#42 - CITY MARKET - Simple Food for Simple People, Pt. 2 Texas BBQ Blitz
It was the best of times, it was the best of times. February 2020, when freedom ruled Texas and COVID-19 didn't. I had planned one weekend in February to accomplish a feat that would make any Texan proud: Three BBQ joints in two days, a stop in Shiner, Texas, capped off by a bonfire with college buddies.
Pt 2...I had already hit Smolik's Smokehouse in Mathis on Friday evening, but my second stop was brisket for breakfast at City Market in Luling.
I had heard a lot about City Market, but I didn't know what to expect. And after years of BBQ training, all I knew was to get there early and anticipate a line.
I arrived right at 8 am and found...no line. Actually, I was the line. It was like winning the lottery, the Super Bowl and the elementary school spelling bee all wrapped up in one.
I opened the door, stepped in and was immediately confused. All I saw were tables, a checkout counter, a cash machine and a room in the back. It was the pit room.
That's right, City Market is the inception of BBQ joints...a pit in a room inside a room inside a building. Layers! And talk about layers, the amount of smoke coating the interior of this sacred pit room is insane. It's like standing inside the lungs of George Burns.
City Market is beautiful in its simplicity. They sell three things: brisket, pork ribs and hot or cold sausage. No plates, only butcher paper. No forks or knives, use your hands. All cash. Of course, I ordered everything on the menu then stepped back to watch the magic.
The pitmaster lifted the lid to expose a beautiful row of meats, all happily waiting for my arrival. He picked up my order, placed it on the butcher paper and expertly sliced the meats.
After paying, I walked out of the room with my bounty of beef and pork.
City Market is a throwback, a BBQ joint that hasn't changed much since it opened in 1958. The foundational elements of its decor are wood paneling, bricks and smoke. Wooden booths with wooden tables. A beaver's paradise.
I knew what I was going to eat first. Brisket, then sausage, then the pork rib. After unwrapping the paper and staring at the meaty goodness, the pork rib demanded to be first. Good choice. I can't say enough about the greatness of the pork ribs at City Market. Salty, porky, meaty, crusty goodness. The brisket was perfection too, and it melted in my hands as I picked it up.
But the sausage was the real thriller. Michael Jackson once said, "I'm not like other guys," and the sausage at City Market ain't like other sausages. They're small but mighty, packed tight and full of flavor.
Over the next 1/2 hour, I snacked on my breakfast and watched the locals come in for their daily orders. An old man in an ill-fitting suit, an old women with a beehive and friendly "Howdy" for the checkers. It was a cool Texas scene, about as laid back as you would experience at one of the top 50 BBQ joints in Texas.
With my belly full and my hands greasy, I was inspired to write an open letter to Austin BBQ fans:
Dear Austin BBQ fans with nothing but time on your hands,
How are you today? I'm great, thanks for asking. Have I got news for you!
You are wasting your time standing in early morning lines at BBQ joints in Austin. Go to City Market in Luling. Sure, you'll have to drive an hour to get there, but once you arrive you can walk right up to the counter and order your meal.
I promise by the time you get home your friends at Franklin, La Barbecue and others will still be waiting for their meal while you are preparing your leftovers.
You want authentic? City Market hasn't changed since it opened in 1958.
You want curated? City Market has a menu featuring the best brisket, sausage and pork ribs.
You hate spending $22 for a pound of brisket? City Market's brisket is just as good (maybe even better) and costs $14 a pound.
In short, wake up early, drive to City Market in Luling, and come home. You'll be glad you did!
PS...don't go during the Watermelon Thump in September, I hear the line wraps around the outside of the building. And don't go to Luling City Market in Houston thinking it's the same thing. It's not.
Love,
Buzztex
Pt 2...I had already hit Smolik's Smokehouse in Mathis on Friday evening, but my second stop was brisket for breakfast at City Market in Luling.I had heard a lot about City Market, but I didn't know what to expect. And after years of BBQ training, all I knew was to get there early and anticipate a line.
I arrived right at 8 am and found...no line. Actually, I was the line. It was like winning the lottery, the Super Bowl and the elementary school spelling bee all wrapped up in one.
I opened the door, stepped in and was immediately confused. All I saw were tables, a checkout counter, a cash machine and a room in the back. It was the pit room.That's right, City Market is the inception of BBQ joints...a pit in a room inside a room inside a building. Layers! And talk about layers, the amount of smoke coating the interior of this sacred pit room is insane. It's like standing inside the lungs of George Burns.
City Market is beautiful in its simplicity. They sell three things: brisket, pork ribs and hot or cold sausage. No plates, only butcher paper. No forks or knives, use your hands. All cash. Of course, I ordered everything on the menu then stepped back to watch the magic.The pitmaster lifted the lid to expose a beautiful row of meats, all happily waiting for my arrival. He picked up my order, placed it on the butcher paper and expertly sliced the meats.
After paying, I walked out of the room with my bounty of beef and pork.
City Market is a throwback, a BBQ joint that hasn't changed much since it opened in 1958. The foundational elements of its decor are wood paneling, bricks and smoke. Wooden booths with wooden tables. A beaver's paradise.
I knew what I was going to eat first. Brisket, then sausage, then the pork rib. After unwrapping the paper and staring at the meaty goodness, the pork rib demanded to be first. Good choice. I can't say enough about the greatness of the pork ribs at City Market. Salty, porky, meaty, crusty goodness. The brisket was perfection too, and it melted in my hands as I picked it up.
But the sausage was the real thriller. Michael Jackson once said, "I'm not like other guys," and the sausage at City Market ain't like other sausages. They're small but mighty, packed tight and full of flavor.Over the next 1/2 hour, I snacked on my breakfast and watched the locals come in for their daily orders. An old man in an ill-fitting suit, an old women with a beehive and friendly "Howdy" for the checkers. It was a cool Texas scene, about as laid back as you would experience at one of the top 50 BBQ joints in Texas.
With my belly full and my hands greasy, I was inspired to write an open letter to Austin BBQ fans:
Dear Austin BBQ fans with nothing but time on your hands,
How are you today? I'm great, thanks for asking. Have I got news for you!
You are wasting your time standing in early morning lines at BBQ joints in Austin. Go to City Market in Luling. Sure, you'll have to drive an hour to get there, but once you arrive you can walk right up to the counter and order your meal.
I promise by the time you get home your friends at Franklin, La Barbecue and others will still be waiting for their meal while you are preparing your leftovers.
You want authentic? City Market hasn't changed since it opened in 1958.
You want curated? City Market has a menu featuring the best brisket, sausage and pork ribs.
You hate spending $22 for a pound of brisket? City Market's brisket is just as good (maybe even better) and costs $14 a pound.
In short, wake up early, drive to City Market in Luling, and come home. You'll be glad you did!
PS...don't go during the Watermelon Thump in September, I hear the line wraps around the outside of the building. And don't go to Luling City Market in Houston thinking it's the same thing. It's not.
Love,
Buzztex
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