unplugged from the previous night's concerts. Cars whiz by on I-45, a constant reminder that nothing stands still in the city. Thankfully, the smell of wood smoke cuts through the airy funk of faded Friday night dreams, anchoring the neighborhood to its founding days in the late 1800s.

A brisket in the manger

The smokers for Pecan Lodge are located in the back of the restaurant, near the parking lot. As I walked past them I noticed the doors were open, so I poked my head in to sneak a peek. It was quiet and peaceful...a brisket nursery decorated with wood, ashes and soot. Flames crackled in the smokers as the adjacent pits cradled their beefy babies.

A smokey halo encircled me as I headed to the front step and staked my place against the doors. It was quiet, the street was mostly empty except for me and a small army of untouched rental bikes.

I cut in front of the 15 rental bikes that were at the restaurant before me. They didn't mind.

After 30 minutes on the concrete step, my rear began to hurt. I was a bit chilly, definitely hungry and the taco shop across the street was starting to look good. But I knew what was happening inside Pecan Lodge. I could wait.

Too early for most, perfect for me.

Others began showing up at 10:30 am. It wasn't a Franklin BBQ line, but 15 people standing outside a restaurant 30 minutes before it opens counts for something. By 11 am, the line had swelled to 100-plus.

An empty front counter...a first!

When the door opened, I was first inside. I've never seen Pecan Lodge with no one in it. It is comfortable, well lit, lived in and very wooden. It's the dining room you always wish you had, but sorry, you don't have the Fourtons cooking for you at your house.

LOOK AT THIS GREATNESS!!!!

I ordered a two-meat plate, brisket and sausage.  After finding my seat, I was so excited to take my first bite I started shaking like a chihuahua. The brisket was to die for. Moist, smokey, peppery with a perfect pink smoke ring. I tried to pace myself by chewing each piece 32 times to make it last. I debated eating each piece twice, but decided not to offend the other diners. The sausage is beyond comparison. You know how the casing on some sausages is stiff and plasticky? Not this one.  It snaps and disappears.

Mac n' cheese? Yes please

Line out the door and around the corner,
5 minutes after opening

The mac & cheese is a gift from the Gods of Cholesterol as well. Tender macaroni bathed in real cheese, tastefully topped with bacon. "Two thumbs wayyyyyy up," gargled my arteries.

The line now stretches from the front counter, out the door and around the corner of the patio. Customers continue to stream in, taking selfies in front of stuff and debating the merits of the Hot Mess, a sweet potato covered in barbacoa, chipotle cream, cheese, butter and onions, or the three-meat plate. The Pecan Lodge crew takes it all in stride, walking from table to table, asking folks not to stake out a spot until they've purchased their food, pointing out which sauce is regular and which is hot to those with brisket.

U can't touch this, lady.

And then, tragedy strikes. A friendly crew member tried to take away my tray when I wasn't looking.  It had the smallest piece of meat, but it meant something to me...it was the last piece of brisket. I mean seriously, who would take away a man's tray with so much meat left on it? I shot her a smile, shook my head no, and quickly stuck a fork in it. It was worth it. Crisis averted.

Much too soon, my time at Pecan Lodge had reached its end. Tears of joy covered my tray liner and beef fat covered my fingers. Fortunately, I had ordered plenty of extra brisket and sausage for later and headed home to pig out at dinner.

My trip to Pecan Lodge, as usual, was a perfect 10.  I heart you Pecan Lodge, you coMplEAT me.