To be featured in the Texas Monthly magazine is a highly regarded honor in the world of barbecue.
Momma Jean's BBQ in Lampasas has only been open for a little over a year and recently received the coveted feature.
Owner Johnny Walker gets into work at 5 a.m. every morning to prepare the recipes that his Mom, Momma Jean, passed down to him.
"She taught us how to cook. She was an excellent cook and mother. So, it's one way of showing her homage for teaching us how to know our way around a kitchen," Walker said.
The Central Texas pitmaster said BBQ is a family tradition and way of life, and Texas Monthly is the honor.
"It is kinda this threshold that anyone in the BBQ business in Texas wants to meet," Walker added.
So, when Walker was doing his typical pass through the dining room making sure everyone was loving their food, he was shocked when one of his customers introduced himself as a Texas Monthly reporter.
Ever since the Texas Monthly article came out featuring Momma Jean's BBQ, Walker says he's seen an uptick in business because everybody wants to come try his famous BBQ.
"All the experimentation, being broke... has been worth it," Walker said.
Momma Jean's has a small menu of brisket, ribs or sausage and beans, potato salad or coleslaw.
"That allows me to focus 100 percent on all of them," Walker added.
"He takes his time. He shows up so early in the morning just to start his food, stays late... the atmosphere is great. You're greeted every time you walk in... you feel like family," Jace Collins, a Momma Jean's BBQ customer, said.
"It's the best in the west for me. It's very good... and if you come and eat here, you'll enjoy it," David Munoz, another customer, added.
Walker said Momma Jean's BBQ has found its home in Lampasas.
"I'm here for good. I'm here for good. You couldn't drag me out of here," the pitmaster said.
"If you come through Lampasas, stop at Johnny Walker's Momma Jean's BBQ," Collins added.
Walker's next goal for Momma Jean's BBQ is to get their rubs and sauces in grocery stores throughout the country.
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