Smoke Shack

3205 RR 620 N., Austin, TX 78734
(512) 914-0120, no website
Open 7 days a week - until sold out

There is no better way to celebrate Labor Day than with good ol' Texas BBQ.  The family and I took a trip to the Smoke Shack in Lakeway, Texas for a mid day meal.  The Smoke Shack is really a food trailer  flanked by a portable smoker, connected by cords of dried oak.

The Smoke Shack is located just off RR 620 on the northern end of the Lakeway area and just south of Hudson Bend.  They are situated in a vacant lot that also contains some used mobile homes for sale.  The place offers three shaded picnic areas that dot the property and provide seating for about a dozen people.  

Ordering is done through a walk-up window on the trailer and the mouth watering meats are prepared right in front of you as you wait.  Nothing fancy, just one man who prides himself  in making great BBQ and works diligently each day until all of it is gone.  The Smoke Shack has a traditional yet simple menu ranging from Breakfast Tacos filled with brisket all the way to Turkey, deep fried and finished off with a 6 hour smoke.  Their specialty is Baby Back Ribs, Brisket and Chicken.  The Chicken is by special order only and you can choose either beer can cooked, smoked or injected with a Cajun spice mix.  Smoked ham and turkeys are also special order and seasonal.     

History

James "Yard Dog" Spears @ Work

Smoke Shack is owned and operated by James "Yard Dog"  Spears and his partner Matt Hand.  James is the main character and the BBQ connoisseur.  James is a former Lakeway area golf pro and caterer who loves to cook.  After tasting his BBQ, his buddies convinced him to begin serving to the public.  James contributed his smoker and BBQ recipes and Matt bought the trailer and the combination became known as the Smoke Shack.  The Smoke Shack began serving in May 2010 and feeds all sorts of RR 620 travelers each and every day from sun up to sold out.

Meat

The Smoke Shack serves up the traditional meats, Brisket, Baby Back Ribs and Sausage.  Chicken, Turkey and Ham are offered only by special order at least a day ahead.

The Brisket was terrific.  It had a great smokey smell complete with a juicy tenderness that you could cut with a fork.  The smoke ring was just right and the texture of the meat had just the right resistance that made a perfect vehicle for the sauce.  The meat was very lean - almost too lean for traditional BBQ.  Although I enjoyed the lean Brisket, some others may want to see a bit more marble.

The Ribs were the best of the meats.  They were served right off the grill and the seasoning was just right.  A strong smell of pepper and spices emerged as we opened up the foil package containing the Ribs.  James' gave us a knife to cut them ourselves and it was like cutting through butter.  The meat was just barely staying on the bone as we separated each Rib.  The Ribs had a great flavor and appearance.  They were tender and cooked to perfection.  The Sauce was the icing on the cake as we chowed down on these delicious Ribs.

The Sausage looked good coming out of the smoker, however its was dry.  The texture was grainy but it had a good flavor and decent crunch when you bit into it.  The Sausage was improved with the Sauce that provided much needed moisture and this added to its overall appeal.  I think the Sausage was a bit over cooked, however I attribute that to the fact that we were one of the last customers served for the day.

Sauce
Another welcome surprise was the Smoke Shack's sauce.  It was a great blend of sweet and spice with an apple cider vinegar base.  It had a great consistency and stuck to the meat just the way it should. It provided a perfect compliment to the fine smoked meats.  It started sweet and finished with just enough spicy twang to hang around until the next bite.  The Sauce was fantastic and enhanced the experience whether pouring it on the meat or sopping it up with the bread.  I give the Sauce 4 out of 5 Texas Stars for the unique combo of starting sweet and ending spicy without giving up anything in the middle.

Sides
The Smoke Shack serves Potato Salad and Baked Beans on a pre-order only basis, at least one day ahead.  This way no food is wasted and they can focus on the meat.  Refrigeration is always a bit of a challenge in a trailer - aka "Shack."

Dessert
The only dessert offered is Banana Pudding and that is also by pre-order only.  Just like the sides, if you want them you gotta plan ahead.  Nothing goes to waste at the Smoke Shack.

Atmosphere

A shack off the side of the road is the best way to describe the atmosphere.  It feels like a backyard picnic in an RV park - complete with picnic tables and pop-up shade tents.  Imagine an afternoon BBQ at your best friends mobile home and you have nailed the atmosphere at the Smoke Shack.  It's different, no frills but comfortable and friendly.  It mainly caters to the to-go customer and sandwich lunch crowd, but they get brownie points for making the effort to make the place look inviting.

Most Memorable

The Baby Back Ribs were the most memorable part of our visit.  Very tasty, perfectly seasoned and exquisitely smoked.  Well worth the turn off of RR 620.

The Final Word
The Smoke Shack is a great little joint that cooks up big time BBQ.  It has great food,  passionate owners and simple recipes. No frills equals great taste at the Smoke Shack.  I am looking forward to trying the fried smoked turkey for Thanksgiving.  Scoring a 16 out of 20, the Smoke Shack is Worth a Trip when you find yourself west of Austin.