Pitforks and Smokerings - Slaton, Texas - 4th Small Town Texas BBQ Review

As we drove up bright and early to Pitforks and Smokerings in Slaton, Texas I noticed all seemed quiet except for a young lady working hard around the smoker.  I've been to popular BBQ places around the state and I typically like to arrive before the line does so I can take some pictures and see what is happening before places are overrun.  This young lady (who I later found out was Ashley Arellano co-owner) was chopping wood and stoking the fires in the pit and I asked my wife if she'd like to learn to do that and of course,
she wasn't really interested in becoming a pitmaster herself so she shrugged it off. The 500-gallon tank smoker was humming along and there didn't seem to be anyone else in sight so we decided to take a little detour and explore the town a little bit.

So we actually got to go downtown and see some interesting sights while we were waiting for the BBQ joint to open and it didn't disappoint.  The mural above was really cool as my own home town has some great murals to speak of. In addition to that we got to see the 90+ year old Slaton Bakery.
Some of their desserts are featured at Pitforks and Smokerings and mama was getting hungry so we decided to mosey in and grab a quick snack to tide us over until 11.  This place is historical.  See! It says so right here:

After we got back I could see that there were already a lot of people hanging out in the parking lot and taking pictures and what I found out later was that the owner's family was in town for a family reunion and they were coming by to wish them well and it seemed they were so proud of their            success.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 Needless to say, this place isn't fancy and why should it be?  I'm a proponent for letting the food speak for itself and I'm all for letting owners gradually work their way up within the rules and regulations of their own cities.  We drove a long way to eat BBQ and not look at fancy buildings and furnishings. With that being said this place really does give off an excellent BBQ vibe evidenced by the huge 500-gallon smoker in the front of the building and a couple of cool decor choices that just set it off right.

Butcher paper menu with items listed top to bottom is taped to the wall so that you can see what is still available and what will be marked off.  While I was waiting in line I got to speak with the Father-in-law of Pitmaster Isaac Arellano and he let me know that Isaac and his daughter work hand in hand to make the business go.  He mentioned that they'd be upgrading smokers soon to accommodate more customers coming in.  He also mentioned that one of their most popular dishes is the Frito Pie.  I saw a few of them ordered but I didn't get one as I'm more of a BBQ purist and I like to have the meat pretty much unadulterated by any foreign materials like chips, or beans, or other things.  To each his own though!  I think it is great that they can do this and satisfy a different demographic that is more amenable to such offerings.

As I ordered my food it was my first inclination to order the Texas Trinity which for those that don't know is Brisket, Pork Ribs, and Sausage of course with some Turkey on the menu I figured why not.  I had hoped that the beef ribs I'd heard about would be on the menu today but alas it was not in the cards for today's visit.

My first impression of the brisket was the beautiful black bark and pink smoke ring etched deeply into the meat.  If you haven't read it here before I like my brisket on the fatty side for the most part but I also like to try a little of the leaner meat to see how well it is cooked.  The brisket was smoked very well and I was impressed with the tenderness and flavor without any sauce.  I did try a bit of the sauce at one point to see if it added or took away and to me it didn't need it at all. The sauce wasn't bad but the brisket was great on its own.  I was also taken with the peppery turkey that still retained much of its moisture and had a great smokey flavor.  The pork ribs had a good bite through although for my tastes the sauce was a bit tangy.  Too bad I have such a sweet tooth!  Sweet sauces are usually more my bag.  This was a good sauce and it worked well with the rib that was perfectly cooked. The sausage was also a tasty treat and we enjoyed it with the rest of our meats.   The best side of the day for me was the beans.  I was really excited about them when I took the first bite as they just had the proper amount of spice and were just the right temperature.  The potato salad was also a close second. Great job on the sides by Ms. Ashley.  We found out after we had already ordered that Slaton Bakery supplied some of the desserts. I can say on good authority (my wife's) that the desserts from there are excellent.  I tried a pecan pie and it was amazing!  Great choice by Pitforks and Smokerings for dessert offerings.  Their collaborative community spirit is what BBQ family is all about!

 This is another great place out near the Lubbock area that has some great BBQ that shouldn't be missed if you are traveling up north.  Don't miss the brisket and beans and from what I've heard the beef rib when available.  I'll have to catch it next time.  Best of luck to the Arellanos on their business and when you go by to try it out feel free to tell them I sent you!