Texas sausage makers

riceboy, you're right, the New Braunfels Smokehouse is a good place to eat.

And frognot, thanks for the Muenster recs. Going into my file right now...

You have to try La Grange Smokehouse sausage. off of 71, thought it was closed but they are open and alive. I really love their dry sausage but they also do hot links off the pit on weekends as well as barbeque. mmmmm mmmm

quote:

Originally posted by deni

You have to try La Grange Smokehouse sausage. off of 71, thought it was closed but they are open and alive. I really love their dry sausage but they also do hot links off the pit on weekends as well as barbeque. mmmmm mmmm

Ditto. That place makes great sausage.

For my first Roadfood post ever (geez, I just discovered the forum yesterday), I'll let you guys in on my central Texas sausage secret-- Patek's Grocery in Shiner, on 90A (I think), right next to Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic church. Head for the tall church spire (it's a fantastic church). Patek's is a smallish grocery store, but head to the back to the meat counter. Bring your cooler and buy some ice from them while you're there-- this is a meat market, not a restaurant, BBQ joint, or anything of the sort. They do a variety of sausages, blends of meats and spices, but what you want is their pork and beef mix, not extra spicy, just regular. I've been eating it for 50 years, and I'm 52, and it tastes just like it did 50 years ago.

Which is nothing short of spectacular. When I lived in Houston and Austin and would host people from all sorts of places, I would serve them "Shiner sausage," which is what my family's called it for forever. Everyone loves it, including food snobs. I'll just drive myself crazy describing it (I'm 1000 miles away now), so I'll just praise it to the skies. Others love their frankfurters, which are fine, but they're not the glory that is Patek's pork and beef sausage. My late grandparents, good central Texas Germans, thought Patek's was the best meat market in their experience.

Cooking it is simplicity itself-- simmer it in a half-inch of water in a skillet, covered, for maybe 5-6 minutes. Don't puncture the skin until you're ready to take a bite.

Bits and pieces....

The Muenster(TX)Germanfest is coming up soon, April 22-23, 2005, so bring the cooler and stock up.

There are also more Piggly Wiggly's further west than mentioned. We have TWO in Sherman, TX alone! Going through one of these is certainly a walk through the past...a vibe you DON'T get by walking through Wal-Mart! I worked at one when I was in high school, back in the days of manual cash registers and paper bags. Last time I looked though, they no longer made sausage in the meat dept.

TEXAS sausage, to me, means only
one thing. schmidt family hot links
in lockhart!! either SMITTY'S or
KREUZ in a greasy paper sack to go.
stop at the drive through liquor
store for a six of shiner bock and
head south outta' town. find a
roadside table,open a beer, retrieve
the hot links, & half a loaf of
bunny bread. eat til its gone HEAVEN

Has anyone been to the New Braunfels festival in November, Wurstfest. I understand the music is good, and I'm sure there are lots of sausages to sample. (and beer.)
www.wurstfest.com

Family on my dad's side came from Poland in 1840 and settled a farm outside the San Antonio area. They smoked meats and took it to town on a horse drawn cart and returned with blocks of ice. Many in the area are of German and Polish decent and that's why there are good sausages in that region. My dad always stopped at the New Braunfels Smokehouse. It's not to far from our family farm in Cibolo. They still do food right in Texas.

I havent made it out there yet, but Ive been told the BEST place to get fresh (not smoked) Polish sausage in the Houston area is Krolczyks on Old Hempstead Hwy.

I was at the Wurstfest in New Braunfels, unfortuantely it was years ago, once in 75 and once in 76, when I was stationed at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio. I will say, that having spent 10 years in Europe, six in Berlin and the rest in Belgium, plus having been to many states here in USA, I think that New Braunfels smoked beef sausage is the best tasting sausage I have eaten. Also, when I was in San Antonio, they had a place there called Bill Miller's BBQ that was absolutely delicious.

quote:

Originally posted by hermitt4d

Thanks for the link to Praseks, Texicana. I've bookmarked it to check out later. Looks good. I had never heard of it.

Piggly Wiggly . Are they still in existence . The first supermarket in my home town was a Piggy Wiggly but I haven't seen one in years.

The Pig is still alive and well in South Carolina. They are all over the place

What a great thread.I'm about to put my rainsuit on and saddle up my bike and head South out of Austin and get some eating done.I couldn't agree more about Kreutz,it's ok but with Blacks a stone's throw away why bother.

