Tucker Town is the Best (non-Pecan Lodge) BBQ we've had in a Long Time

We've recently spent some time outside of Dallas, and had the opportunity to be in and around the Corsicana area a few times. Having never really visited Corsicana itself, we were completely unsure where we should eat, or if there was anyplace even worth eating at. Google didn't exactly help either. It pointed us to generic Mexican restaurants that were busy, but less than stellar. To put it kindly, we were unimpressed.

We had almost lost hope on the possibility of good food when we noticed this small, rusty, open-air shed and semi-attached trailer with a sign reading "Best BBQ in Texas." Let's be honest, though--the small BBQ sign wasn't what caught our attention first. Instead, it was the giant electronic sign on top of a 30-foot tall oil derrick advertising everything from U-Haul availability, to bounce-house rentals to little league sign up options. Needless to say, we were intrigued, and after a few times driving past, we decided to stop in.

Now, a couple of words on Tucker Town itself. It's located about 2 miles southeast of I-45 down highway 287, just before the turn-off to Corsicana's "airport." It's located on the side of the road, on a dirt pull-off with U-Haul trucks parked all around and a few small oil rigs in the back. There's also a shuttered fireworks stand just off the dirt drive. The aforementioned giant glowing sign atop an oil derrick is the easiest way to find it, even though the sign doesn't actually mention the name of the restaurant, or the fact they serve BBQ. It does talk about it being "the best place to chase tails," but we think that has something to do with the fact they serve crawfish when in season. We think.

Also, the folks who own Tucker Town seem to do a lot of things. As mentioned, they rent U-Hauls and bounce houses, and also serve crawfish, boiled crab legs and shrimp, and burgers. Giving up meat for Lent? You're in luck--they do fish Fridays as well! And I'm sure those are all excellent options (the crawfish and crab smell great, and the burgers are big and juicy). But, the real reason to go to Tucker Town is the BBQ. Is it the best in Texas? Maybe not. Is it extremely high-quality? Definitely! Is it made that much better when you're sitting at a wooden picnic table listening to rural country playing on an old 5-CD changer similar to the one you had in Junior High? Absolutely!

We've visited Tucker Town several times now over the past few weeks, and have sampled most of their BBQ menu. They've been remarkably consistent, which is the hallmark of a good BBQ establishment. Out of everything we've tried, we recommend the two-meat plate, with sliced brisket (very moist and tender) and pork ribs as our favorites. The brisket sandwich with either sliced or chopped brisket is also a great choice, and the pulled pork (either stand-alone or in sandwich form) is really tasty as well. Their servings are more than generous, and we've found we can actually split a two-meat plate with little problem.

For an establishment without a "commercial" smoking setup (they have a small towable smoker sitting in the parking lot), they get great smoke rings on their meat, and have tremendous "crust" on their ribs, brisket, and especially pulled pork. While there, you'll also want to try their onion rings--they're tremendous, and some of the best we've ever had!! True to Texas form, your order generally comes with a slice or two of white bread served on top of printed butcher's paper inside a to-go container. Other sides, like their coleslaw and their beans, are what you would expect from any BBQ establishment. And, their banana pudding is thick, velvety, and rich (although it could use more banana slices).

All in all, Tucker Town is a great option for fantastic BBQ. They're open 7 days a week, and, maybe best of all, they're BYOB (closest place to buy beer is the Dollar General "a country mile down the road" next to the Russell Stover's factory). If you're ever in the neighborhood, Tucker Town is definitely worth the detour off of I-45!