Born and raised in Lockhart — the barbecue capital of Texas — Mark Black brings the best of Central Texas barbecue to Dallas. Black grew up smoking meat at the family business, Black’s Barbecue, which his great-grandfather started in 1932. A feud split the family in 2014, and now, the fourth-generation pitmaster is replicating that success at Terry Black’s Barbecue.
The first location opened in Austin in 2014 and was quickly named one of Texas Monthly’s top 50 barbecue joints. It was so successful that the family decided to expand to Dallas in 2019.
“I said, ‘If I’m going to do another restaurant, I have to pick a place that I like,’” Black says. “Dallas is the quintessential Texas city. We went to Deep Ellum and fell in love with the culture and vibe. It had a local feel.”
The market-style restaurant, which sells by the pound, is all about the beef. The brisket is cooked over 14 hours and rotated throughout the day to different temperature zones until it’s perfectly flavored with a kiss of smoke and a peppery bark. Terry Black’s is known for moist brisket, but it’s the giant beef rib — the Rolls-Royce of barbecue — that keeps people coming back.
Try it with classic Texas sides, such as cream corn, Mexican rice, coleslaw or baked potato salad.
“We want people who have never had Central Texas barbecue to see what it’s about,” Black says. “What you get is like a piece of black gold.”
All the meat is seasoned with a salt-and-pepper rub and cooked in five 1,000-gallon smokers that are visible from the large dining room or outdoor patio. Ask about a tour of the pit to learn more about Terry Black’s smoking techniques.
“We don’t have any secrets,” Black says. “We want to show everyone what we’re doing.”
Terry Black’s Barbecue, 3025 Main St.
