Just Right

Terry Black’s Barbecue, 2926 W 7th St, Fort Worth. 817-615-9408. 10:30am-9:30pm Sun, 11am-9:30pm Mon-Thu, 10:30am-10pm Fri-Sat.

It’s taken a while, but my 13-year-old finally loves barbecue. He’s not finicky. He’s kind of a super-taster, and up until just a year or two ago, something about barbecue, uh, rubbed him the wrong way. Now, he’s a master at slow-cooking ribs (and eating them!) and can pinpoint where some local restaurants may have gone wrong slow-cooking theirs (often leaving it on too long). And like me, he’s a ribs-and-brisket guy when he orders, with the occasional sausage thrown in, and sides. Always sides. We have our favorite spots around town, no doubt, and near or at the top of the list sits an Austin transplant in the West 7th corridor.

The recently opened Terry Black’s Barbecue is the newest and fourth of its kind, with other locations in Dallas and Lockhart. It’s a family affair. Owned and operated by descendants of the 90-year-old Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart, this 6,400-square-foot gem cost $6 million to build. And by the looks of the long lines and crowded parking lot, it’s made 100 times that since opening.

The kid and I had to park way the hell down by Fort Worth Camera, forcing us to hoof it through the cold about 75 yards to reach Terry Black’s entrance. While the line wasn’t out the door, it was pretty long. It snaked through rows of merch (hats, sauces, everything) and the glorious beer cooler. After grabbing an adult beverage (or three), you’ll reach the sides counter, off to the side, and there’s a lot to choose from: all your traditional offerings, including — especially — mac ’n’ cheese, which is important considering it’s not as popular at barbecue joints as you would think. All that, plus Mexican rice. And we were right up on the servers behind the sneeze guard before I could even check the weather on my phone (because checking the weather on my phone constantly is sort of like my thing). Soon as you turn around with your tray full of sides, you’re ushered by a worker from your place in line to the main counter, where you order, and this efficiency is much appreciated. There are multiple setups, and every one includes a cashier, a cash register, a slicer-dude, and a heap of meat for the selecting.

There was no place to sit inside among the neon-bathed wooden booths, long tables, four-tops, and two-tops, so the kid and I grabbed a booth in a short row of them on the sheltered portion of the spacious patio. We were insulated from the crisp air by hanging, clear, plastic slats. Blazing space heaters watched over the exposed, and empty, patio beyond.

For us, part of the charm of sitting out back was in being able to watch two workers fuel the rows of smokers sitting inside a massive shed. All that fire. All that wonderful beef and poultry. I don’t recall any TVs inside to compete, which is fine — Terry Black’s meats, sides, and veggies demand your full attention.

The sliced brisket ($35.98/lb) was scrumptious: tender, not too fatty, and peppery, and the tableside barbecue sauce (there are several varieties, all homemade) only enhanced the natural, smoked flavors of the moist meat.

The pork ribs ($30.98/lb) could not have been done any better. Our local burgeoning pitmaster said they were cooked “just right.” Juicy and zesty, they weren’t small, either.

For sides ($4.25 5 ounce, $9 pint, $17 quart, $45 gallon), we went with the creamy, gooey mac ’n’ cheese and some bright, refreshing cole slaw. As if reading my mind, Terry Black’s also gifted us with two slices of white bread and a ramekin of raw red onion and dill pickles. I thought I’d made up that sub-side combo myself over the years. For every bite of beef, you need a nibble of one of your sides or of onion, pickle, and bread. Trust me.

Terry Black’s other meat options include beef ribs ($35.98/lb), turkey and chopped beef (both $30.98/lb), and original sausage and jalapeno-cheese sausage (both $28/lb). There are also sandwiches ($15.50-$17) and sandwich combos ($19.75-$21.25 with chips and a regular drink).

As much as my son and I love Terry Black’s, it’s not cheap, so we save our visits for special occasions. And it’s not just Terry Black’s. Prices are up all over, and economists say things are only going to get worse — especially for us nonmillionaires. He and I are still excited to visit once the weather becomes more pleasant more regularly. We may even walk out of there with some of that merch. Or at least a bottle of sauce.