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Terry Black’s Barbecue Delivers on Brisket and Turkey

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Name: Terry Black’s Barbecue (Dallas)
Date: 1/5/24
Address: 3025 Main St., Dallas, TX
Order: Brisket, pork ribs, (original) sausage, turkey  (Link To Menu)
Price: $$

Speedy: On the first weekend of the new year, I went down to Dallas to spend the weekend with a couple of friends. I had already prepped the squad that a visit to Pecan Lodge was a must, which we had planned for Saturday afternoon but that left Friday night open, at least cuisine-wise. When searching close by restaurants, I came upon Terry Black’s Barbecue. Obviously I am familiar with the Black family, and I remember quite fondly my 2014 visit to Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart. So I asked my (normally non-barbecue) bros if they wanted to double up on the ‘cue. They agreed and it was on.

We arrived at the restaurant, which was a typical Texas cafeteria style joint. It was fairly crowded (not many open tables), but only around 5 people in front of us in line, so the wait was short. Side note: Terry Black’s in Dallas has a nice, large outdoor space with plenty of tables, but this evening was a little chilly so it was empty.

We went through and ordered sides (green beans and mac &cheese) and got to a meat station. One thing I really appreciated is that once you got through the sides line, there were several meat slicers, since that takes a little more time. This moved the line really quickly. We got our order, found a table, and it was time to dig in.

Being a Texas joint, let’s start with the brisket. We were not asked whether we wanted fatty or lean brisket (not sure if this is still a thing – we were not asked at Pecan Lodge the next day either), but we ended up with lean. The worry here, obviously, is the brisket getting dry, but that was not the case. Cooked perfectly and moist, the brisket was very good. My only complaint is I felt it could use a little more seasoning.

The other Texas staple, the original sausage, was also good. It did not fall apart when sliced, had nice flavor, and a nice hint of smoke. While enjoyable, nothing really set it apart, and it was probably my least favorite meat of the meal.

Let’s take an aside to talk about ribs. For whatever reason, I’ve really struggled finding solid pork ribs lately. Often overcooked, over seasoned or over sauced, and often overly fatty, this feels to me like a (mostly) lost art form. (Shame note: This has extended to my own rib smoking. Ole Speedy will be going back to the drawing board with his rib technique in 2024.) Well this was not a problem at Terry Black’s. Perfectly seasoned and cooked spare ribs, I was able to get a nice clean bite. There was also a nice, sweet (but not overly) glaze on the ribs, enhancing the smoky flavor of the meat.

OK, saving the best for last: the turkey (yes, I said it). Monk and I are both on record discussing our appreciation for good smoked turkey. Well, this turkey breast took the cake. Moist, buttery, well-seasoned, and with smoke and seasoning permeating every bite of the meat, this was the best turkey that I’ve ever had. While the perfect bite of brisket still shines as the top bite in barbecue, this turkey definitely deserves a seat at the table. It is an absolute must order and something I will dream about.

Rudy: I really don’t have anything to add other than to state that I am firmly in the anti-turkey camp. Mostly because there are so many things that I would rather have than it.  Also, the worst part about this review is looking over it and looking back over my review of Terry Black’s in Austin from 2015. It makes me miss good barbecue so much (Editor’s note: Rudy moved to Michigan from Austin a few years back). I’m looking forward to the upcoming Pecan Lodge review because it may have been my #2 favorite place, definitely top 3, when I lived in Texas.

Speedy: Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Terry Black’s Barbecue. I always worry about “chain” barbecue restaurants, but with only 3 locations, quality at this Dallas location was still on point.

Ratings:
Atmosphere – 4 hogs
Brisket – 4.5 hogs
Sausage – 4 hogs
Ribs – 4.5 hogs
Turkey – 5 hogs
Sides – 3 hogs
Overall – 4.5 hogs

Cozy Corner is one of Memphis’s most popular barbecue restaurants

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Monk: Owner Bobby Bradley, Jr. of Cozy Corner in Memphis is carrying on the traditions of his family’s barbecue legacy to this day, including the BBQ bologna sandwich.

Description: Cozy Corner is one of Memphis’s most popular barbecue restaurants, opening in 1977. Owner Bobby Bradley, Jr. is carrying on his family’s traditions by making the restaurant’s popular ribs, bologna sandwiches, and barbecue spaghetti.

