Hey foodie nation. If any of you were able to keep up with my trip to Texas this past week, you saw how much MEAT we consumed. Seriously. I continuously joked to Cody that Texas is the perfect place for someone on a protein heavy diet. Ketosis anyone??

Cody is a native Texan himself and grew up just 30 minutes outside of Dallas in a wholesome suburb called Allen. True to Texas form, he’ll tell anyone and everyone how Texas is God’s country. My biggest holdup? Mountains. Texas can have all the charm and hospitality in the world, but it doesn’t have MOUNTAINS. And with the slightest gander at the beautiful Wasatch Mountains I live near, you’ll understand my inclinations.

So what do mountains (or the lack thereof) have to do with Texas? As we tease each other and banter back and forth about our pride for our home states, there’s one thing we’ll always agree on, and that’s the fact that the BEST barbecue we’ve ever had is in Texas. This recent trip took us to two major barbecue havens- first, Austin, and then Dallas.

We tried the hotspots, the fast joints, the fancy, and the humble. We ate more brisket and ribs than the average human should consume within a 7 day time period. And the BEST barbecue we found on our entire trip was at the incredible Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum, Dallas. Several people on my Instagram recommended this spot, so I already had my eyes on it. But what really sealed the deal was seeing them tagged as the Best Barbecue in Dallas in this month’s issue of D Magazine (literally picked this up at Cody’s uncle’s house). There are no such thing as coincidences.

We were immediately smitten just after first walking into this smoky, rustic joint. The fast-moving line at Pecan Lodge looked promising and we feasted our eyes on a chalk board covered in all caps lettering with popular menu items. As we so often do, Cody and I decided to divide and conquer, each of us ordering a three meat plate ($17 each and comes with one side).

My Plate:

• Pulled Pork
• Pork Ribs
• Burnt Ends (special)
• Mac ‘N Cheese

Cody’s Plate:

• Southern Fried Chicken
• Hand-Made Sausage
• Brisket
• Collard Greens

So what made Pecan Lodge the best BBQ we had on our entire trip? Every last bite was a 10 out of 10. I often find that some of the best barbecue joints have a restaurant highlight, or a handful of best menu items that they tend to be “known for”. At Pecan Lodge, everything (everything) is boast-worthy. We first swooned over the ribs, then the pulled pork, fried chicken, homemade sausage, brisket, the banana pudding (a definite must) and the list goes on and on. Our personal favorites?? The burnt ends, the perfectly fried chicken, the brisket, and the creamy, artery-clogging mac ‘n cheese.

But, in truth, EVERYTHING was exceptional. Alongside the incredible quality and flavor of each of these menu items, we were very impressed with the price and quantity served for each of our three meat plates- it was more than enough food for sharing between the two of us. Wish we could have packed up our leftovers and taken them home!

Pecan Lodge is only open for a few hours during weekdays (11-3:00 p.m.) and from 11:00-10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. They certainly aren’t open on Mondays so be sure you plan accordingly. I read multiple reviews online of people waiting in massive lines. Although I would wait for an hour or so for this amazing barbecue if I had the chance again, I’d encourage first timers to try and dine during an “off time” or week day, like we did (Wednesday at about 2:00).

Thank you, owners Justin and Diane Fourton, for quitting corporate America in 2009 and taking the leap to create Pecan Lodge. We were smitten by your food, your passion for the art of barbecue, and your gracious, kind employees.  We cannot wait to come again.

Pecan Lodge (2702 Main St Dallas, TX // 214.748.8900)