Are you feeling the need to satisfy your inner umami taste? Yes, we’re talking about barbecue, and Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q can help you with that. But if you’re vegan, do they have something for you? Let’s find out.
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q is famous for its brisket, a cut from the breast or lower chest of beef. The majority of their dishes involve meat and dairy products, which are not an option for vegans. Their side dishes and desserts are the only place worth looking — and Rudy’s own allergen document rules out most of those too.
As a vegan, I understand how it feels to get stuck in a spot where there are zero to few plant-based options, especially when you’re starving. Still, it’s worth trying to see if restaurants like Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q have something to offer to plant-based eaters.
In this article, we will go through what Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q publishes about their vegan options — which turns out to contradict a lot of what this page used to say.
A Brief History
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q was founded in 1989 in Leon Springs, San Antonio, Texas, with almost 50 locations in Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Florida. They use oak, a slow-burning wood, to fire their pits and cook their own dry spice.
Known for their delicious brisket, Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q also offers chicken, turkey, pork ribs, chopped beef, sausage, prime rib, and pulled pork. They’re also famous for their very own sauce called Sause. This and their brisket have put them on the map.
The One Thing To Understand Before You Order
Rudy’s does publish an allergen document — a PDF titled “Rudys Country Store and BBQ Menu Analysis Book”, linked from each location’s menu page under “Click here for Allergen information”. It marks each item Y or N across eleven columns: Egg, Fish, Milk, MSG, Other Gluten, Peanuts, Shellfish, Soy, Sulfites, Tree Nuts and Wheat/Wheat Gluten.
That document is useful, and it is also the reason most of the confident claims that used to sit on this page have been removed. But it has one gap that matters enormously at a Texas barbecue joint: there is no column for pork, lard, bacon, beef tallow or meat stock. Those are the single most common reasons a barbecue side dish is not vegan, and they are invisible in this document. A row of Ns means “no declared egg, milk, fish or shellfish”. It does not mean vegan.
Rudy’s also publishes no ingredient lists, no cross-contamination statement, no “we cannot guarantee” language, and no revision date on the allergen PDF at all. So for anything not settled by a Y in the Egg or Milk column, the honest answer on this page is that it cannot be confirmed.
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q Vegan Options
Nothing on Rudy’s menu is designated vegan by Rudy’s. The shortlist below is what survives the allergen document — items with no declared egg or milk — together with the specific thing you would still need to ask about.
- Jumbo Smoked Potato, plain. The allergen PDF marks the plain potato N across every column; the versions with butter, cheese or sour cream are all marked Milk. It is on the current menu. Rudy’s does not disclose what it is seasoned with, or whether it is smoked in the same pit as the meat, so ask about both.
- Three Bean Salad. Marked N across every allergen column. No ingredient list is published, and three-bean salads commonly use honey or an undisclosed sugar-and-oil dressing, so ask what the dressing is.
- Rudy’s Beans. This one is genuinely unresolved. “Rudy’s Beans” is on the menu, but the allergen PDF has no row under that name — it lists “Pinto Beans”, marked N throughout. We cannot confirm those are the same product, and even if they are, the document has no pork or lard column. Ask whether the beans are cooked with meat.
- Condiments. Bar-B-Q Sause, Sissy Sauce, Hot Sauce, Ketchup and Mustard are all marked N across every column. Worth knowing — but anchovy or beef base in a sauce would not show up in this document either, so treat it as “no declared egg, milk or fish” rather than as a vegan guarantee. Mayonnaise is marked Egg.
- Breakfast Bowl. It is on the menu but has no row in the allergen PDF, so nothing about it can be verified.
That is the whole list. It is much shorter than what this page used to carry, and the section below explains why.
Corrections: What This Page Used To Recommend
The items below were previously presented here as vegan or probably vegan. Rudy’s own allergen document says otherwise, and they have been removed.
Cole Slaw. This page told readers to “rejoice” because the slaw was vegan, reasoning that the dressing was probably vinaigrette rather than mayonnaise. The allergen PDF marks Cole Slaw Egg. The dressing is egg-based. This was the most emphatic claim on the page and the most wrong.
Potato Salad. Marked Egg, with every other column N. There is no asking around it; it is not vegan.
Cream Corn. This page argued that cream corn need not contain cream. Rudy’s marks it Milk and Wheat. It contains dairy.
New Potatoes. The allergen document lists this item only as “New Potatoes with Butter”, marked Milk, and Rudy’s publishes no butter-free version. As served, it is not vegan.
Corn-On-The-Cob. This page said it was certainly vegan. It is no longer on the menu.
The desserts. All four are marked for dairy or egg: Banana Pudding is Egg, Milk, Soy and Wheat; Chocolate Pudding is Milk, Soy and Wheat; Peach Cobbler is Milk, Other Gluten and Wheat; and Rice Krispie Treats are Milk and Other Gluten — with the added point that marshmallow gelatin would not appear in an allergen matrix anyway.
Breakfast tacos. Every breakfast taco row in the allergen document is marked Milk, and most are marked Egg as well — including the Breakfast Taco with Beans and Cheese. There is no modification that produces a vegan one from the published data.
