Bluebonnet awards $400,000 in scholarships to 160 area graduating high school seniors

Story by Connie Juarez

Consider it an investment in the future. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative has awarded 160 scholarships to graduating high school seniors from across the cooperative’s 14-county service area this year. The $2,500 Scholarships of Excellence, totaling $400,000, will help the students achieve their goals of earning college degrees or trade-and-technical school certificates. 

“Congratulations to the students who earned a Bluebonnet scholarship this year, and thanks to all the outstanding, hardworking students who participated in the application process,” General Manager Matt Bentke said. “One of Bluebonnet’s values is supporting and investing in the communities in which we live and serve. Awarding these scholarships supports these students who will continue to give back to their communities.” 

The scholarships are funded by proceeds from Bluebonnet's Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament as well as former members’ unclaimed capital credit payments that were returned by the state of Texas. Funds for the scholarships do not come from Bluebonnet members’ bill payments and do not affect electric rates.

 Sherry Murphy, a Bluebonnet community and development representative, has been organizing the scholarship program for three years.

“It’s one of the highlights of our year,” Murphy said. “We have an opportunity to meet these students and celebrate their hard work. It’s an honor to be part of that.”

After the scholarship presentation at Smithville High School, Lindsey Saunders, the Smithville ISD communications officer, said, “We’re so proud of our students who received this scholarship. It really shows all the hard work they’ve put in.”

Koy Macik, a graduate of Caldwell High School who plans to study animal science 
at Texas A&M University, is one of this year’s recipients. “We started a cattle operation when my family moved to Caldwell, and I’ve been around animals my whole life,” Macik said. “I feel like it’s something I want to pursue. I want to become a veterinarian. I’m not sure where yet, but I’ll see where the path takes me.”

Others, like Karina Maldonado, are pursuing careers in the medical field. Maldonado, a Brenham High School graduate, will attend Tyler Junior College to study prediagnostic medical sonography. “Visiting with my teachers and taking Certified Medical Assistant courses through Blinn College inspired me to pursue a career in sonography,” Maldonado said. "Eventually, I’d like to focus on oncologic imaging and maybe even do travel sonography, going where I’m needed — especially since there’s a shortage of sonographers in some areas.” 

FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS PURSUE HIGH ASPIRATIONS

Among this year’s recipients, several dozen students said they were first-generation college students — the first in their families to pursue higher education.

Adalinda Ricardez, a 2025 graduate of McDade High School, is one of 32 recipients who received a trade-and-technical scholarship and will be the first in her family to attend college.  

When Adalinda starts classes at Austin Community College’s Highland Campus this fall, she’ll already have some credits under her belt. “I took dual credit courses in high school, and I think taking those helped me prepare for college,” she said.

At ACC, she plans to complete prerequisite courses, then move into the dental hygiene program and earn an associate degree. From there, she wants to earn a degree from Texas A&M University or The University of Texas at San Antonio, then go to dental school.

Adalinda’s high school years were filled with achievement, both inside and outside the classroom. The clarinetist played in the marching and concert bands all four years and earned MVP honors in concert band. She served as secretary of the student council during her junior and senior years and participated in Pathfinders and Master Guides, programs focused on leadership, service and personal growth. She also volunteered with the Teen Leadership Training program in her junior and senior years.

On top of her academic commitments, Adalinda worked on her school campus as part of McDade ISD’s summer staff, assisted at a local food bank and volunteered time with nursing home residents.
“My family has taught me to persevere and always do my best,” she said. “And now, my younger siblings are watching. Being the first to go to college sets the bar higher for all of us.”

BUILDING STRONG FUTURES

For Bastrop High School graduate Payton Moore, the future looks a lot like the past with new purpose. Payton grew up around construction projects, and she plans to keep it that way. This fall, she will attend Tarleton State University to study construction management, with a goal of continuing the legacy of Moore Construction, a homebuilding business founded in 1900 by her great-great-grandfather.

“The business was passed down through the men in my family — first my great-grandfather, Robert Moore, then my grandfather, David Moore,” Payton said. “My father, David Moore II, wasn’t able to take over the business, and I’d like to make that happen for him.”

Payton’s father died in 2022 at 48 after a two-year illness. “I loved helping out alongside my dad with construction jobs for family members for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I got my first tool set when I was 6.” 

Payton’s high school extracurricular work shows her dedication to service, leadership and learning. She was a two-year member of Peer Assistance and Leadership, mentoring younger students and volunteering in the community. She helped organize one of Bastrop’s largest events as part of the Bastrop Homecoming and Rodeo Committee and was a varsity student trainer for the school’s sports medicine team.
She hopes to honor her father and family by learning the ins and outs of the construction business.

“I want to combine my passion for building with interior design and eventually provide people with homes that truly reflect who they are,” Payton said.

Like Payton, Kevin Nava is laying the foundation for a future in construction. Kevin will attend Sam Houston State University this fall to major in construction management. The Lexington High School graduate wants to become a senior project manager.

The degree requires studying building materials, engineering graphics and civil design. Kevin’s leadership qualities were evident throughout his high school years. He was a member of the National Honor Society and a standout athlete. He served as a cross country team captain, earning four-time MVP Runner of the Year honors. Kevin also competed in football and was active in Future Farmers of America. 

In recognition of his achievements in academics and sports, Kevin received the Mirabeau B. Lamar Award, presented through local Masonic lodges to honor students who demonstrate outstanding achievement in academics, citizenship, community service and athletics.

Outside the classroom, Kevin volunteered at church events and gained job experience installing window frames for a local glass and mirror company.

“I want to do what I love while leading teams and managing projects,” Kevin said.

COMMITTED TO CARE

Adriana Parra Jaramillo, a graduate of Luling High School, has always had an interest in health care. She plans to attend Texas State University this fall to pursue a nursing degree.

“I was always interested in the medical field and all aspects of it,” Adriana said. “I love what it means to be a nurse and help people.”

In high school, Adriana was co-captain of the dance team, where she earned the Crowd Pleasers Highest GPA Award two years in a row. She participated in the Health Science Yearlong Academy through Dell Medical School and holds certifications in first aid, CPR and bleeding control.

Adriana was also active in Health Occupations Students of America, photography club, book club, and various safety and leadership programs. 

In addition to schoolwork, Adriana gained work experience as: junior manager at McDonald’s, sales associate at Best Buy and Boot Barn, and crew member at Whataburger, often working 30 to 40 hours a week.

Adriana is fluent in English and Spanish and hopes to use those skills as a traveling nurse, providing care in locations with limited resources. “I want to learn from different environments and give back wherever I can,” she said.

Skarleth Lagos, a graduate of IDEA Bluff Springs College Preparatory in Austin, is also planning a career in health care, but her focus is on the brain. This fall, she will attend Austin College in Sherman, where she plans to major in neuroscience.

Her interest was sparked during a ninth-grade experience through the Dell Medical Health Sciences program at The University of Texas at Austin. “They let us hold real human brains,” Skarleth said. “It made me realize how powerful the brain is. One organ controls everything. That amazed me.”

Skarleth challenged herself academically with multiple advanced placement courses, including chemistry, biology and statistics.

While in high school, Skarleth was a member of UT’s Yearlong Health Sciences Academy, earning certificates in CPR and bleeding control. 

Skarleth hopes to eventually attend Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. Her goal is to become a doctor and return to the Dale area, where she grew up, bringing specialty medical care to regions that lack it.

Her parents are her biggest inspirations, she said. “They’ve always supported me in the best way they could,” Skarleth said.

FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER

The impact of Bluebonnet’s investment in students may be best illustrated by those who have gone before this year’s recipients over the scholarship’s 27-year history. 

Philip Meuth, a 2009 graduate of Bastrop High School, was a first-generation college student who received a Bluebonnet scholarship to attend Texas State Technical College in Waco. He studied plumbing and pipe fitting, building a foundation for a lasting career.

“I knew I wanted to go into a trade,” Philip said. “Plumbing stood out because it’s a solid, good-paying career.”

Today, he lives in Cedar Creek and works for Brewster Services, a commercial plumbing contractor in San Antonio.

“The Bluebonnet scholarship was money I didn’t have to pay back,” Philip said. “It gave me a leg up. I was humbled to get it.”

“These scholarships are about more than just financial support,” said Bluebonnet’s Sherry Murphy. “They’re about believing in our local students, and seeing many of them come back to work, live and lead in the communities where they started. That’s something we’re deeply proud of.”

Applications for Scholarships of Excellence for 2026 high school graduates will be available in November at 
bluebonnet.coop/scholarships.

— Sara Abrego and Kirsten Tyler contributed to this story

BY THE NUMBERS

• $400,000 in scholarships awarded this spring
• 32 trade & technical scholarships awarded
• 128 academic scholarships awarded
• 29 high schools represented by recipients
• 27 years Bluebonnet has awarded scholarships
• 160 scholarship recipients in 2025
• 304 leadership positions held in student organizations
• 142 recipients with work experience
• 1,934 organizations applicants were involved in through volunteer and school activities

TOP 10 SCHOOLS RECIPIENTS PLAN TO ATTEND

• Texas A&M University
• Blinn College
• The University of Texas at Austin
• Texas State University
• Austin Community College
• Texas State Technical College
• Tarleton State University
• Sam Houston State University
• Angelo State University
• Universal Technical Institute

TOP 5 ACADEMIC AREAS OF STUDY RECIPIENTS PLAN TO PURSUE

1. Health sciences/pre-med
2. Agriculture and agribusiness
3. Engineering
4. Business, finance and accounting
5. Animal and veterinary sciences

TOP 5 TRADES RECIPENTS PLAN TO PURSUE

1. Nursing
2. Welding
3. HVAC and electrical
4. Diagnostics and imaging
5. Real estate

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 SCHOLARSHIP OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS  

BASTROP HIGH SCHOOL 

Claire Adams 
Joseline Albiter 
Ella Davis 
Kayla Frank 
Anthony Gonzalez 
Emma Griesenbeck 
Yesliann Matos Cirino 
Mark McCarus 
Lindsey McFarland 
Payton Moore 
Zoe Moreno 
Adrian Paniagua 
Sarah Salazar Hernandez 
Jaxon Williams 

BELLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Fallon Chovanec 
Lydia Huebner 
Tegan Peschel 
Chase Richardson 
Jaylen Tesch 

BRENHAM HIGH SCHOOL 

Zora Austin 
Blaine Bartlett 
Leyton Blankenburg 
Brett Campbell 
Denise Carrillo 
Samuel Clepper 
Garrison Covin 
Landon Flisowski 
Cullen Halfmann 
Brody Hemann 
Corbin Janner 
Barrett Kohring 
Alex Lawhorn 
Samantha Mahlmann 
Karina Maldonado 
Logan Mason 
Austin Maurer 
Avery Maurer 
Hayden Mika 
Kord Mikolajchak 
Haylie Niemeyer 
Luis Ramos 
Brandon Schultz 
Addison Smith 
Bailey Stegint 

BURTON HIGH SCHOOL 

Bailey Glaesmann 
Isabelle Means 
Reagan Roemer 
Peyton Sigsbee 

CALDWELL HIGH SCHOOL 

Landon Barnes 
Hays Beavers 
Dylan Chapman 
Cooper Ellis 
Brook Fry 
Alison Krueger 
Brenden Lee 
Koy Macik 
Dulce Carolina Medina 
Kyler Roskey 
Madilyn Schneider 
Kate Smith 
Brycen Suehs 
Mia Witherwax 

CEDAR CREEK HIGH SCHOOL 

Mia Benavides 
Margaux Bonneu 
Anabel Bordelon 
Caleb Farr 
Kaylee Fitzhugh 
Faith Frank 
Jazlene Gomez 
Daeylin Gonzalez 
Devon James 
Nicole Kadura 
Brooklyn McCool 
Shayla Mendez-Ramirez 
Tyler Morgan 
Serenity Rivera 
Peyton Smith 

COLORADO RIVER COLLEGIATE ACADEMY 

Jayton Nelson 

DEL VALLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Ginny Benitez-Perez 
Nazariah Cedillo 
Azucena Esqueda Rodriguez 

DIME BOX HIGH SCHOOL 

Leslie Guajardo 
Adley Markert 

ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL 

Monserrat Espinoza-Guzman 
Isadora Estrada 
Jocelyn Howard 
Cayli Johns 
Alexander Rico Cuellar 
Garrison Vragel 

FAYETTEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Lawson Fritsch 
Rylee Fritsch 

GIDDINGS HIGH SCHOOL 

Carlos Amaro 
Kelby Cowen 
Kyler Giles 
Samantha Matthijetz 
Ruby Meachen 
Bayley Pitts 
Daylin Pitts 
Paige Schreckengost 
Shay Siegmund 
Abigail Snyder 
Reese Weiser 
Jazmin Zachary 

GRACE LUTHERAN SCHOOL 

Avila Colanter 

HOMESCHOOL 

Ellen Carroll 
Paloma Dineen 
Ryan Holmes 
Mateo Martinez 
Brady Masur 
Emma Roth 
Trey Schumpert 

IDEA BLUFF SPRINGS COLLEGE PREPARATORY 

Skarleth Lagos 

IDEA RUNDBURG COLLEGE PREPARATORY 

Melanie Ramirez Mendoza 

KIPP AUSTIN COLLEGIATE 

Samantha Hoyos 
Nancy Perez 

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL 

Ellie Brockenbush 
Kaylin Cotton 
Kinley Cotton 
Owen Harris 
Monserrat Hernandez Pena 
Caleb Huddleston 
Addyson Koester 
Sydney Kubicek 
Preslie Milburn 
Kevin Nava 
Braden Rodgers 

LOCKHART HIGH SCHOOL 

Roman Moreno 
Ricardo Rios 

LULING HIGH SCHOOL 

Kase Conley 
Jaelynn Moses 
Adriana Parra 
Joselyn Reyna 
Joshua Samuelson 

MANOR EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 

Jordan Brown-Johnson 
Makenzie Clark 
Isabella Crawford 
Mia Esqueda 

MANOR NEW TECH HIGH SCHOOL 

Kayla Frederick 
Chidinma Nwankwo 

MANOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 

Jordan Clark 

McCALLUM HIGH SCHOOL 

Nahomy Rivera 

McDADE HIGH SCHOOL 

Joshua Dube 
Kelsey Dube 
Sheila Lugo Lopez Lisethe 
Adalinda Ricardez 
Areli Velazquez 

PRAIRIE LEA HIGH SCHOOL

Gabriel Garcia 

ROUND ROCK CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 

Peyton Turner 

SMITHVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Carina Berryann 
Daucie Davis 
Kaydence Kimball 
Jacob Moore 
Darcy Mullen 
Kaycee Nutt 
Samuel Praditbatuga 
Addison Waneck 
Ashlyn Wilhelm 
Devin Young 

SNOOK HIGH SCHOOL 

Savannah Davidson 

SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 

Savannah Eschete

Applications for Scholarships of Excellence for 2026 graduates will be available in November here

Check out the story as it appears in the August 2025 issue of Texas Co-op Power magazine here.
 

It’s time for Bluebonnet-area barbecue to share the spotlight with its supporting cast, from potato salad to poblano spaghetti

Story by Eric Webb * Photos by Sarah Beal

Picture a plate of barbecue. Maybe you see brisket with peppery bark guarding a glistening streak of fat. Perhaps there’s a shiny link of sausage, the casing ready to snap and reveal the juiciness inside. Don’t forget the beef rib as big as you think your appetite is.  

When you’re talking Texas barbecue, meat always gets top billing.  

But where would Batman be without Robin, or Brooks without Dunn? Solid co-stars are essential to Texas barbecue, and no trip to the pit would be complete without the supporting cast of side dishes.  

Most barbecue joints in the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative region rely on the classics — potato salad, pinto beans and coleslaw. A few restaurants are shaking things up with a fresh take on side dishes.

Barbecue pros know that the side of the plate is valuable real estate, where nostalgia and creativity can be equally delicious. We toured the Bluebonnet service area and stopped at more than a dozen spots to sample side dishes and learn their backstories.  

