Black Family Barbecue Offshoot Opens in San Marcos

Legendary Lockhart barbecue family the Blacks continue their expansion across Central Texas. Most famous for Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, barbecue restaurants run by various branches of the family proliferated in the past year. The latest of these, Kent Black's Barbecue, officially opens in San Marcos today.

Their crazy late hours are presumably designed to cater to the Texas State crowd: 11a.m. - midnight seven days a week. The restaurant will feature live music, beer and cocktails in addition to barbecue.

A quick refresh on the various iterations of Black-smoked meats:

1. The original Black's Barbecue in Lockhart has been open for 82 years, and uses a pit from the 1940's. Operated by three generations of Blacks, the current pitmaster is Kent Black. Parents Edgar Black, Jr. and Norma Jean own the Black's Barbecue name.

2. The Lockhart Black's Barbecue plans to open an Austin location near campus. They won't smoke meat on site, but will instead ship barbecue up from Lockhart daily. An official Black's Barbecue food truck is slated for Austin as well.

3. Another branch of the Black family opened Terry Black's Barbecue recently on Barton Springs in Austin. Operated by twin brothers Mike and Mark Black, it's named in honor of their father, Terry. The restaurant is not officially affiliated with the Lockhart Black's Barbecue, and had to change its name after a cease-and-desist from Kent Black. Kent and Terry are brothers.

4. Kent Black's Barbecue in San Marcos is the latest Black-run project to open. Like Terry Black's in Austin, it's not officially affiliated with the Lockhart Black's, but is instead owned by Kent Black and framed as his own independent project. Kent Black recently told Eater National, "In San Marcos, we've had identical pits built for us. Same type of pit, same dimensions, same wood, same recipes."
· All Black's Barbecue Coverage [EATX]
· All Terry Black's Barbecue Coverage [EATX]
[H/t to Texas Monthly Barbecue on Twitter]