Hill Country Barbecue Market

30 West 26th Street, New York, NY - (212) 255-4544

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Posted By Bill Homan on 2/15/2009 12:01:00 PM

Upon entering Hill Country Barbecue Market, you are hit by the smell of smoke. Pick up your meal tickets and proceed to the meat station. There are three stations (meats, sides, and drinks/desserts). Hill Country has taken its cue from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas.

The brisket is very good: smoky, beefy, tender and moist with a smoke ring around the edge. The sauce is reminiscent of Heinz 57, but much better. This meat doesn't need any sauce and thankfully they let the meat speak for itself by not pre-applying the sauce. The chicken: slightly smoky, tender, and very moist. A real winner. The sausage ring has a nice chew. It's smoky and peppery, with a nice jalapeno bite at the end, although the cheddar flavor is elusive. Spare ribs have a great smoke and pepper flavor, but they can be too chewy.

Mac and cheese: made with penne pasta and cheddar, it is very cheesy and rich, like a much better version of Stouffer's. Corn pudding is dense, rich, sweet, and custardy with a nice subtle crunch from the corn; a perfect accompaniment to all of that luscious, smoky meat. The cucumber salad is a lip-puckering serving of pickled cucumbers with onions. A great palate cleanser! Baked beans with burnt ends are the only disappointing side, lacking in interesting flavor. The burnt ends add little.

The cupcake is moist, filled with grape jelly, a mountain of peanut butter frosting on top, topped with Reese's Pieces candies and chopped, salted peanuts. Really, really good! But $6 for one cupcake!

Hill Country offers some items shipped from Texas, such as Big Red soda, Lone Star beer, and Blue Bell ice cream. The biggest issue people seem to have with Hill Country are the prices. Everything is a la carte. There aren't any combos or platters, and it can get expensive very quickly.

Scorecard

Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip

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"Full of smoky, beefy flavor, this cross section puts the meaty spiciness of the links on display."
Bill Homan

"The cucumbers, corn pudding and mac and cheese are great, but the beans lack flavor."
Bill Homan

"This is one very tasty cupcake, but at a steep $6 a piece."
Bill Homan

"The sausage ring is right on the money. The ribs can be too chewy."
Bill Homan

"Warm, creamy, and possessing full-bodied flavor, this is one of my favorite sides at Hill Country."
Bill Homan

"The lean brisket is very moist. Note the visible smoke ring. And the chicken is incredibly juicy and tender."
Bill Homan

"The lean is on the left and moist is to the right. Both are smoky and lush, but the lean is plenty moist for my taste."
Bill Homan

"Meat is priced by the pound and weighed at the counter."
Bill Homan

"Most of the sides are winners and they get a big plus from me for the artistic creativity of this board."
Bill Homan

"Texas post oak."
Bill Homan

"Aside from smoking some righteous barbeque, Hill Country welcomes a huge number of honky-tonk musical groups."
Bill Homan

"Plenty of outdoor seating."
Bill Homan