The Kentucky barbecue eaters can get their own Hill Country fix in Shelbeyville at KenTex.On my visits to Kentucky it's always been good and on some days actually great.Are there any other spots within an hour or so of Lexington I need to know about?

quote:

Originally posted by hermitt4d

JimInKY - Lockhart is 'The Barbecue Capital of Texas,' officially designated by the Lege back when the two parties spoke to each other and cooperated with each other in the public's interest..... well, I don't want to get off on that .

First meal I ever had at Kreuz blew my mind, especially the ribs and sausage. Subsequent visits haven't been as impressive. There've been a lot of complaints that Rick Schmidt might be over-salting the meat to promote beverage sales and selling overdone and underdone meats to keep from losing business, a lot of which is tourists and one-time-only. He's got a helluvan overhead to meet in that huge new place. However, the latest reports I've seen are that they've gotten back on track. I haven't been in maybe 6 months.

I've never figured out why anybody wastes precious tummy space on cheese when they go there, but a lot of people do and I don't care for either the shoulder clod or smoked prime rib, both of which are too tender for proper bbq 'mouth feel' as far as I'm concerned.

Between Luling and Lockhart, about 15 minutes apart on TX 183, you're definitely in BBQ heaven (and Atkins Diet heaven ). I still think Black's has the best brisket and links and City Market in Luling is the best overall bbq joint in the state (brisket, links, ribs).

You definitely need to come on down. Just stick a cooler of choice provisions from Owensboro in your car and drop it off at my place on the way out to Central Texas, please .

What a great thread.I'm about to put my rainsuit on and saddle up my bike and head South out of Austin and get some eating done.I couldn't agree more about Kreutz,it's ok but with Blacks a stone's throw away why bother.

The Kentucky barbecue eaters can get their own Hill Country fix in Shelbeyville at KenTex.On my visits to Kentucky it's always been good and on some days actually great.Are there any other spots within an hour or so of Lexington I need to know about?

quote:

Originally posted by hermitt4d

JimInKY - Lockhart is 'The Barbecue Capital of Texas,' officially designated by the Lege back when the two parties spoke to each other and cooperated with each other in the public's interest..... well, I don't want to get off on that .

First meal I ever had at Kreuz blew my mind, especially the ribs and sausage. Subsequent visits haven't been as impressive. There've been a lot of complaints that Rick Schmidt might be over-salting the meat to promote beverage sales and selling overdone and underdone meats to keep from losing business, a lot of which is tourists and one-time-only. He's got a helluvan overhead to meet in that huge new place. However, the latest reports I've seen are that they've gotten back on track. I haven't been in maybe 6 months.

I've never figured out why anybody wastes precious tummy space on cheese when they go there, but a lot of people do and I don't care for either the shoulder clod or smoked prime rib, both of which are too tender for proper bbq 'mouth feel' as far as I'm concerned.

Between Luling and Lockhart, about 15 minutes apart on TX 183, you're definitely in BBQ heaven (and Atkins Diet heaven ). I still think Black's has the best brisket and links and City Market in Luling is the best overall bbq joint in the state (brisket, links, ribs).

You definitely need to come on down. Just stick a cooler of choice provisions from Owensboro in your car and drop it off at my place on the way out to Central Texas, please .

Around here we have Opa's sausage from New Braunfels,V and V,Chappel Hill,Burton's Praseck's,Holmes,Kilbassa,Earl Campbell's and others.Most of which are carried by H.E.B. or our local Walmart.
Haven't eaten at the NB Smokehouse in awhile,but I have bought their jerky for my sister in New York.
Olphart,I have had Burton's sausage which is pretty good.I baked it in the oven with potatoes and veggies.I've also boiled it slowly with cabbage and potatoes.

We have returned to Green's Market a couple of times since posting about it on the first page of this thread a few years back. If you haven't tried it, make a side trip out of Temple about 10 miles to get some !! The Jalopena-Cheese Sausage is Outstanding!

Have never been to WurstFest in New Braunfels that I can ever recall.Why,I'm not sure.
My late father,who was German and from Milwaukee never really expressed much of a desire to go there.Plus my parents weren't real big on crowds,especially ones drinking alot of beer.
But it's up the road from me,so it might be fun to go sometime.

There is a company in West, TX just east of I-35 that specilizes in Czech sausage and they are excellent. Their products are available in several of the shops at the exit of West, TX.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN