I found brisket, sausage and a side for $25 at this Fort Worth barbecue spot

Finding good barbecue On a Budget is tougher than a two-dollar steak.

However, out of all the requests I get, affordable barbecue is the most frequent.

Our Eats Beat writer Bud Kennedy has shared about the BOGO 2-for-1 special at Cousins in Crowley, and reminded us to not overlook the 60-year-old David’s Barbecue that offers brisket for $23 per pound.

Many places also offer sandwich or taco specials. But I wanted to know where a lady could get some à la carte brisket, sausage and sides for under $25.

Unfortunately, as long as beef prices continue to rise, barbecue prices will, too. Beef prices have hit record highs due to a tighter supply of U.S. cattle, according to the Texas Farm Bureau. And as much as businesses may try not to, the price increases ultimately get passed down to the consumer.

With the help of my colleague Bud, I found an old-school spot that offers brisket prices starting at $7.45.

Woody Creek Bar-B-Q

Jimmy Neely first opened Woody Creek Bar-B-Q out of a food truck along Woody Creek on the border of Weatherford and Springtown. In 2005, the family opened their first brick-and-mortar location at 205 Avenue A in Springtown. Five years later, the Fort Worth location at Ridgmar Mall opened with a bright longhorn mural that still makes it stand out today.

Woody Creek was full for a Monday lunch hour, but there was no line or long wait.

What I ate at Woody Creek Bar-B-Q for under $25

It was hard to choose what to eat in my $25 budget, because there are simply so many options.

You can order pulled pork or sausage sandwiches for $8.95. A pound of pork spare ribs go for $11.95. Woody Creek’s fan-favorite side of a baked potato is $8 (which could be its own meal). Tacos are no more than $5.95 apiece. A third-pounder burger is $6.75.

But I knew I had to get brisket, and I had to get sausage. I did make one mistake – the jalapeño poppers as my side.

Brisket goes for $24.50 per pound. A half pound is $13, and what I got was the side, which is about a third-pound for $8.95. There is also a quarter-pound option called “a skosh” for $7.45.

They offer all other meats for $18.25 per pound. A half pound is $10.15, a “side” is $7.35 and a skosh is $5.85. I got a skosh of hot links.

In my experience, the jalapeño poppers are a waste of money at $6.25. You are better off with the $5.25 onion rings or $3.25 4-ounce side of beans, potato salad or coleslaw.

I didn’t have enough money for dessert, but Woody Creek does have peach, blackberry and pecan cobbler, as well as banana pudding, for $5.75.

My final bill:

• Side (third-pound) sliced brisket: $8.95
• Skosh (quarter-pound) hot links: $5.85
• Jalapeño poppers: $6.25
• Tax: $1.73
• 20 percent tip: $4.56 (My 20 percent tip pushed us over budget by $2, but I felt this was necessary because restaurant employees deserve to be tipped!)
• Total: $27.34

Fort Worth Barbecue On a Budget

Woody Creek Bar-B-Q can be found at 1776 Mall Circle at Ridgmar Mall in west Fort Worth.

They are open Monday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ella Gonzales

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.