Destination Lockhart: The Barbecue Capital of Texas

By theadmin

In the heart of Texas, about 35 miles southeast of Austin, lies a little town steeped in outsized culinary history. Lockhart, known the world over as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” has long been a mecca for lovers of slow-smoked meat. In recent years, as Texas barbecue has enjoyed a renaissance, the town’s stature in Texas barbecue history has turned it into a cultural phenomenon, drawing pilgrims from all corners of the world to sample the offerings of its hallowed smokehouses.

Lockhart’s story is rooted in the history of Texas itself. The town was first settled in the 1830s, when namesake Byrd Lockhart received the land for the townsite as payment for surveying work he completed for the Mexican government. Settlers trickled in before Lockhart became a trailhead for the Chisholm Trail, which helped it grow into a regional trading center. But it was the German and Czech immigrants who came to Texas in the second half of the 19th century who would leave their mark both on the town and the Lone Star State.

Smoked meat is central to culinary traditions worldwide. In the U.S., open-pit barbecues in the South helped establish a distinctly American style. Enslaved people had a significant impact on the development of barbecue as we know it, as at the time, they were the ones tending to laborious tasks, such as cooking. They were the original pitmasters who passed on their craft to younger generations who carry on these traditions today. German butchers put their spin on smoked meat, drawing both from the ingredients and styles they found in their adopted home and the Old World smoking traditions developed for preservation. Little did they know, they would give birth to a new form of barbecue entirely distinct from the styles of the Carolinas, Memphis, and Kansas City.

The Lockhart Barbecue Dynasties

The modern Lockhart barbecue story begins around 1900 when Charles Kreuz Sr. opened Kreuz Market just off the courthouse square. A humble grocery store and meat market, Kreuz smoked the excess meat that couldn’t be sold each day. Soon, customers began visiting Kreuz’s store as much for the smoked meat as the fresh cuts, purchasing their meals by the pound, weighed out in the back room where the smokers billowed thick, aromatic clouds of smoldering post oak.

In 1932, the success of Kreuz’s market inspired another local to get into the barbecue business. Edgar Black Sr. moved his family from East Texas to Lockhart at the beginning of the Great Depression and opened a grocery store and slaughterhouse that would become one of the largest in the area. Like Kreuz, Black smoked his excess meat, and when his son Edgar Black Jr. took over in the 1960s, the family opened a full- scale barbecue restaurant, Black’s, to showcase their offerings.

By the 1950s, the Lockhart barbecue scene had begun to evolve and mature considerably. Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt was a Kreuz Market employee who purchased the market from the Kreuz family in 1948 and continued its barbecue techniques. One tradition that helped define the Lockhart barbecue landscape was serving the smoked meats without barbecue sauce, letting the flavors of the meat and smoke shine through. This minimalist approach to Texas barbecue became a hallmark of the Lockhart style.

Kreuz and Black’s remained the twin pillars of Lockhart until 1978 when Floyd Wilhelm sold his fishing boat and invested the money in starting a new barbecue restaurant in the town called Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Que. As the name suggests, Wilhelm was well aware of the town’s history and deep barbecue roots when he opened his joint — yet that didn’t dissuade him from entering the fray. Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Que quickly gained a following by offering a more extensive menu, including smoked turkey and sausage. But the real secret to his success lay in the painstaking attention to detail he gave to the smoking process, a philosophy that continues to guide the establishment today.

“Starting a barbecue place here was like putting a ballpark across from Yankee Stadium,” Wilhelm told Texas Monthly in 2011.

Visit the Barbecue Dynasties

Kreuz Market
619 N. Colorado St.
512.398.2361

Smitty’s Market
208 S. Commerce St.
512.398.9344

Black’s Barbecue
215 N. Main St.
512.398.2712

Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Que
1323 S. Colorado St.
512.398.6027

Smokin’ Family Feuds

In hindsight, with so many great barbecue restaurants operated within a stone’s throw of each other in a small Hill Country town, it is not surprising that each has experienced its own share of family drama. Although accounts vary depending on whom you ask, the troubles started in 1990 when Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt passed away. Schmidt left the business to his two sons but gave the building that housed its famous barbecue to his daughter Nina Sells.

The ownership ambiguity smoldered into a full-blown sibling showdown with lawsuits served over who had the legal right to claim the legacy of some of Texas’ best barbecue. Eventually, the suit was settled, and a compromise was reached. Schmidt’s son Rick moved Kreuz to a new location just outside downtown, and Nina Sells reopened the original location as Smitty’s Market. And while Smitty’s retains the century-old smokers that birthed Lockhart barbecue, the original coals from those smokers were transported to Kreuz’s new location for its opening.

