Dallas, TX
50 years of barbecue: Dallas restaurant sells 50-cent sandwiches to celebrate
In a topsy-turvy Dallas restaurant scene that seems to entertain a new food trend every week, Big Al’s Smokehouse BBQ “has barely changed” in 50 years, said owner Lauran Weiner.
Her father, Al Plaskoff, founded the barbecue restaurant near Dallas Love Field Airport 50 years ago.
No one in the family knows the exact date, so Weiner picked Sept. 30, 2024, as the day to celebrate her late father’s shop that sold brisket before brisket was cool.
Big Al was “somewhat of a folk hero,” Weiner said. If he could be in the restaurant today, he’d be wearing a Hawaiian shirt, working the room. His wife, Harriet, would be sitting cross-legged on a stool at the cash register, cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
“Hi, darlin’,” she’d say.
Big Al and Harriet died in 2018 and 2022, respectively, and Weiner is dedicated to making the family business thrive.
The restaurant is doing better than ever, she said, but still, the 50th anniversary feels like it should be counted in days, not years. Over the course of its more than 18,000 days, Big Al’s has sold the same smoked meat as Inwood Road grew up around it.
It’s one of the oldest barbecue joints in Dallas, with its 50th birthday moving it onto The Dallas Morning News’ list of D-FW’s oldest restaurants.
Dickey’s Barbecue, Sonny Bryan’s and Marshall’s Bar-B-Que are some of the only barbecue joints in Dallas that are older than Big Al’s.
The restaurant will mark its 50 years by selling chopped beef and pulled pork sliders for 50 cents on Sept. 30, 2024.
All in the family
Big Al’s remains owned by the family, but Pedro Garcia might as well be family. He has worked at the restaurant for 45 of its 50 years, starting as a busboy when he was a teenager.
Garcia is the first person customers see when they walk down the line and up to the cutting board, where he slices meat.
“This is his house,” Weiner said.
Garcia has a knack for remembering customers’ orders, and he’s become part of the welcoming culture of this long-time, steady restaurant. If Big Al can’t be there, it feels good that Garcia is, Weiner said.
Weiner and general manager Jonathan McZeal haven’t made very many changes to the menu. They want to, but Big Al wouldn’t like it, and customers wouldn’t either. So sides like creamed corn and pinto beans remain.
The restaurant specializes in an over-stuffed baked potato with meat.
As the story goes, Big Al watched an evening news special about “loose meat” on a baked potato, and he knew his restaurant needed it. A loaded barbecue baked potato was rare in Dallas at the time, and it remains a favorite among regulars.
Weiner said being a female owner of a barbecue business in Texas can be tough.
But it’s her dad’s name on the restaurant. It’s Garcia slicing the meat. It’s McZeal leading the staff.
She knows her dad would be proud of what Big Al’s has become, and it isn’t that much different from how he left it.
Big Al “talks” to his daughter in ways big and small.
“I can still hear his voice,” Weiner said.
His legacy lives on when customers talk about the larger-than-life Big Al. They do it “all the time,” his daughter said.
Big Al’s Smokehouse BBQ is at 3317 Inwood Road, Dallas. It’s closed Sundays.
The restaurant will sell 50-cent sandwiches chopped beef and pulled pork sliders on Sept. 30, 2024, the chosen date for the 50th anniversary. Limit two per person.
For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on X at @sblaskovich.
Dallas Cowboys Nation’s hopes of landing superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby were dashed last weekend when it was announced that he was being traded to the Baltimore Ravens. However, less than 24 hours before the new year, the trade has fallen apart.
On Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that the Ravens have backed out of the trade.
“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
The news sends a major ripple for the league, with the Crosby sweepstakes once again open. Before his trade to the Ravens, the Cowboys were considered one of the teams closely monitoring the situation and a team that made a legitimate offer for Crosby.
At this time, there is no word on why the trade between Las Vegas and Baltimore fell through. When the trade was first reported, the Raiders were set to receive a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick from the Ravens.
Now, his future is in limbo. Before he was traded to the Ravens, it was believed that the Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Rams were the top candidates to land him. In fact, the Cowboys were “considered runner-ups” in the sweepstakes.
Dallas’ Original Trade Offer
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys initially offered the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick, and an unnamed veteran player.
“Dallas kept a hard line throughout. The franchise wasn’t willing to part with two first-round picks, hoping its 12th pick in April’s draft, plus a future second-rounder, would be enough to entice Las Vegas. Dallas was also willing to package a veteran player to sweeten the deal, but Vegas wasn’t interested in that. The Raiders prioritized picks,” Fowler wrote.
Last season, Crosby recorded 73 total tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, 20 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
We’ll have to see if Dallas ends up being his new home, now that the team has a second chance to make something special happen, but there will be some serious competition. The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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DALLAS – Severe thunderstorms are forecast to return to North Texas late Tuesday, bringing threats of damaging hail, high winds and localized flooding. While the primary concerns are wind and hail, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
Tuesday Forecast
Dallas weather: Mar. 10 morning forecast
We have another chance of severe storms starting Tuesday afternoon. Meteorologist Ali Turiano has your forecast and everything you need to know ahead of the storms.
Scattered showers and storms are expected to develop as a dryline to the west moves into the region. Storm conditions are expected to intensify as the day progresses.
The greatest concerns remain damaging winds and large hail. The leading edge of the storm front will likely be the most intense, with the potential for straight-line winds and brief spin-up tornadoes.
LIVE Radar: Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas Storms: Timing and Impact
The highest potential for severe weather in the Metroplex is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., though lingering activity could continue until 2 a.m. Wednesday. Residents are advised to seek shelter immediately if a warning is issued for their area.
7-Day Forecast
A final round of storms is expected Wednesday, primarily between noon and 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. These storms carry a threat of half-dollar-sized hail and damaging winds.
Behind this system, North Texas will dry out and briefly cool off. Sunny skies return Thursday with a high in the mid-60s. Temperatures will then warm into the upper 70s on Friday before a sunny weekend with highs in the low 80s.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.
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