Looking at the picture on the left makes my mouth water uncontrollably, my stomach push out whatever is currently taking up space, and, most importantly, it makes me happy.
Good, ol'-fashioned Texas BBQ is just one of God's many gifts to us mortals residing in the Lone Star State.
Good brisket, according to this chica, must have a charred outside with plenty of flavah and plenty of smoke. It can't be too fatty, though I know some prefer their brisket "wet" as they say. I, personally, come from a long line of mexicanos who enjoy one too many tortillas made with lard, so I try to keep it healthy where I can, baby. The sauce has to be spicy, never too sweet, and never, ever, my love, on top of the GD meat!!
I must have my perfect combo of pickles and onions off to the side (my husband says that pickles, onions, and mustard is my "smell"--you can always tell if I enjoyed a meal if my fingertips smell like onions, pickles, and mustard afterward. Gross, but true!!). I only eat white bread with my 'Q (the better to sop up the sauce with, my dear), and it must be super soft bread.
Sides are pretty standard: frijoles and potato salad, and if it's mustard potato salad with pickles and onions chopped up real fine, well, then, you know I'm happy (see above).
One of my many endearing quirks is that I have to eat my food so that the bites all come out even (like Frances in one of my favorite children's books, Bread and Jam for Frances). Like one bite meat with a piece of onion, pickle, and a dunk in the sauce. Next bite an onion freshly plucked out of the potato salad, then maybe a hunk of potato, followed by a spoonful of beans. Oh, then a swig of sweet tea, no lemon, please. Ending the perfect BBQ meal, I use my super soft white bread and dip it into the leftover sauce and sometimes in the bean juice, if I liked the beans that much.
For dessert, nothing, because most BBQ restaurants offer shit like pecan pie, and that is just asking too much of this mexicana. Instead, I get a refill of sweet tea for the rest of the journey (cuz I'm usually on a road trip when I get good 'Q) and get ready to munch on some Oma's Choice peppered jerky, which my husband also must have on said road trip.
Tomorrow, on the way to my big brother's 50th birthday pachanga in SA-Town, I'll be feasting on some delish 'Q at one of my favorite roadside BBQ restaurants, and you KNOW my fingers will be stinkin' when I pull in his driveway.
