Barbecue report: Avery’s Bar-B-Que in Arlington

This joint is about intense flavors.

With three kinds of sausage available at various prices, navigating the intricacies of this menu at Avery's Bar-B-Que in Arlington can be tough on the fly.

Avery BBQ

The menu says the homemade sausage plate is $9.25 and a rib plate is $10.50. When I tried to order an $11 three-meat combo plate with ribs, homemade sausage, and brisket, I was told that the house sausage would count as two meats. I wasn't quick enough to ask if it would also count as both meats of a $9.75 two-meat combo, and just got a brisket sandwich on the side. With all that meat, there was no more room for anything from their dollar menu. Yes, Avery's has a four-item menu that costs only $1 including a chopped beef and pulled pork sandwich.

This joint is about intense flavors. The mac & cheese recipe boldly adds jalapenos to the mix. Sweet potatoes are achingly sweet, and the glaze on the ribs was so salty, I needed a sip between each bite. The meat was well cooked on these thick spares and they were incredibly moist without turning to mush, but the flavors were too intense to detect any smoke or even pork flavor. The homemade sausage had that "custom" look to it. There were meatless pockets scattered below the casing, probably from the fat melting away from a mixture too rich in fat content. The meat was finely ground, and it fell from the casing as I bit away a chunk. The meat had intense heat and saltiness with some herbal notes reminiscent of breakfast sausage.

The only area lacking that intense flavor profile was the brisket. The meat was dense, gray, chewy, and tasteless. There was no evidence of smoke or seasoning, and one shouldn't have to pay more than a dollar for it.

Rating **