Day Trips: Youngs Burritos & BBQ, San Saba
Family affair keeps the barbecue smoking with a Tex-Mex accent
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., April 20, 2018
Youngs Burritos & BBQ in San Saba smokes their meats using mesquite wood that gives it a distinctive flavor.
The brisket burritos are the most popular item on the menu, and the pipe-size full meals come covered in one of five sauces. The Young family began in the restaurant business selling breakfast tacos in Richland Springs (pop. 300) to the area's farm and ranch hands. They moved to the county seat (pop. 3,000) in 2015 and expanded their menu giving the barbecue a Tex-Mex accent. The low-slung white building that houses Youngs was built in stages around a triplet of iron smokers that are a landmark along TX-16 north of town. Over the decades, it has been a couple of barbecue joints and a few other businesses before the current iteration.
Youngs barbecue is a family affair, with mother Lisa Young managing the dining room while son Jeremy takes orders at the cash register and watches over the pits. The daily menu covers the barbecue basics of brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, and sausage, with the addition of pastrami on Monday and barbacoa on Saturday. Jeremy also does a special PBLT (pork belly, lettuce, and tomato) burrito and a honey-glazed chicken breast.
The side dishes are good, but the desserts are not to be missed. The bread pudding is a creamy delight made from a family recipe. Jeremy has been experimenting with making homemade frozen custard and the cardamom version pairs very well with the spicy barbecue.
Youngs Burritos & BBQ is at 806 N. High St. (TX-16) in San Saba. It's BYOB for adult beverages. Give them a call at 325/205-2006.
1,395th in a series. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