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS MEAT 

The Bluebonnet region is home to Texas’ oldest barbecue restaurants, and the oldest of all is Southside Market & Barbeque in Elgin. The business opened its first store in 1886 on Central Avenue. 

Hands-on, meat-only dining was the tradition there for decades, even after Southside was purchased in 1968 by the grandparents of current owner and CEO Bryan Bracewell.

Another of Texas’ oldest barbecue businesses, at 208 S. Commerce St. in downtown Lockhart, started serving smoked meats in the late 1800s. In 1900, Charles Kreuz Sr. bought that business and sold to-go barbecue. By the 1920s, Kreuz Market added tables for diners.

At the oldest barbecue spots, meats had only simple accompaniments — onions, pickles, whole jalapenos, slices of cheddar cheese, and crackers or white bread. This tradition lasted for decades. There were no forks at Kreuz Market, and butcher knives were chained to the tables.

In Elgin, Southside Market’s roots as a meat market with a small grocery section set the stage for those early garnishes. Customers would pick items from the dry goods section, then walk down the hall to the barbecue area for their meat. Eventually,  the garnishes were moved to where the meat was served.

Another longtime spot, The Original Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart, today at 215 N. Main St., has been owned by the Black family for more than nine decades. Edgar Black Sr. founded it in 1932 as Northside Grocery & Market, and the restaurant first began smoking meat to avoid wasting unsold cuts. Like other early barbecue joints in the region, Black’s served meat on pink butcher paper with the traditional bare-bones garnishes.  

PASS THE BEANS AND POTATO SALAD 

In 1992, Southside Market & Barbeque moved to its current location at 1212 U.S. 290 in Elgin. The restaurant was a spry 110 years old before the first side dishes were added to its menu. 

Barbecue businesses are often passed down through generations, with side-dish recipes plucked off the family tree. Adrene Bracewell, owner Bryan Bracewell’s grandmother, started using recipes passed down from her German-Texan family to make batches of pinto beans and mayonnaise-based potato salad — simple, budget-friendly options for families. 

Coleslaw was added to Southside’s menu around 2000, and it was another decade or so before macaroni and cheese, garden salads and baked potatoes were added to the menu.

It also took decades before side dishes made their way to the Kreuz Market menu in Lockhart. The restaurant at the old Commerce Street location changed hands in 1948 when the Kreuz family sold it to longtime employee and butcher Edgar ‘‘Smitty’’ Schmidt. 

Fifty-one years later, in 1999, the restaurant was renamed Smitty’s Market by Schmidt’s daughter, Nina Sells. 

The first side dishes made it to Smitty’s menu in 2001: potato salad and pinto beans, according to owner Sells. The beans, made from a Schmidt family recipe, take four hours to cook. Schmidt’s grandson, John Fullilove, brought a simple approach to the beans — only chili pods, bacon and salt are added for flavor.

Today, Smitty’s also offers coleslaw, green beans, creamed corn and macaroni and cheese, their most popular side dish.

Another Schmidt sibling, Edgar Schmidt’s son, Rick, retained the Kreuz Market name for his barbecue restaurant that opened in 1999 at 619 N. Colorado St. in Lockhart. Sides were introduced there in 2001. 

‘‘We started with beans and German potato salad, and it has evolved from there,’’ said Rick Schmidt’s son, Keith Schmidt, the current Kreuz Market owner. Today, those two sides and coleslaw are staples. The pinto beans are anything but a tray filler, thanks to big chunks of jalapeno, a spice blend and a not-so-secret ingredient from the pit: well-cooked chopped brisket.

Macaroni and cheese is the most popular side at Kreuz’s. Another side, sauerkraut, harks back to Kreuz’s German roots, with caraway seeds adding a traditional flavor to the fermented cabbage. Homemade banana pudding is a closing complement to the smoky, salty meats.

At Black’s, the first side dish was introduced in 1937 — pinto beans crafted by second generation co-owner Norma Black. The beans served there today still follow her recipe. Other sides followed in the 1970s, all made from family recipes. ‘‘It was a practical decision. My mother was a great cook. More and more people were eating out, and they wanted sides,’’ said Kent Black, third-generation pitmaster at the restaurant.

In Brenham, Nathan’s BBQ has been located at 1307 Prairie Lea St. for almost 15 years. Manager Cyndi Murski said their sides are prepared from recipes that originated with founder Nathan Winkelmann’s grandmother. The recipes evolved over time. Traditional potato salad joins coleslaw and baked beans on the menu, and Nathan’s creamy macaroni and cheese is its most popular side.  

About 13 miles east of Nathan’s is Chappell Hill Sausage Company, 4255 Sausage Lane. Frank and Clara Cone bought the business in 1968 and for decades produced sausage in bulk for regional stores. In the 1990s, the Cones and their children added a retail store, and in the early 2000s, they opened a restaurant on site. The business still sells sausage in bulk.  

Tricia Cone said Chappell Hill Sausage Company’s vinegar-based coleslaw and mayonnaise-based potato salad are made using family recipes her parents made at home. She and her siblings make the same dishes in their own homes today.

If you grew up in Texas, both taste like good memories. 

THINKING OUTSIDE THE PIT 

Some barbecue spots across the region stick with only the classic sides while others, like Outlaws BBQ at 1380 N. Main St. in Giddings, offer both traditional and unique side dishes.  

Outlaws is a popular spot for locals and travelers. They sell coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, green beans and pinto beans along with fan-favorite “Outlaw corn” on Fridays and Saturdays only.  

Co-owner Shane Hoffman is primarily the pitmaster. Jason Heuerman is “the side guy” who adds Velveeta, cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese and jalapenos to the corn for a unique twist, Hoffman said.  

Luling’s City Market offers its own take on the traditional side duo of beans and potato salad. Its beans are made fresh daily with bacon and salt, and pair well with potato salad and smoked meats, said Joe Capello, City Market’s pitmaster and manager.  

Another Luling barbecue joint, Luling Bar-B-Q at 709 E. Davis St., was founded in 1986. Co-owner Ken Blevins strives for crowd-pleasing tastes for the restaurant’s typical mix of lunching locals and urbanites driving in for a day. The pinto beans are seasoned with cumin for a Southwestern twist. The potato salad packs a lot of flavor and texture into one bite. Two of the restaurant’s most popular sides are broccoli salad and au gratin potatoes. 

In Burleson County, Matus Bar-B-Q keeps things simple but soulful. This family-run spot at 304 W. Buck St. in Caldwell has been a local favorite since 1995. Robin Matus and her daughter Renee Matus co-own the business and open the doors on Saturday and Sunday only from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Regulars know to get there ahead of the crowd because the restaurant often sells out of barbecue by 10 a.m. “We call it barbecue for breakfast,” Renee said.  

The sides are a modest but meaningful trio: pinto beans, green beans and potato salad. Both beans are made fresh in-house each day and cooked with bacon, because “bacon just makes everything better,” Renee said. What they lack in frills, they make up for in heart — and food that keeps customers coming back.  

Renee’s daughters Ember, 11, and Kennedy, 10, also work each weekend. Ember sells homemade bread that’s become a staple of the Matus experience. Renee’s son, Marshall, 16, cuts wood for the barbecue pit and takes care of the landscaping.  

New generations bring new flavors to tradition. Barbs B Q, a women-owned barbecue restaurant founded by Alexis Tovías Morales, Haley Conlin and Chuck Charnichart, is one of the newest names on the Central Texas barbecue scene and it is a bona fide phenomenon. The barbecue joint at 102 E. Market St. in Lockhart has made several best-of lists since opening in 2023. In November, the restaurant earned a prestigious Bib Gourmand from the inaugural Michelin Guide Texas, an award given to exceptional restaurants that offer good value. 

The sides at Barbs B Q are part of the reason for the acclaim. The restaurant serves boats full of black beans instead of pinto, and each bite is a flavor bomb. Sometimes you get a smoky slice of sausage, a salty crumble of queso fresco or a fresh note of cilantro. 

