Photo: Rudy's Country Store And Bar-B-Q
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Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q
Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q has a gift item that will drive the vegans and vegetarians in your life wild. The Texas roadside barbecue chain has released just 1,000 units of a special candle that when lit smells like beef brisket.
Learn more about this Texas travel staple...
lessRudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q has a gift item that will drive the vegans and vegetarians in your life wild. The Texas roadside barbecue chain has released just 1,000 units of a special candle that when lit
... more
PHOTOS: Fun facts about Texas staple Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q
Travelers in Texas and four other states know Rudy's for its trademark brisket and sides. Find out a little bit more about this roadside destination.
Click through to learn more about one of Texas' best BBQ chains...
less
PHOTOS: Fun facts about Texas staple Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q
Travelers in Texas and four other states know Rudy's for its trademark brisket and sides. Find out a little bit more about this roadside
... more
Photo: Rudy's
19th-century rootsRudy’s began life as Rudolph Aue’s gas station, garage, and grocery store in Leon Springs, Texas near San Antonio in 1889.
19th-century roots
Rudy’s began life as Rudolph Aue’s gas station, garage, and grocery store in Leon Springs, Texas near San Antonio in 1889.
Photo: Rudy's
Smoking timeBarbecue was added to the mix in 1989 and the name evolved into Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q. The recipes haven’t changed much in 28 years, reps say.
Smoking time
Barbecue was added to the mix in 1989 and the name evolved into Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q. The recipes haven’t changed much in 28 years, reps say.
Photo: Rudy's
Famous siblings
Rudy’s is a privately-held company. The concept was fully-realized by Phil Romano, who also birthed both the Fuddruckers and Romano’s Macaroni Grill concepts.
Famous siblings
Rudy’s is a privately-held company. The concept was fully-realized by Phil Romano, who also birthed both the Fuddruckers and Romano’s Macaroni Grill concepts.
NationwideRudy’s now boasts 40 locations across five states including Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. You can get Rudy’s all the way down in Brownsville and up in the mountains of Colorado.
Nationwide
Rudy’s now boasts 40 locations across five states including Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. You can get Rudy’s all the way down in Brownsville and up in the mountains of Colorado.
Photo: Rudy's
Off and running
In 1996 Romano sold the rights to the concept to restaurant entrepreneur Lynn Ford and two franchisees, Blake Brown and Pete Bassett.
Off and running
In 1996 Romano sold the rights to the concept to restaurant entrepreneur Lynn Ford and two franchisees, Blake Brown and Pete Bassett.
Popular spot
Rudy’s North Austin location is the chain’s number one restaurant in food sales per square foot out of approximately 67,000 total restaurants in Texas.
Popular spot
Rudy’s North Austin location is the chain’s number one restaurant in food sales per square foot out of approximately 67,000 total restaurants in Texas.
Regional differencesThe menu does sometimes deviate depending on the location. Some have different sides and desserts than others.
Regional differences
The menu does sometimes deviate depending on the location. Some have different sides and desserts than others.
Photo: Rudy's
Eternal flameThe fires never stop burning at Rudy’s, according to reps. After opening a new store, the first pit fire never goes out.
Eternal flame
The fires never stop burning at Rudy’s, according to reps. After opening a new store, the first pit fire never goes out.
Photo: Rudy's
All-naturalRudy’s pits are not electric or gas, reps say, adding that the pits are all built here in the state of Texas. In fact there are NO microwaves or fryers at Rudy’s locations.
All-natural
Rudy’s pits are not electric or gas, reps say, adding that the pits are all built here in the state of Texas. In fact there are NO microwaves or fryers at Rudy’s locations.
Photo: Rudy's
Oak-tasticBriskets at Rudy’s are cooked for up to 14 hours using oak wood and a dry spice.
Oak-tastic
Briskets at Rudy’s are cooked for up to 14 hours using oak wood and a dry spice.
Photo: Rudy's
Fast knivesRudy’s best-trained cutters can trim and cut a whole brisket in just two minutes.
Fast knives
Rudy’s best-trained cutters can trim and cut a whole brisket in just two minutes.