Firehawk Brewpub is a worthy addition to the Charlotte Barbecue Scene

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Name: Firehawk Brewpub
Date: 8/5/23
Address: 309 N Main St, Mt Holly, NC 28120
Order: Orders of pork, brisket, and ribs with slaw, collards, beans, collards, pickled deviled eggs (link to menu)
Pricing: $$

Monk: Earlier this year, Firehawk Brewpub exploded on to the local Charlotte barbecue scene with a lot of promise. Located in an old fire station near downtown Mount Holly just west of Charlotte, they announced themselves promising wood fired barbecue. After a late spring opening, it would not be but for a few months before I was able to make it out there for a meal after a morning at the US National Whitewater Center; the restaurant is a short 5-6 minute drive from the entrance to the center in downtown Mount Holly.

My first impressions of the location were great. In addition to true ‘cue barbecue, They’ve built out the restaurant to include both a front patio and a back deck but on this early August day it was much too hot for that. The property is a scenic setting off Dutchman’s Creek, an offshoot of the Catawba River. And did I mention Firehawk also brews their own beer?

There is no combo plate, so we ordered individual portions of pork, brisket, and ribs, each coming with sides of a mustard/mayo slaw and cornbread.

The 10 oz pork portion was coarsely shredded but was flavorful and smokey. As with a lot of places these days, they offer a variety of house-made sauces to try with the pork.

Similarly, the quarter-inch slices of brisket came out well-smoked but they could have perhaps used a little more trimming. Good flavor though.

Now, ribs are a place where Firehawk does something a bit different. They smoke a rack of baby-back ribs and then slice them individually, finishing them on an open flame grill to get more surface area of char. While individual ribs can have varying amounts of char, the flavor really did shine through. Apparently, they are the best seller since they opened, and I can see why.

In terms of appetizers, our group really liked the pickled deviled eggs. Along with the slaw and cornbread, we ordered beans and collards, both being above average. Next time I go back, I’m sure if I ordered any of their other sides I would be similarly impressed.

I’m already looking for my next excuse to head back out to Firehawk Brewpub. They are a worthy addition to the Charlotte barbecue scene, and for me is squarely in the top 3 best barbecue restaurants in the area. I can’t wait to bring more potential converts with me.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 hogs
Pork – 4 hogs
Brisket – 4 hogs
Ribs – 4 hogs
Sides – 4.5 hogs
Overall – 4 hogs

Linkdown: 8/21/23 – The Elliott Moss is Back Edition

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Monk: Elliott Moss’ post-Buxton Hall Barbecue plans have been announced. While he had been busy with opening his latest concepts – the breakfast and lunch comfort food spot Regina’s in West Asheville as well as the sandwich shop Little Louie’s – for the past 13 months, he has seemingly left both less than six weeks after they opened.

With his newfound free time, it seems as if Moss wants to continue his barbecue journey. Enter, Moss & Moore.

According to Moss & Moore’s first Instagram post, the first chance to experience their barbecue will be on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend with their friends The Hound.

Moss & Moore will also be hitting the road throughout the southeast this fall as well:

  • September 29-October 1 in St. Simon’s Island, GA for Fire Box Soul
  • October 22 in Atlanta with Oyster South
  • October 28 in Dallas with Cattle Ack BBQ
  • November 11 at Holy Smokes Barbecue Festival in Charleston

Moss is also exploring his family history on the Moss & Moore Instagram page through a set of reels, which is well worth checking out. Glad to see Elliott Moss back in the barbecue game.

Native News

The Tar Heel Traveler’s latest is with Raleigh man Carter Claiborne, who is on a mission to eat barbecue in all 100 NC counties

Firehawk Brewpub with a primer on the unique way they do ribs

Sam Jones BBQ’s next BBQ & Bourbon dinner will be September 12th in Raleigh

Non-Native News

The story from Daniel Vaughn’s jaunt through South Carolina and Georgia a few weeks back

Congrats to Courtney’s BBQ, which opened their doors 24 years ago this week

Little Miss BBQ will not be expanding after all

Eater checks in on the rapidly developing Houston barbecue scene

Philly Bite Magazine with a brief primer on Virginia-style barbecue

Congrats to Columbus B. Hill, the first Coloradan inducted into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame