Jackson Street BBQ

209 Jackson St, Houston, Texas

We arrived…

on a cold, grey, December day. I was on a stopover travelling home from Costa Rica and had a few hours to kill in transit. I decided to head into the city, rather than wait at the airport, and I’m glad I did.

We chose here because…

my city tour guide, Richard Cook, had been here many times before and said it was one of the best barbecue joints in the city. That’s a big call in Texas, where barbecue is big business.

Our first impression was…

that this place smells amazing. The aroma of slow-cooked meat was just divine. And the guys behind the counter were incredibly friendly — all warm smiles and offers of free samples of turkey fresh from the oven.

We ordered…

The Trinity — a selection of two St Louis-style pork ribs, 2oz of brisket, a quarter link German-style sausage, and a choice of one side, all for US$9.95. I went for the collard greens, which I thought was the healthy option — other choices included coleslaw, potato salad, creamed corn, fried macaroni cheese and jalapeno cheddar biscuits — but then I discovered it was full of chunks of pork hock. A real meat feast.

The highlight was…

the brisket. So tender and full of flavour.

Dessert was…

a slab of buttermilk pie. Richard was disappointed there was no pecan pie on offer, as he thinks it’s the best. “You’ll just have to come back,” he said. As we ate our dessert, a waiter came over to offer more free samples — this time a rich, creamy banana pudding, which really tipped me over the edge of fullness.

Come here…

to experience real Southern barbecue, with a dash of Texan hospitality.

The bill…

around US$30 for two.