In a former work life, I had a client in the industrial park swath that is Brittmoore Rd in…read moreNorthwest Houston. When our team would drive out to lunch, we would often past this BBQ stand in the middle of piles and piles of firewood. We'd talk about going, but never did.
Imagine my surprise when it popped up in a 29-95 dot com review by Paul Galvani (http://www.29-95.com/restaurants/story/truck-stop-blazin-bills-bbq). Galvanized by Paul, I decided I had to check it out. While Mr. Galvani's review is absolutely spot-on, allow me to add my three cents.
First of all, the location is on the east side of Brittmoore just a shade north of Tanner Rd. If you've reached Little York, you've gone too far (I've submitted the address change to the Yelp Gods, but for now the approximate address is 5719 Brittmoore). Honestly, just look for a huge heaping pile of firewood and a waft of smoke coming from a little cart.
As Mr. Galvani mentions, Blazin Bill's has no web presence (as also evidenced by me snagging the FTR). I'm honestly not at all sure of the hours, but it always looks open during workday weeks. Next time I go, I'll be sure to ask and add a picture or two while I'm at it.
I picked up the sliced brisket plate, which costs an insanely reasonable $7 and comes with 5 or 6 cuts, homemade beans, potato salad, and two slices of bread. Bill also offers the other basics: sausage, ribs, and chicken. You get it on a plate with sides or just as a sandwich. It's a ridiculously easy menu to follow and it's plastered on the side of his truck.
The beans, per Galvani, are homemade by Bill's mother. You can taste the love. They're delicious, and the remaining sauce is perfect for bread sopping. The potato salad is good, mustard-based but understated. I'm not sure where he acquires it from, but it's not HEB.
Most importantly, the brisket. It has a wonderful, if somewhat overwhelming, smoke flavor. Bill uses pecan and oak, and if you're a fan like pecan pie (like I am), you'll love the smoky, pecan-tinged texture and taste of Bill's brisket.
The beef is clearly defined, and one of the best I've seen in Houston. There's an ample smoke ring that's more red than pink, and the char is well-infused with pecan flavor. Honestly, it's hard to taste anything more than salt, pepper, and a punch of pecan in those bites (his rub is, of course, a trade secret). The bites of smoke ring plus char were my favorites.
The taste of the interior meat falls slightly short of wonderful. My cut was very limited on fat content. It's a well-cooked brisket, very tender and not in the least bit dry, and very breakable with a fork. Its just without that fat to hold the taste together, it's a little too breakable and borders on non-charred pieces of chopped beef.
The sauce, light and vinegar-based, was poured directly on the meat. It was slightly sour but not overwhelming, and a perfect thin sauce, even for this guy who prefers thick. I did feel the sauce was necessary for the interior bites of meat that lacked flavor, but superfluous when it came to the char. The sour taste also complements the pecan flavor well. It's a nicely done sauce.
It appears most of the clientele takes Bill's BBQ to go, but there are a few outside seats to dine at next to the shack that centers the location. One last word of warning: if you're going for lunch, be prepared to smell smoky for the remainder of your workday. It's glorious, and it'll keep you craving some of Blazin' Bill's BBQ long after you've devoured it.
