Rossler's Blue Cord Barbecue — Restaurant in Harker Heights

“Burnt ends so good, I nearly tried to enlist in the Blue Cord Army.”

TL;DR: Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue is a Wednesday-Thursday slice of smoked heaven. Brisket divine, ribs on point, raspberry pork belly burnt ends worth a medal of honor. Elote pasta salad so good my side dish queen requested a royal encore. Spiced banana pudding earned a standing ovation at home. Stamp number 12 secured with flair and a shirt stamp bonus.

The Texas Monthly passport had been burning a hole in my glove box, whispering “Number 12 is calling.” So I marched down to Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, a proud member of the Top 50 list and clearly not afraid to open shop mid-week while the rest of the BBQ world hits snooze until the weekend. Noon sharp. No line yet, but like the smell of smoke, it drifted in fast.

The trailer gleamed under the Texas sun, practically hollering my name. Live music playing. Tables set. This was the kind of lunchtime battlefield I was born for. I called in a tactical strike: brisket, ribs, and those famed raspberry pork belly burnt ends. Steven, the pitmaster himself, must’ve sensed my dedication to the cause. He tossed in sausage on the house. That’s Texas hospitality, battlefield general style.

The brisket was rich and juicy with a smoke ring that could win a beauty pageant. The ribs were perfect, holding just enough bite to remind you they came from a real pit, not a shortcut. But those burnt ends? Sweet, savory, caramelized treasures that had me questioning whether dessert was even necessary. The elote pasta salad earned high praise from the side dish queen herself, who normally gives elote a royal thumbs down. She declared it “worthy of the crown,” which in our house is the ultimate accolade.

Before leaving, I grabbed a spiced banana pudding for my queen. She later reported it was “heaven in a cup,” which means next time I better bring home two.

Steven sealed my visit with not just a passport stamp but a shirt stamp too. That’s how legends are made.

Stamp 12 down, 38 more to go before the big prize. If Rossler’s wasn’t an hour away, I’d make Thursday BBQ runs a standing weekly...

I would like to preface this review by stating that I had high expectations for the food because they were listed as one of the top 50 barbecue places in the state of Texas.by Texas Monthly Magazine. The service, speed and friendliness of the staff was great. The food was mostly average. Starting with the meats. We got Brisket, the Raspberry Burt Ends, Pork Ribs and the Jalapeño Cheese Sausage. All of the meats were tender and juicy, yet they lacked that wow factor when it came to taste. The Ribs and Brisket, while cooked fine, and tasted good, they were simply unremarkable. The Burnt Ends and the Sausage faired a little better, but still they were average at best. Now for the sides: The Cucumber Salad was delicious. It’s crunchy mix of marinated cucumbers and a medley of sweet bell peppers, lightly seasoned, were a standout. The Mac and Cheese was bland and flavorless. It had no seasoning, it was a real disappointment. The same goes for the Potato salad, it appeared promising with a coating of paprika on top. But it was just potatoes and mayonnaise. Very bland. I would recommend mixing it up a bit, adding dill weed, celery and a little seasoning. Or going with sweet relish, egg, etc. I would also recommend they change the mayonnaise they are using. to either Blue Plate or Hellmans. Now to the two stand out sides. The Poblano Cheese Grits were delicious. While a tad saltier than I’m used to, I could have eaten the entire pint in one sitting. Next is the Dirty Rice, equally delicious. Perfectly seasoned. Summary, the meats are good, but you can find better in Belton at Millers Smokehouse or Schoepfs BBQ. Even True Texan BBQ in H.E.B. Is better in my opinion. All that being said, I am one person apparently 107 other people felt it deserved 5 stars. Myself having lived in Lockhart and Austin, having eaten at the top of the list, I just...

I have been a diehard fan of another BBQ place locally the entire time I've lived in the area. I only came to try Rossler's, because a friend of mine loves them and has trouble getting there during the day while he's a work on post.

Man, I have been keeping myself away from some of the best food I've ever put in my mouth. I initially got the three meat tray to sample different menu items. I got their Raspberry Burnt Ends, Brisket, and Jalapeno Cheddar sausage. Along with it, I also got mac and cheese and beans.

When my soul reentered my body after I ate everything in the box, I couldn't believe how good all of it was. The burnt ends just fall apart in your mouth, the brisket was excellent in a melt, and the sausage had a great flavor with without being overpowering. They'd just put the burnt ends into the beans for the first time, and I'm pretty sure it was divine intervention that caused me to try them that day specifically. As a side note, their bread was so good I had to ask what it was. It's soft and pairs well with all of their meats. The BBQ sauce included in the meals has a great flavor and consistency as well.

I recently on another trip tried their turkey, and I honestly think it might be the best turkey I've ever had on any occasion.

Outside of their own menu, I have to say their brisket and sauce make for a killer brisket pizza. If you're into mixing things, the burnt ends, mac and cheese, and beans were made in heaven to go together.

Now that my rambling is done, all I can say is get here before they sell out, because they will, deservedly. You'll get great service and even...