Eating our way across the Texas BBQ Trail

We begin our journey in the town of Lockhart at the Kreuz Market. Charles Kreuz opened it for business in 1900 as both a grocery store and meat market. Keith Smitt is the current owner of Kreuz. Keith’s grandfather worked for Charles from 1935 to 1948. When Charles’ sons were ready to sell he bought them out.

From Brisket, to shoulder, to sausage, Keith’s family has been serving it ever since. Now Kreuz Market is considered a central Texas landmark and one of the stops along the Texas barbeque trail. The market can be found about 75 miles northeast of San Antonio.

Byrd Lockhart who founded the town was a surveyor and built roads in the area. Today the area still remains some of it’s German roots. Especially with it’s sausage, sauerkraut and warm German potato salad.

Not surprisingly Keith says his busiest day is Saturday. Another surprise about Keith, he has a Bachelor degree from UT in biology, chemistry, and a Masters in Marine Science. His favorite food may be Italian, but his business is barbeque.

This time on the barbeque trail we took a visit to Luling, Texas. About fifteen miles outside of Lockhart, Luling is another well-known town for delicious Texas barbeque.

At City Market they are cooking up all the essential meats such as ribs, brisket, and sausage. Pit master Joe Capello, who started out by busing tables, said they are mostly well known for their ribs because of the special sauce they put on when they are finished.

The restaurant opened in 1958 when two brothers from Kreuz in Lockhart came over to start it up. Now a man named Willie Ellis owns City Market and many people come in to eat.

People come as early as 7 am to eat some barbeque. And a few celebrities like Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall have paid a visit as well. Most of the customers are out of towners, but that doesn’t matter because Capello said the most important thing about the business are the people who eat here.

Our journey on the barbecue trail continues as we head to our third stop -- Elgin.

First some history... Elgin is a town of about 10,000 people located 19 miles east of Austin and is also known as the Sausage Capital of Texas. The town was was founded in 1871 as a railroad stop and was originally called Glasscock. A year later, it was renamed after the railroad's land commissioner Robert Elgin.

Now the BBQ... News 4 WOAI's crew headed to to Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse. Barbecue has been in Greg Meyers' family for, let's just say, quite some time.

The final stop on the Texas Barbecue Trail takes us to Taylor, Texas. The town of about 15,000 people traces it's roots back to the railroad and and it's people back to Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany. Taylor, Texas was founded in 1876 and originally called Taylorsville. It is about 29 miles northeast of Austin and was named after a railroad official.

After our News 4 WOAI crew arrived in town, it was time to order up some grub at Davis Grocery and Bar-B-Q.

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