HONDO — The Heavy’s Bar-B-Que experience is about as Texas as it gets in the small Medina County town of Hondo that dubs itself “God’s Country.” A simple, elevated “BBQ” sign hovering over U.S. 90 and a parking lot filled with hunting rigs and dusty pickup trucks tell the story.

The lunch lines start to form at 11:30 a.m., and the crowd is consistent, yet manageable, until it’s time to head back to work. Patrons could be overheard discussing the weather, ranch life conundrums and Dallas Cowboys football.

Darryn “Heavy” Bernal opened the restaurant in 2010, and he has turned out barbecue good enough to produce a devoted following and earn the attention of statewide barbecue pundits. He smokes with the South Texas regional favorite — mesquite wood — with a combination of traditional brick pits and a Southern Pride rotisserie unit.

The result is a pleasant barbecue experience that focuses on the Texas classic offerings of meats and sides, with serving portions that will leave you plenty heavy on the way out the door.

Vital info Location and hours: 1301 19th St., Hondo, 830-426-4445, Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. No online presence. Rating: A solid neighborhood option

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Grand champion: After ordering a pound of brisket (a steal at $13.75 per pound), I was asked a question by the slicer that nearly brought a tear to my eye: “Would you like burnt ends in that?” Why yes, yes I would. The best part of any brisket should be more publicly available, but the traditional cuts held up well, too, with glistening moisture and some of the prettiest (and most delicious) peppery black bark you’ll find in the area.

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The trinity: Get the napkins at the ready and enjoy the messy pork ribs ($13.75 per pound) experience, with bones packed with plenty of fat that rendered well into the appropriately tender and smoky pig meat.

The sausage-making duties are farmed out to Pollok’s Market in Falls City, using the wedding sausage blend, but kudos to Heavy’s for knowing what to do with it by giving it a hot smoke bath that produces a snappy bite. It’s tame and easy on the tongue, with large links cut to order into sausage chunks as wide as a silver dollar that aren’t overly greasy.

Other meats from the pit: The sliced turkey breast ($13.75 per pound) is a hot seller, with multiple sandwiches coming off the serving line. It was well seasoned and avoided the dryness pitfalls that often foil the fowl.

Chicken ($12.99) comes in white or dark meat quarters. I opted for the white meat, and it came off bland and chalky with skin as loose as an oversized T-shirt.

Sides: With the consistency of cold mashed potatoes loaded with strong hints of dill and a slight mustard zip, the potato salad was the clear winner on a sides (starting at $1.75) menu that stuck to the Texas barbecue classics. The classic potluck-style approach to the coleslaw and beans worked well, too, while the creamed corn came off bland and forgettable.

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Sauce: Served hot from the counter, the house sauce is a thin, runny blend with more sweet than heat that pairs better with poultry than the brisket and ribs.

Maverick: Head to the specials part of the menu and opt for the Heavy D ($7.95). With about a pound of chopped brisket and sausage topped with beans, a mound of cheddar cheese and a little barbecue sauce, it makes for a mighty meal on its own. You can also get a similar topping treatment in the form of a baked potato or a Frito pie.

Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chuck's Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com, or read his other coverage on our free site, mySA.com. | cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiver