CattleAck Barbeque (First Impression)

Amber and I were in the DFW area for the Cleveland Indians game against the Texas Rangers. We went to Heim Barbecue the day before when we had some extra time. Getting to CattleAck Barbeque has been the Holy Grail of BBQ for me. They are only open a couple days of week (Thursday and Friday) and the first Saturday of the month. I was thinking of going to the Opening Day game, but the ticket prices were stupid expensive. We settle on a Wednesday night game so I can make it to CattleAck the next day for lunch. We met Daniel Vaughn and his friend there.

Not sure we ordered enough meat for four people… We tried a little bit of everything. We got brisket, a beef rib, some pork ribs, turkey, sausage, smoked bologna sandwich, brisket Que-T pie, collard greens, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, banana pudding, and crack pie. The whole meal was really, really good. Everything was cooked perfectly. The brisket slices were outstanding. They were tender and had a good flavor with a good amount of smoke. The meal did not stop there. I could have eaten a few bones of the pork ribs. The moist meat stayed on the bone and had a nice clean smoke taste with a slightly sweet finish. The beef ribs and turkey were on the same level as well. There is only so many ways you can describe how great the barbecue here is. I think you are getting what I am trying to say at this point. The sausages are made in-house. The texture of the grind and snap of the casing were ideal. The flavors were good but nothing stood out to me on this visit.

The smoked bologna sandwich was a million times better than what I ate when I was a kid. If today’s youth had access to this sandwich, they would all be barbecue fiends. The brisket Que-T pie was fantastic. I had to go back and order some more to-go. It is like an empanada filled with chopped brisket, veggies, and cheese. So, so good. The flaky exterior and salty meat made for a great duo. The attention to details did not stop at the meats. The homemade sides and desserts held their own ground. The collard greens had a nice heat with bits of pulled pork in it. The coleslaw and macaroni and cheese complemented the meal nicely. You could not finish the meal any better than getting down on some banana pudding and crack pie. The crack pie is similar to buttermilk pie with a crispier crust.

Brisket, turkey, and Que-T pie

Sausage, bologna sandwich, beef rib, and pork ribs

Collard greens, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and banana pudding

Brisket Que-T pie

Crack pie

The wait to get to CattleAck Barbeque was worth it. Sort of. I wish I had come by much sooner. Owners Todd and Misty David are good people. I run into them at so many random events but never stopped in at their restaurant. I am glad I did. CattleAck is nestled in an area of Dallas with office parks and retail fronts so it is easy to miss it. If you do miss it, you will regret it. Look out for the rotating menu specials. Todd and company also smokes a whole hog on the Saturday they are open on top of their normal offerings. I have not tried a lot of DFW BBQ joints. I hope to change that this year. With the new Texas Monthly Top 50 about to come out, I need to check some more off the list. Is it possible that I already got a head start? Hopefully CattleAck Barbeque will expand their hours to reach more of the masses.