Cuney, Texas isn't one of those places you'd think to look for barbecue. Actually, with its population of 145 residents, you'd be hard-pressed to even know it existed. I saw Al's Place BBQ by the roadside and decided to make it my final barbecue stop on the long drive home to Dallas.
Cuney, Texas has only a handful of businesses visible from the highway, about 80% of which are liquor stores. Al's Place is little more than a small shack set out in the grass and dirt just off the main road. The guys operating it (Al, I presume) were mostly just hanging out, having a good time waiting to see if any customers would show up.
I ordered a Sliced Beef Sandwich and traipsed back to my truck to unwrap my snack.
My sandwich came wrapped in tin foil and stuffed into a grease-stained paper bag. I was a little disappointed to find the massive amount of brisket smashed between two slices of soggy, sauce-soaked white bread. Luckily, I keep a few plastic forks in my truck for just such a purpose, so I discarded the bread and dug in.
I couldn't see any bark or smoke ring on this brisket. There was no smoke, and hardly any seasoning. Even salt would be a luxury here. The barbecue sauce was watery and not very flavorful. The meat itself was akin to a flimsy pot roast, with a weird skin on the edges where the crust should have been. It was pretty gross, and I stopped eating after only three bites.
Saddened by my snack, I popped into a Dairy Queen in the next town over to rinse the taste of the brisket out of my mouth with a smoothie. Sorry, Al.
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Al's Place BBQ
Highway 175
Cuney, TX 75759
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