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Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Gettin’ greasy at Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano
How do you improve on juicy barbecue meat served on soon-to-be-greasy paper? Let the carnivores have their pick from the pit. That’s the way they roll in Llano at Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, a well-deserved perennial favorite on Texas barbecue lovers’ lists. Customers walk right up to the pit, and in true caveman style, point and grunt, indicating which ribs, sausage, brisket, pork chops or sirloin they want. (Well, grunting may be an exaggeration, but when you’re standing there in the holy presence of such fine meat, picking the right words to tell the lovely man with the tongs what you want isn’t always so easy.)
They also buck the “low and slow” theory of traditional barbecue. Rather than cook meat on low heat for a long period of time, Cooper’s rocks it cowboy style: Meat cooks close to the fire, then finishes on low heat. Also to the dismay of barbecue traditionalists, Cooper’s gives customers the option of a hefty dousing of peppery barbecue sauce after selecting the meat.
Another bonus: Free — and quite delicious — beans, available right there alongside the onions, condiments and sauce.
There will soon be a new Coopers in Central Texas: While we were stuffing ourselves with links and the juiciest brisket I think I’ve ever had, the Wooten family was putting the finishing touches on a Cooper’s in New Braunfels. It was supposed to open over Labor Day weekend, but I haven’t been able to confirm that it’s officially ready for the public.
As for the original Llano location, they are open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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