Stew might seem like an unlikely addition to the regional sides lineup, but Barbs B Q ladles a golden mixture of corn, squash and pork over a bed of white rice. 

The “green spaghett” is another side that has become a trademark: Creamy poblano sauce clings to slurpable noodles, with a flavor as vibrant as the color and a bit of spice in each bite. 

 

Merritt Meat Company in Fayette County also has adventurous tastes. Just steps away from Royers Pie Haven and nestled among vintage boutiques at 197 Henkel Circle in Round Top, Merritt makes yet another case for Bluebonnet-area barbecue. 

Merritt Meat Company was originally the Round Top Smokehouse and was renamed in honor of the late Lee Ellis, the former owner whose middle name was Merritt. The new owners, Abbie Byrom-Botello and Leonard Botello IV — who also own Truth BBQ locations in Houston and Brenham — wanted to build on Ellis’ legacy, including his menu, which featured some Asian-inspired dishes.

Vegetables get their share of the sides spotlight at Merritt. Oaxacan-style Brussels sprouts are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, drizzled in tangy, spicy sauce and tossed with a few kicky peppers. The traditional, crisp Texas-style coleslaw is light, with mustard seed-dotted strands of cabbage cutting the heaviness of the rest of the tray — we’re looking at you, pulled pork. 

Slow down in Washington County, or you might miss the corrugated metal structure that houses Truth BBQ at 2990 U.S. 290 in Brenham. It’s worth a U-turn for adventurous eaters. Truth’s corn pudding blends fresh, slightly decadent flavors for a comfort food that is soft and gooey, with a few caramelized pieces of gold studded throughout. It’s like eating kernels fresh off the cob and a homey Thanksgiving stuffing at the same time.  

Truth BBQ’s cooks know their way around cheese. The curly noodles of the restaurant’s hearty macaroni and cheese have a pleasantly chewy bite and cling to a zingy sauce. Breadcrumbs and cheese on top add texture and a layer of toasty flavor. Then there’s the tater tot casserole, tasting like a salty bag of potato chips smothered in a blend of cheese and cream.

Top it all off with Truth’s seasonal cake flavors, available now through the fall: triple chocolate, strawberry, coconut, banana and caramel.

Just down the road in Brenham, Matt Cummins, one of the lead cooks at LJ’s BBQ at 1407 W. Main St., has been handling the sides for a couple of years. There’s a practical purpose to traditional sides, he said. Simplicity in cooking means you pay attention to every single thing.  

Take, for example, the macaroni and cheese, LJ’s most popular side. Developed by pitmaster Corey Cook, it takes four to five hours to cook, Cummins said. They start the macaroni at 5:30 a.m., a low-and-slow process requiring constant stirring. 

Street corn salad, a more recent addition to LJ’s menu, is one of Cummins’ favorites. Smoky corn, charred poblano peppers, mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, Tajin seasoning and cilantro go into this side.

All these creative twists on traditional sides at barbecue spots across the Bluebonnet region beckon old-timers and newcomers alike. Still some folks prefer to stick with tastes that have withstood the test of time. 

Adrene Bracewell is 94 now, so she doesn’t come into Southside in Elgin much. The family brings the restaurant’s food to her.  

“She never tells me the recipes aren’t right, but I know I need to check on things if she asks me, ‘So who made the potato salad today?’ or ‘Who made the beans today?’ ” Bracewell said. “She’s too nice to just say it’s not right.” 
    He pays attention to her gentle hints. Who wouldn’t want to keep their grandmother happy? n 

— Sara Abrego and Kirsten Tyler contributed to this story

What’s your sides story? 

Barbecue in Texas is a must-have, but the plate isn’t complete without the side dishes. We want to hear your sides stories! Do you have a favorite barbecue joint side dish or a fond memory associated with one?  

Leave a comment in the barbecue story post on Bluebonnet's Facebook or Instagram for a chance to win a $50 gift card to your favorite Bluebonnet-area barbecue spot! The deadline is July 20, 2025. The winner will be contacted the following day. 

Check out this story as it appeared in the July 2025 issue of Texas Co-op Magazine