I wasn’t prepared for what I found when I pulled into the parking lot at Hutchins BBQ in McKinney on a random Tuesday afternoon. The smell hit me first, that unmistakable wood smoke aroma that makes your stomach growl even if you just ate lunch an hour ago.
Walking through the doors, I noticed something different right away. This wasn’t just another barbecue joint trying to cash in on Texas pride.
The line stretched toward the entrance, but nobody seemed annoyed about waiting. Staff members walked around offering samples of brisket and sausage, and I watched a guy in a cowboy hat give a family of tourists a personal tour of the massive smokers in back…