Cackle & Oink BBQ

By Dan Acree

For my money, Cackle & Oink on Texoma Parkway in Sherman is the best sit-down BBQ place in the area. My opinion is that for BBQ at its best you can’t beat a top notch stand, joint, or shack. But when it comes to a comfortable place to sit and enjoy a plate of ribs or pulled pork, Cackle & Oink is the place.

The sides are what bring me back to Cackle & Oink. The BBQ is better than average, but I really enjoy the special side dishes like the cheesy scalloped potato casserole that appears on the menu from time to time. Baked beans, the potato salad, and black-eye peas are to my taste exceptional for their texture and flavor. The sides at Cackle & Oink play more than a supporting role to the meat.

Pulled pork remains my favorite, and for the most part I think you just get too little for your money when it comes to pork ribs. A couple of times my rib portion was tough ends, but I will take responsibility for that by having shown up 15 minutes before closing on a Saturday. You get what you get at the end of the day.

An restaurant’s choice of sausage they serve says a lot. If you are OK with run-of-the-mill Eckerd Farms smoked sausage, that’s perfectly fine. But I look for a sausage that has a lot more texture and is packed full of spices that when you bite into a slice provides a burst of flavor on your tongue. Cackle & Oink has a nicely textured and flavorful sausage, though certainly not anywhere near the best I’ve had.

Writer’s note: Next time you visit the grocery store look for Chappell Hill brand smoked sausage. I think you will appreciate its blend of spices and significant texture to the bite. Or you can order any of their smoked meats online at www.chsausage.com