Killen's Barbecue (Revisit)

July 01, 2015

Killen's Barbecue (Revisit)

It has been almost a year since I have been to Killen's Barbecue in Pearland. I have had them since at the TMBBQ Fest, the pop-up in Austin, and the HouBBQ Festival. Still not enough times for me though. Amber and I were going to Houston for a wedding so a stop at Killen's was in order. I met some of the Houston BBQ folks (Michael, Bryan, Scott, and Andrew) there.

The Food Network recently announced Killen's as the number 2 spot for BBQ in America. That Saturday on social media, there were pictures of hordes of people waiting. The line wrapped around the parking lot. I got there a little bit before 9 AM on Sunday and was second line. That is not bad at all. Taking a number and hanging out is a plus here. Standing around in a line is no fun. Killen's did not have free beer today because they were so busy the day before.

One reason I wanted to go on Sunday was for the fried chicken special. It is only available on Sundays. I have been craving fried chicken of late, and every time I see Ronnie Killen put up a picture, my mouth waters. Fried chicken with an added bonus of superb barbecue? Count me in. We ordered a fried chicken plate, beef rib plate, and quarter pound of bone-in pork belly, moist brisket, and the jalapeño sausage. We got sides of beans, macaroni and cheese, creamed corn, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Amber added some banana pudding to the order.

I am not a fried chicken expert, but it was pretty damn good. It was crispy and had a ton of flavor. You get four pieces of chicken which is a lot of food. I want to see a place out there that smokes their chicken first and then fries it. That would be awesome. The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious. The creamed corn is gold here. It is rich and wonderful. I could probably eat a gallon of it. No joke. The beef rib plate is one of the better deals out there. For sixteen bucks, you get a good-sized rib with two sides. The beef rib was on-point today. Crusty, tender, and smoky. We basically tried all of the meats at table, and they were all great. I tried the jalapeño sausage for the first time. It was good, but I prefer the new regular blend of brisket, pork belly, and bacon better. Smoked chicken was also a special on this Sunday, but none of us ordered it. Next time for sure.

Killen's Barbecue has not disappointed me. From the smoked meats, to the sides, and to the desserts, they deserve their high regards. Ronnie and his crew are firing on all cylinders and delivers on their motto, "The Best Barbecue, Period!" I think the trip here just for the fried chicken is worth it. The excellent BBQ is gravy at that point. This is one of my all-time favorite places from top to bottom. Houston barbecue keeps getting better and better, and Killen's is leading the way.