Stars are big at night, and bright to
You wanna know what fun is not? Driving across Texas in a non-desript van and trailer set up dragging broken musical equipment and dirty clothes. You know what is fun? Doing this with your friends and living to tell the story.
Texas is our largest American state and is quite possibly one of the most monotonus drives that a human can emabark upon. I remember driving across said state with underoath in the beginning days, no air or money to speak of, one cd stuck in the deck and no shirts on. Talking crap and stopping at every side of the road eatery or has station Just to break the insanity.
Texas is prideful about thier state and I would dare to say even more prideful about thier food. I have had a hard time really understanding what exactly “Texas” food is, but the last few days with a tinge of adventure, a bit of an overworked stomach and some help from my good friend brian I think I may have a bit more of an idea.
BBQ is a favourite of mine. Now don’t get me wrong I’m picky about it, really picky. BBQ to me is pork, a pork shoulder slow cooked over hardwood to a wonderful, succulent consistency, slathered in a tomato based sauce and washed down with overly sweetened iced tea. I called in brian to help mr understand “Texas BBQ” I was nervous, texans do eat pork on occasion, but it’s all about the brisket here. Low and slow cooked beef brisket typically served up in sandwich form and accompanied by your choice of country tinged side.
Brian fetched me yesterday for lunch, we braved the hellish afternoon Houston traffic and went to a place called Goode and company BBQ. At first site this place look like and old barn. Picnic tables outside, people eating everywhere and taxidermied animals hanging everywhere, with that sorta ” we are carnivoirous” vibe close in tow. Brian said I had to get a brisket sandwich but also the jalapeño smoked sausage. Now here at Goode they make thier own sausage, use local cattle and everything is sourced through the local peeps. This stokes me out.
The sandwich is smoked to perfection. The meat just slightly pink with the beauties that only hard wood smoke and time can impart. It was slathered in a spicy concoction that albeit not my fav paired wonderfully the the tender, moist beef. It was served on a buttery jalapeño bread that was just soft enough to soak up the juice and just rigid enough to hang on to the thick meat and sauce. However the star here was the sausage. Man this stuff was good. Spicy, savoury and melt in your mouth spicy. I can’t express enough how wonderful some good sausage can be, and it not just about the product itself, it’s about the cooking of it. Low and slow tender just to right point.
This is Texas eats to me. Rustic, meaty and smokey rolling right out from all thier freeways and chain restaurants. There is tons of fantastic southwestern influence here as well, but those are other words.
