Road Trip Worthy Barbecue in Wylie

We don't know how we didn't catch wind of a 4.9-star, rave-reviewed barbecue spot sooner, (we do — because it's in Wylie), but recently our Google Map sleuthing struck gold.

It takes about 40 minutes to reach downtown Wylie from Dallas proper, but considering people wait longer in lines IN Dallas, that's not too shabby.

Clint Linke and his father, Olin, are the main owners and smokers here. They created Linke's out of a love for smoking brisket "the old-fashioned way." You'll find their friends and extended family helping out behind the counter at any given time. Every part of it is down-to-earth and family-owned. We don't even live in Wylie but felt like they personally invited us over.
The disclaimer "or until sold out" posted with hours always gives us a bit of anxiety. We planned a rather risky visit around noon (they open at 11 a.m.). Only the German sausage was sold out, which was lucky for us, but still unfortunate.

Our platter was stuffed with half a pound of pork ribs, a quarter pound of brisket, potato salad and mac and cheese, all of which was about $25. We stuck to the classics but for sure made a mistake not getting the range balls (a hard-boiled egg wrapped in ground sausage, then wrapped in bacon and smoked) and Grandma Linke's peach cobbler.

Brisket is sold by the quarter and half pound ($7 and $14, respectively). Sides are all a very respectable $3 for a single serving and $7 for a large. You can get a smoked half-bird (call ahead) for $12. Just a sandwich you say? That'll be 10 bucks. Imagine getting a barbecue sandwich and a side for less than $15. That dream is a reality in Wylie, folks.

Bonus: everything here is made in-house using recipes passed down for generations.

The brisket is pulled out of the pits around opening time after smoking slow and low for about 24 hours. We grabbed a leaner cut with a nice Central Texas rub. The fattier end is the one to go for here. It has a nice charred bark that doesn't completely erase the taste of the marble-textured meat.

With just a slight tug, the pork ribs come right off the bone. The brisket is what has the cult following, but the smoky and tangy sweet pork ribs were the winner on our plate. For both, you don't need sauce, but it's good either route you take.

The potato salad recipe went a little avant-garde and had roughly chopped potatoes rather than chunks in it — we loved it. It's a classic recipe with all the crunchy pickle bits, creamy and tangy sauce and refreshing flavor (we hope) you know from childhood.

It's hard to make an accurate assessment of the mac and cheese because, well, I don't like mac and cheese: the noodles are almost always overcooked and the taste of cheese taste is blah. From time to time, I'll try it again just to make sure things haven't changed, and on this visit, my taste buds were disappointed yet again. Here it runs on the soupy side and with a mild flavor.

However, for others the mac and cheese is a must-order for every visit to Linke's, so don't let our culinary defect steer you away.
Dallas has a lot of amazing barbecue spots, but if you're looking for an excuse for small-town, homestyle barbecue priced accordingly, Linke's is road-trip-worthy.

Linke's BBQ, 210 W Oak St., Wylie; Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. or until sold out.