SCHERTZ, Texas — Two veterans, who are also husband and wife, were serving their tasty BBQ to service members on base. It got so big, they started serving at events, then to a food truck, and now, a brick and mortar.
It's called The Purple Pig BBQ, and they're located on 537 Main Street in Schertz.
"We don't do traditional Texas barbecue. We do Midwest-style barbecue, which is a lot different, but it's all based off the same thing," said co-owner Demetric Herron. "We're built on family. Every customer that comes in, we treat them as family."
They use a pecan wood instead of a mesquite like you see in a lot of Texas BBQ joints. It's a bit more calm, but it still packs a punch.
"I think we put out an excellent product. As far as Texas, we bring uniqueness to it. We bring back our roots," said co-owner Cherise Herron. "I was born in Chicago, my husband was born in Indianapolis. So, we bring more pork to the table. We want you to try rib tips. We want you to discover more than just brisket. Now, I know Texans love their brisket, but we didn't want to be like everybody else. We want it to be different. We want you to try a different experience."
And folks have to experience their sauces. You can pick between three options.
"All our barbecue sauce is made in-house. They come from almost about an 80- year-old recipe now. We have sweet, mild and hot," said Demetric.
And a hot commodity on the menu is The BBQ Parfait.
"Basically in the cup, our sides, with macaroni and cheese, baked beans, your choice of meat, barbecue sauce topped with potato salad," said Demetric.
And the rib tips are a staple too.
They don't sell brisket by the slice; it's chopped. And whether you're getting it on the parfait, or in a sandwich, you can taste the difference in their seasonings. They couldn't tell us their secrets, but it's not something you'll find at other spots in the area.
"I had a conversation with a man one day like, 'You're in Texas. Why aren't you doing traditional Texas barbecue?'" Demetric answered, "We don't want to be every barbecue restaurant."
The ones who have sat down to really take in the flavors have come back multiple times. One of their customers spent nearly $1,000 last year alone. So, they celebrated her! Demetric told us that he wants everyone to try their food, because they won't be disappointed.
"At times, it feels as -- do we get discriminated? You know, I mean, in my personal opinion, yes, I think we do. But, then once they sit down, they taste our food, they say, 'Oh, man, this is great...this is probably the best barbecue I've tasted,'" said Demetric.
Having both served in the military, one in the Air Force and the other in the Army, they value connections and special moments, and this restaurant is built on that.
"At one point, I was in Afghanistan, he was in Iraq. So, the moments that we get together, it just seemed right to just focus the business on family because that was something that we cherished and missed when we had to be away serving our country," said Cherise.
After all, nothing beats a home cooked meal with the ones you love.
"Come get yourself a taste of home," said Cherise.
For more information about The Purple Pig BBQ, like their hours and full menu, click here.