On a recent trip to the Dallas area, I took the opportunity to try out a BBQ joint that I had read about for the past few years. Not surprisingly based on the name, you can find Ten50 BBQ on the south side of US-75 in Richardson, at 1050 N. Central Expressway. Given the address, the name just makes sense, doesn’t it?! This place was started by Larry Lavine in 2014. He’s the guy who founded the Chili’s restaurant chain back in the 1970s. At Ten50 they serve their smoked meats in the central Texas style – low and slow, but over a variety of woods – post oak, mesquite, pecan and hickory. And they season the meat with salt and pepper, with just a bit of garlic. They use two bright red J&R Oyler rotisserie pits right out front and visible for all to see. Their ordering style is similar to Hard Eight BBQ – there are holding pits outside, where you order your meat by the pound. Then you go inside and choose from a wide selection of hot and cold sides, condiments, etc. and pay for it all. The interior of the restaurant is HUGE, with plenty of seating.

I ordered the brisket and pork ribs. The brisket had a jet-black bark, with an excellent smoke ring. And the fat was well-rendered. The flavor of the brisket was just outstanding. I was really happy that my cutter had obliged a request for some extra barky slices. He did a great job. The pork ribs were a St. Louis-style cut. I ended up with two ribs on an end cut. The very end rib was fatty, without a lot of meat, and it was kind of mushy. Happily the second rib was much more solid. The bark had a very good flavor with some sweetness mixed with a salt-and-peppery bite. And the meat came away from the bone cleanly. The BBQ sauce was very good. They had some excellent thick-cut house-made pickles and white onions. And the big yeasty roll was awesome! I regret not saving room for either the onion rings or banana pudding. I hear they’re both amazing. Next time I’ll save more room so I can enjoy those. All in all, I can definitely recommend Ten50 BBQ as a great place for some top-quality central Texas barbecue..