Photo: Rudy's
Taco craze
The chain says that their breakfast tacos are a rather unsung menu item and one that they wish more people championed.
Taco craze
The chain says that their breakfast tacos are a rather unsung menu item and one that they wish more people championed.
Friends forever
Rudy’s is known for its community seating, which the chain says fosters conversations during busy times, usually weekend afternoons.
Friends forever
Rudy’s is known for its community seating, which the chain says fosters conversations during busy times, usually weekend afternoons.
Cater your next partyThey do sell whole cooked briskets, turkeys, and sausage and can ship them and even their side dishes nationwide if needed. You might need to buy your own fine china butcher paper and cola trays though. They come shipped in dry ice, so some gentle reheating is required.
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Cater your next party
They do sell whole cooked briskets, turkeys, and sausage and can ship them and even their side dishes nationwide if needed. You might need to buy your own fine china butcher paper and cola
... more
Photo: Rudy's
Famous clienteleFormer President George W. Bush has been known to stop at a Rudy's location when he has a craving.
Famous clientele
Former President George W. Bush has been known to stop at a Rudy's location when he has a craving.
Photo: Rudy's
Yeti diningHigh rollers in need of a Rudy’s fix far from home can splurge on a
$625 package that comes with a whole banquet loaded up inside a Yeti Tundra 45 cooler. UPS charges do push the price tag up a bit. It feeds up to 35 people (or maybe a dozen guys on a hunting trip) and includes Rudy’s rub powders. You get a Yeti cooler out the deal too, usually costing $350 retail on its own.
Yeti dining
High rollers in need of a Rudy’s fix far from home can splurge on a
$625 package that comes with a whole banquet loaded up inside a Yeti Tundra 45 cooler. UPS charges do push the price tag up a
... more
Photo: Rudy's
All the meats
Rudy’s can cater for crowds of up 1,000 people. Catering includes pickles, onions, jalapenos, bread, sauce, cutlery, and tea.
All the meats
Rudy’s can cater for crowds of up 1,000 people. Catering includes pickles, onions, jalapenos, bread, sauce, cutlery, and tea.
No glutenBelieve it or not, Rudy’s was gluten-free before anyone else, they say.
No gluten
Believe it or not, Rudy’s was gluten-free before anyone else, they say.
Photo: Rudy's
Drink it up
Rudy’s barbecue “sauses” (the regular sauce and milder “Sissy” sauce) are both gluten-free as well.
Drink it up
Rudy’s barbecue “sauses” (the regular sauce and milder “Sissy” sauce) are both gluten-free as well.
InternationalThe chain's sauces were used in a popular YouTube video featuring North Korean exiles
eating American barbecue for the first time.
International
The chain's sauces were used in a popular YouTube video featuring North Korean exiles
eating American barbecue for the first time.
Photo: YouTube / Digitalsoju TV
Rudy's Bar-B-Q has released a limited-edition candle that smells just like brisket
Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q has a gift item that will drive the vegans and vegetarians in your life wild.
The Texas barbecue chain has released just 1,000 units of a special candle that, when lit, smells like beef brisket.
RELATED: Fun facts about Texas-based Yeti coolers
For just $17.99, available online, the 16-ounce candle will fill any room it is in with the smell of the chain's brisket. According to Rudy's, it was an April Fool's joke that turned into reality.
Known for its two popular barbecue "sause" varieties, folksy decor, and a devotion to smoked proteins, Rudy's was born out of a small Leon Springs gas station just north of San Antonio along I-10.
Travelers in Texas and four other states know Rudy's for its trademark brisket and sides. When you need pit-smoked barbecue and gasoline on the road, Rudy's is one of the best, most reliable options in the state of Texas and beyond.
RELATED: North Koreans try American-style barbecue in new viral video
Even the Houston Chronicle's resident barbecue reporter, J.C. Reid, says that Rudy's has the best and most consistent brisket among the major chains.
Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth.
http://www.chron.com/life/food/article/Rudy-s-Bar-B-Q-releases-a-candle-that-smells-like-12439582.php