On the other side of the town square, another family feud broke out with Lockhart’s other barbecue dynasty. By 2013, three generations of pitmasters had stoked the coals at Black’s, and the family was moving toward passing the baton to a fourth. Mike and Mark Black worked the pits, learning the business, when they discovered what they claimed were their uncle Kent Black’s substandard culinary practices. The two brothers decided to break off and open their own Black’s barbecue in Austin, but when their uncle caught wind of their plans, he filed a cease-and-desist.

The feud was settled after the brothers agreed to avoid any confusion by renaming their new restaurant after their father, Kent’s brother Terry. Today, Terry Black’s has locations in Austin, Dallas, and — you guessed it — Lockhart. In other words, thanks to family drama, Lockhart’s two famous barbecue dynasties now operate four restaurants in the tiny town. It’s a win for meat lovers everywhere.

The Pitmasters

ROY PEREZ | Kreuz Market
Since 1987, Perez has been stoking the post oak coals that were brought over from the original Kreuz Market. In the land of slow-cooked meats, Perez stands out by firing his pits up to a whopping 600 F, resulting in a shorter cooking time for his brisket, but some would argue a deeper flavor.

JOHN FULLILOVE | Smitty’s Market
Smitty’s famous century-old pits are without their longtime caretaker after beloved pitmaster John Fullilove passed away in January. The grandson of Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt, “Bundy,” as Fulilove was affectionately known, was long considered one of the best pitmasters in the state. His post oak-fired, century-old pits still churn out delicious brisket, served on paper

KENT & BARRETT BLACK | Black’s Barbecue
The father-son duo running the pits at Black’s have a unique approach to their famous brisket. Meat is smoked for eight hours in a wood-fired rotisserie before being placed in a cooler to rest for one or two days. Then, it is returned to the joint’s famous brick pits, where it steeps in post oak smoke for an extra four hours. The result is some of the best brisket you’ll ever taste. If you have room, don’t leave without trying the beef ribs and sausage.

DANNY CARRIZALES | Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Que Chisholm is the Lockhart local’s favorite, and not only because you can usually beat the crowds of smoke pilgrims that line up in front of its more famous competitors. The extensive sides and salad offerings may distract from the main show but don’t be fooled. Smoked brisket, spareribs, and beef and pork sausage go toe-to-toe with any others in town.

A Day in Lockhart

The last time I was in Lockhart, I had three lunches. But there is a limit to the amount of barbecue one can eat. So, once you’re done stuffing yourself with the town’s famous cuisine, take some time to explore.

Good Times on the Square
Lockhart’s central square courthouse is one of the state’s prettiest. Built in 1894, the empire-style building has a luminous red-and-yellow sandstone façade. Around the square, you’ll find many of Lockhart’s beloved boutique shops and even a few nonbarbecue eateries. The courthouse’s clock tower is the inspiration for the Southwest Museum of Clocks & Watches, which faces the square. The collection consists of timepieces, ranging from the earliest mechanical clocks to modern digital watches. Southwest Museum of Clocks & Watches, 109 E. San Antonio St.

Locked Into History
A few steps from the square, the Caldwell County Jail Museum is located in the old Norman-style castellated jail, which stands on the site where the much more modest log jail once stood. The Caldwell County Historical Commission operates the museum. Caldwell County Jail Museum, 315 E. Market St.

Texas’ Original Library
The Dr. Eugene Clark Library is the oldest continually operating library in Texas. After it opened in 1900, President William H. Taft visited the Classical Revival building. Today, it still serves the area’s avid bookworms and hosts programs like the Evening with the Songwriter series, which features area musicians talking about their craft. Dr. Eugene Clark Library, 217 S. Main St.

Little Music City
Given its proximity to Austin, it is not surprising that the picturesque Lockhart has become an outpost for many of that city’s musicians. Many perform at The PEARL, a quaint venue right on Main Street, and shop at Fiddler’s Green, a music shop specializing in all things stringed instruments. The PEARL, 110 N. Main St. Fiddler’s Green Music Shop, 108 N. Main St.

Sleep in the Past
The best home base for your barbecue pilgrimage is the Ellison House, an adorable bed and breakfast housed in a home constructed in the 1860s by Col. James Ellison, a cattle rancher and herder. Remodeled and restored in 2017, it now features four comfortable suites, a relaxing communal space, and a large living room fitted with a record player and curated vinyl collection. Ellison House, 434 N. Blanco St.

While it’s hard to beat Lockhart’s barbecue, check out these other classic American barbecue styles (and where to find them in Texas)!