Heim Barbecue: Ribs, Brisket, Sausage and Sides

Upon arrival, I noticed two things: the smell of smoke permeated the atmosphere, and it emanated from a giant, screened-in smoker. I was already excited about Heim, which had been recommended by a Fort Worth resident. Even in the parking lot, however, my anticipation was growing. That giant smoker perfuming the air with the aroma of oak and meat was enough to have my mouth watering. 

I had been admonished that to visit Heim and not partake of the burnt ends would be heresy of the highest order. Their ribs also came highly recommended. So I grabbed a two meat plate—sausage and brisket, with a 1/4 lb. rib on the side. I opted for the hatch green chili mac n cheese and the twice baked potato salad for my sides. Eyes much bigger than my stomach, I ordered banana pudding for dessert. I made sure to try the burnt ends, too, by the way—I am not ready to become a bbq heretic just yet.

Everything at Heim is made from scratch and farm to table, so you know you’re eating the best around. The ribs were exceptional. Reminiscent of Memphis style, these ribs needed nothing. The flavor was delightful, derived from a smoky sweet bark that comes with hours on the smoker. They slipped off the bone without simply disintegrating. Some of the best ribs I have had in a while, I know that my return to Heim will involve a lot more than a few ribs. The burnt ends were pretty great, too, though its hard to imagine anything outshining the ribs. The brisket had a smoky flavor, to be sure, and it was tender and moist. I opted for the jalapeño cheese sausage over the black pepper sausage. The jalapeños were fresh and strong, and the sausage was nice and simple. 

The sides were noteworthy! I ate all the hatch green chili mac before I even knew what happened! It was delicious, crisp and ladened with creamy cheese. The twice baked potato salad surprised me, too. Bacon and chives really set this unique potato salad apart. With so much attention given to the ribs, it’d be easy to assume that the sides might be more perfunctory than examples of artistic expression, but the Heim family is no slouch! Evident in every aspect of their food is the attention detail that led Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaugh (@bbqsnob) to dub this the “current gold standard of Fort Worth barbecue”. 

Dessert, by the way, was a cool, refreshing banana pudding that thankfully neglected to lean on the crutch of Jello brand banana flavored pudding. This stuff tasted real--Almost a sort of banana puree, topped with crunchy crumbles of nilla wafers. 

From start to finish, Heim honors the traditions of Texas barbecue, but this is not your daddy’s backyard grill out. Heim takes every opportunity to advance the traditions of Texas to next level. 

We certainly would recommend going out of your way to visit Heim, especially if you plan on stretching your stomach with ribs.

Chris Qualls, Chief Meat-ia Officer