Take a look inside the Grand Prairie BBQ joint that takes a spin on your smokey favorites
Ever heard of a Brisket Philly Cheesesteak? Or Pork Belly Burnt ends? Forget the classics; this spin on BBQ will make you forget about plain old pulled pork.
I took a small drive out to Loop 9 BBQ, and boy, was it worth the 30 miles of gas. The joint sits in a newer part of Grand Prairie at the Epic Central Mall. Neighboring restaurants like Chicken N Pickle and Vidorra all have a view of the Illuvia light and water show.
When I walked into Loop 9, not only was I greeted by the smiley operational manager, Derek Dodd, but also hit with a smell of smokey goodness. To me, a sign of a good restaurant is a healthy staff, and I could tell the people who worked here loved their jobs.
Brisket in many different forms
Loop 9 is a newer spot in the competitive North Texas barbecue scene. So far, their doors have been open for a year selling pork, brisket, chicken and even turkey with their signature homemade rubs and sauces. I loved the Fire BBQ sauce so much that I bought a bottle to take home with me.
“With barbecue, everything is about temperature and time,” said Dodd. Though it depends on the slab of meat, their brisket gets smoked for 12 to 13 hours, pork belly for five to six, and white meat and ribs for around two hours. All meat is smoked with oak wood.
Brisket makes up about 50% of their sales, says Dodd. This makes sense, considering their menu items boast brisket in many forms.
More brisket and ribs
Starting off with the Chopped Prime Brisket Philly. This sandwich is a newer addition to the menu but a must. try. Brisket, cheese, poblano peppers, and sweet onions. The rich brisket flavor with the semi-spicy peppers is one mouthwatering medley.
Loop 9 is huge on no waste, so they boil down the leftover beef tallow and brush it on their fluffy white sandwich buns. As you take a bite, the fatty goodness smothers your lips with oil.
Normally, at a BBQ joint, you’d get some brisket burnt ends. At Loop 9, they serve up Pork Belly Burnt Ends. A fellow customer, Annie Chu, described it perfectly, saying, “They are like candy.” First smoked, then fried, makes for a crispy, caramelized, smokey bite. They are not the normal chewy texture of fat for those who don’t care for that.
Their Smoked Wings glazed with their Fire BBQ sauce were something I would get again. The chicken fell right off the bone but wasn’t too dry. In my personal opinion, the Fire BBQ sauce is better than the original, but that is just because I love a little spice. For those who don’t, it’s really not too spicy.
I always have to try a pulled pork sandwich because they are a childhood favorite of mine. I didn’t see just a pulled pork sandwich on their menu. However, the closest thing to it may be their 2-Hander, with brisket, pulled pork, sausage, and onion rings.
What they do sell is a helping of Pulled Pork on its own. The most prominent flavor was the sweetest from the good quality pork rather than the oaky smoke. You don’t necessarily need BBQ sauce unless you want to moisten things up a bit.
I also had a bite of their Prime Brisket Tacos. The flour tortillas had crispy fried cheese glue to them and then, of course, rich brisket. Topped off with a bright pico de gallo and cotija cheese. These were really tasty, but at this point, I was getting full.
Finally, the holy trinity. I had a bite of Pork Ribs, Sliced Prime Brisket and Smoked Turkey. The ribs were my favorite, with crispy, charred outside and sweet smokey meat. The Brisket, of course, was phenomenal; however, I did find myself needing the BBQ sauce. Finally, I’ve never had turkey at a BBQ spot, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked its tender and smokey flavor.
If you still have room for dessert, Loop 9 makes pies from scratch. They have helpings of Key Lime, Coconut, Chocolate and Banana.
Located at 2951 S State Hwy 161, Grand Prairie, Loop 9 is open every day. On Sunday through Thursday, they open at 11 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, they open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.