Wenzel Lonestar Meat Company - Hamilton, TX

Why did I take the long way from Austin to Dallas yesterday?

Butt when?

Of course it is.  Yes, the people of Wenzel Lonestar Meat Company are some savvy marketeers, and they're also good butchers and decent cooks.  Wenzel's is a little butcher shop off a side street of the main square in the small town of Hamilton, which is known primarily as the burial place of Brushy Bill Roberts, aka Billy the Kid as self-proclaimed.  Wenzel's deals in meats...jerkeys, sausages, bratwurst, steaks, and things of the like.  Any given day of the week you can stop in and get a deli sandwich, even a reuben, but on Fridays they stack 'em deep with the promise of pulled pork.

  

They do a nice sandwich here.  A healthy amount of pulled pork on a soft, toasted bun with their homemade barbecue sauce, regular or spicy.  Pork was tender with no visible fat or bark, and given the location, I'm assuming it's smoked, but the flavor showed very little smoke flavoring, just good old pig.  I chose the spicy sauce, which was good, but really not hot.  It had a flavor similar to Arby's sauce, otherwise known as Open Pit Original, with a little more originality and a bit more zing.  

This is clearly a family run operation, and the place has an incredibly homey feel to it and little touches that make it feel more like you're at a friendly neighbor's house than a store.  Though it is first and foremost a store, and in addition the meats they offer, there is an array of sauces, rubs, pickled vegetables and jams.  

Orders are taken at the counter and food is brought out to your table with a thank you and a "if y'all need more napkins, just holler".  A pickle spear in a zip lock bag completes the meal, unless you add chips and a drink for another dollar, in which case you can grab a cup, scoop some ice out of the blue travel sized cooler, and fill up with some tea or a soft drink.  

Good place to stop if you take the leisurely route between Dallas and Austin.  While there is better barbecue around, the sandwich here is a good one, the atmosphere is great, and you can pick up some things to stock the pantry.

Summary

Atmosphere:  butcher shop, a few tables, good place to stop for lunch on a Friday

Food:  deli sandwiches and pulled pork sandwiches

Dog Friendly:  no

When to Go:  lunch on Fridays

Crowd:  locals

What to Order for the First Timer:  pulled pork sandwich, spicy