The Feed Trough

Catchy name? Check. Logo involves three little piggies eating out of a trough? Check. I once heard you can tell good barbecue by the anthropomorphism of the animals in the logo. A plain old pig is the bare minimum. A pig wearing, say, a chef’s hat or standing next to a smoker is a good sign. A pig eating barbecue is the hallmark of a real joint, and one can only assume that the swine in The Feed Trough’s logo are feasting on their smoky brethren rather than some Monsanto feedlot grain.
This is a real down-​home family joint. There’s a sign outside advertising a litter of puppies for sale. I doubt your local Dickey’s does that. Inside there are what appear to be family photos and posters hailing the 2^nd Amendment. Yep, you’re in the countryside of Texas now. But what will really catch your attention is the menu: in addition to the standard fare of brisket, there’s also Lexington-​style pulled pork. As in Lexington, NC style.
I am often wary of trying regional styles that are outside of their region. KC ‘cue should be best in Kansas City, the best Texan will be found on some shack by a dirt road in West Texas, and the best Carolina is had in a place between the pines. But while most imitators will just say «Carolina BBQ» without specifying East or West, the Trough is no imitator.
I ordered their Lexington pork along with fried okra and baked beans. Came out about five minutes later, piping hot. The baked beans were good as was the okra. Cornbread was okay. But the Lexington pork was really, really good. I’ve had authentic Lexington BBQ before, including at the eponymous Lexington Barbecue, and this was a proud reproduction of that crossing of biting vinegar and sweet ketchup.
Kudos to these fine folks for bringing a great style of barbecue to life here in the Lone Star state. Sometimes we get a little too caught up in our briskets and hot links to appreciate a well done version of another style.