Pecan Lodge (Dallas, TX)

The Dallas Municipal Court graciously dismissed me from jury duty (bleh!) around 10:45, and I was already downtown, so I decided to make the most of things. My morning thoroughly wasted, I made my way to the Dallas Farmers Market to taste test the famed Pecan Lodge.

I only had an hour and a half on my parking meter, so I hoped that would be enough. I got to Pecan Lodge a little after 11:00, and just as I feared, the line was already around the corner. The long impending wait wasn't very exciting, but I was determined to get some barbecue. Interestingly, I didn't see a single customer approach the tamale shop next door.

After an exhausting 45 minutes in line, it was finally my turn to order. They didn't have any burnt ends today, so I settled for a Two Meat Combo Plate: brisket and sausage with a side of "M-m-mac n' Cheese."

The mac and cheese had delicious bits of bacon crumbled on top that added a great crunch to an otherwise creamy side dish. It looked like there may have been some diced jalapeno mixed in, but I couldn't taste any heat from it, so I'm not entirely sure. It tasted nice and homey, but I didn't wait 45 minutes for macaroni.

My plate came with two big slices of brisket, complete with glorious black edges staring at me. I could see the fat laced throughout, so I knew this would be spectacular meat. The first bite was probably some of the best brisket I've ever had, and I sincerely mean that. It was tender enough that my wimpy plastic knife had no trouble cutting through. There was a good amount of salt, pepper, and other spices caked onto the crust, which made each bite extremely flavorful.

The sausage came as a small link, which I would guess was around 1/4 to 1/3 pound. The casings were a little weak and had almost no snap, but the strong flavor made up for it. I found lots of cracked pepper visible in each slice I cut. On the downside, the sausage was a tad greasy, made all the more evident by the orange-ish puddle it left on my plate.

While I was there, I couldn't resist getting a t-shirt for my precious baby niece, who is definitely my little barbecutie.

The brisket at Pecan Lodge is absolutely worth the wait, but next time I'll try to get there a little earlier.

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Pecan Lodge
Dallas Farmers Market, Shed 2
1010 S. Pearl Expressway
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 748-8900
http://www.pecanlodge.com/