Local Eats: Texlahoma BBQ

Owner Brian Jones

Texlahoma BBQ

By Laura Beam

Leave it to a competition BBQ pitmaster with expert taste to level up the BBQ game in Oklahoma. Having lived in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, Brian Jones and his wife Jennifer sought to blend the best of the places they loved and bring Texas-style BBQ to the OKC Metro. Opening ‘Tex-La-Homa’ on Waterloo Rd. in Edmond in 2015 was an homage to Brian’s journey through those states. And last month, that fusion of tastes took another new road with the opening of the second Texlahoma BBQ on 2nd St. in Edmond. At both locations, top quality meats are trimmed, seasoned and smoked on site each day, using meticulous methods that create incredible flavor and tenderness.

Good Meat, Let’s Eat

Exceptional BBQ has to start with great ribs and Texlahoma has elevated them to a whole new level. With a spiced-right rub that shows off Brian’s Louisiana roots, every bite of these ribs is superb. Even the bark is a perfect char that melts in your mouth. “In a BBQ competition, if ribs fall off the bone, you’re disqualified,” Brian explains. “My ribs are like tender pork chops.” Another hallmark of excellent BBQ is the brisket, and at Texlahoma, it is hands-down a customer fave for a reason. “It is perfectly smoked Creekstone Farms beef with a rich, salty and peppery bite,” Brian says. Smoked bologna, pulled pork, sausage and turkey round out the meat selections. You can even get many meats and sides from the grab-and-go cooler. The meats are precooked and vacuum-sealed with easy heating directions.

Spin-Masters

Introduced last year, the Havana, a Cuban inspired sandwich, has been a huge hit. “We’re always thinking of ways to put a BBQ spin on traditional items,” Brian comments. The toasted jalapeno cornbread with smoked bologna and pulled pork is a delicious surprise, especially with the tangy kick of Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.

Any menu that includes the phrase, ‘garnished with a rib,’ is a winner! The Butler Potato is loaded with brisket, pulled pork, sausage, queso, butter, sour cream…and garnished with a rib, just so you don’t leave hungry! For lighter fare, the BBQ salad is accented with crunchy jalapeno cornbread croutons and your choice of meat. Ask about the ‘Turn-In,’ too–a secret, off-menu item that features an irresistible sampling of all the meats.

Where There’s Smoke…

There’s magic! If you’ve ever botched some BBQ in your backyard, you know it’s an art that has to be mastered. “It takes a pitmaster many years to perfect the craft,” Brian comments. “We’re very specific about the temperature markers that each meat needs to hit for peak flavor and tenderness.”

As with traditional Texas-style BBQ, the meals at Texlahoma are served on big aluminum trays lined with butcher paper—the perfect canvas for mixing, matching, saucing and sharing food. And what better way to sample the yummy side dishes than a big tray?! The okra is fried crispy and seasoned with a house-blend Cajun/BBQ spice. The beans and fries are delicious with a hit of Texlahoma’s prized BBQ sauce. And when was the last time you got excited about potato salad? It’s time! The whipped, creamy, mayo-based concoction has a traditional potato salad taste with a mashed potato twist that will surprise and delight you all at once! Enjoy Texlahoma 7 days a week at 121 E. Waterloo Rd., Edmond, or dine or drive-thru at 2080 E. 2nd St., Edmond, or visit texlahomabbq.com. Ask about catering and the food trailer available for booking too!