If you’ve seen the price of brisket lately, you know that operating a barbecue joint is an expensive proposition. As a result, it’s becoming more common to find genuinely great barbecue being served from a truck or trailer. In Jonesboro, there’s Bad Wolf BBQ. There are probably hundreds of barbecue trucks in Austin, but La Barbecue is the one that most folks know. In Shreveport, there’s Louisiana Smoke House (5108 Jewella Ave.), a bright red food truck parked near the Libbey Glass factory that is currently turning out some of the best ribs in town. Owner and chef, Marcus Williams, says that his ribs are the best place for new customers to start.

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A photo of barbecue
A two-meat plate with ribs and brisket from Louisiana Smoke House in Shreveport.

Everyone’s got their own take on what makes great barbecue. Lately, Central Texas-style brisket has been all the rage, and I’ll admit that a great slice of brisket is just about as good as it gets. But the ribs at Louisiana Smoke House are fantastic: they’re smokey, fresh-tasting, and still require a little tug to pull free from the bone. I don’t claim to be an expert on barbecue, but I know that “falling off the bone” actually isn’t a good thing. It usually means that the meat’s been overcooked to the point that it’s lost all character. Louisiana Smoke House’s ribs, on the day of my visit, were perfect.

The brisket was flavorful and smokey, if on the tough side. All plates come with beans, potato salad, and white bread to soak up a liberal dose of barbecue sauce. If I had to do my first visit to Louisiana Smoke House over again, I’d ask for the sauce on the side. Meat that has been prepared this well doesn’t need quite this much sauce, because there are no flaws for that sauce to hide.

Louisiana Smoke House is active on social media; check out their Instagram for lots of food porn-y shots of beautiful briskets and toothsome ribs.

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