Smoke Sessions Barbecue , Royse City, Texas 1/22/26

https://www.smokesessionsbbq.com/

sampled around 11:45 am

This was our second stop on our mini-BBQ tour and it was just 8 minutes away from the first.  This spot got an honorable mention on the latest Texas Monthly Top 50 list.  I chose the trinity again and picked the garlic/pepper jack sausage.   The brisket and sausage were average to my taste with the brisket being a bit mushy with no smoke flavor.  The casing on the house made sausage was very tough and I opted to peel most of it off after the first few pieces.  The ribs were excellent, leaving a perfect bite mark, and were full of flavor.  Once again, very friendly folks in a good joint in small town Texas.

Smoak Town BBQ, Fate, Texas 1/22/26

https://www.smoaktownbbq.com/

 sampled around 11 am

Scott had a hankering for some Q before the winter weather clobbers us, so off we went to sample a couple of joints just east of Dallas.  First up was Smoak Town BBQ in Fate.  This food truck made the top 50 on Texas Monthly's last list.  We were first in line at 11 am but there were quickly 7 or 8 folks lined up behind us.  I grabbed a Texas trinity plus some pork belly burnt ends.  I passed on the sides and they made up for that with a very generous helping of smoked meats.  I thought the brisket and burnt ends were average, with lots of coarse pepper bark.  The ribs were a bit overdone.  The bark was tough and chewy and the meat fell off the bone.  The highlight for me was the house made sausage with a coarse beef grind with good jalapeno and cheese flavor.  I'd make another trip east just for that sausage.

Overall, a good joint with friendly folks.  Lucky Fate!

First smoke of 2026

 

Salmon may not be BBQ but it is the next best thing to put in a smoker.  We have 8 and a half pounds to make us smile for awhile.  We also did a bunch of poblano and banana peppers, which are also great right off the smoker.