One more item worth flagging for anyone scanning the sides board: Green Chile Stew is marked Milk and Wheat.
Vegan Barbecue Restaurants
Since Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q mainly offer dishes with meat and dairy products, we have checked some of the best vegan barbecue restaurants in the U.S. that you can consider next time. So if you plan to trip to one of these spots, know that you’re in the right place.
- Brothers BBQ with several locations in Colorado
- Boss ChickNBeer in Cleveland, Ohio
- Compton Vegan in Los Angeles
- Imagine Vegan Cafe in Memphis, Tennessee
- Grass VBQ Joint in Atlanta
- Kale My Name in Chicago, Illinois
- Lovin’ Spoonfuls in Tucson, Arizona
- Homegrown Smoker in Portland, Oregon
- Monks Meats in Brooklyn, New York
- Seitan’s Realm in Columbus, Ohio
- Southern Fried Vegan with several locations but based in San Diego, California
- The Southern V in Nashville, Tennessee
- Vegan Mob in Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California
- Veggie Grill with multiple locations
- The Acre in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- BBQ4Life in Boise, Idaho
- Big Belly Que in Smithtown, New York
There’s still a way to enjoy barbecues without the need to slaughter animals. America already has plenty of vegan enthusiasts passionate about saving pigs, chickens, cows, and all others. Also, you get to reduce your carbon footprint, which is great for the earth.
So the next time your umami taste bothers you, feel free to check out one of these vegan barbecue restaurants wherever you may be in the U.S. They’re heaven-sent!
How Healthy Are Vegan Barbecue?
A study suggests that vegan barbecues are 43% healthier than regular ones. Yes, we mean meat. According to the research, the calories for meat barbecues produce 369, while the vegan ones only give an average of 208. Its fat also contains 20 g, while the vegan barbecue only gives 9 g and is richer in fiber.
Vegan barbecues are also faster and easier to prepare, with only about 20 minutes to make, while meat takes about an hour.
However, vegan barbecues are higher in carbs and sugar than meat. Falafel burgers, pulled jackfruit, and avocado Panzanella are among the popular replacements for meat barbecues.
Top Vegan Barbecue Recipes
Grilling season doesn’t mean vegans can’t enjoy. While meat is dominant in barbecues, many vegans have been hard at work in creating plant-based and cruelty-free grill dishes to satisfy our inner umami taste.
So we also checked some of the best vegan barbecue recipes to pair with your other plant-based dishes as soon as the alfresco cooking sets in. Let’s show the world that vegans can also pull it through during the barbecue season!
On to the list.
- Tofu Peanut Satay and Cucumber Skewers
- Vegan Barbecue Ribs
- Grilled Stuffed Zucchini Boats Topped With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Homemade Burgers
- Grilled Sweet Potato Steaks Drizzled With Cilantro Garlic
- Barbecue Tofu
- Banana, Pineapple, Strawberry Skewers Drizzled With Salted Chocolate
- Cauliflower Steak
- Grilled Chili Corn With Coconut Lime Cream
- Grilled Aubergine
- Cauliflower “Wing” Skewers Topped With Sesame Seeds
- Potato Salad
- Grilled Cabbage Steaks Drizzled With Maple Mustard Balsamic
- Veggie Kebabs
- Coconut-Crusted Tempeh Skewers Paired With Mango Salsa
- Baked Pineapple
- Candied Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprout Skewers And Red Onion
- Grilled Broccoli Steaks Topped With Dukkah
- Beetroot Burger
- Mediterranean Grilled Avocados Topped With Tahini and Chickpeas
- Creamy Vegan Queso
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches With Tasty Avocado Slaw
- Grilled Umeboshi Tempeh and Pineapple Kebabs
- Teriyaki Grilled Aubergines
- Filled Portobello Mushrooms
- Grilled Corn, Cabbage, Potatoes, and Asparagus
- Cilantro and Peanut Grilled Veggie Skewers
- Avocado Pasta Salad
- Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta
- California Pasta Salad
- Grilled Potatoes With Rosemary
- Spicy Grilled Tofu Salad
- Grilled Corn Salad Bowl
- Hawaiian Seitan Skewers
- Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob Dressed With Creamy Avocado Dill
- Grilled Sweet and Spicy Black Bean Burger Topped With Mango Habanero Cream
- Grillable Summer Vegetables with Apple Mustard Sauce
- Grilled Romaine & Radicchio Salad Dressed With Charred Carrot
- Vegan Lentil Burger Topped With Basil Mayonnaise
The Bottom Line
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q is not a vegan-friendly spot, and its own allergen document is what makes that clear rather than a matter of opinion. The slaw and the potato salad contain egg. The cream corn, the new potatoes, the puddings, the cobbler and the Rice Krispie treats contain dairy. The corn-on-the-cob is gone.
What is left — a plain smoked potato, a three bean salad, the beans if they are not cooked with pork — is not certified vegan by anyone, and the allergen document that clears it has no column for the pork, lard or beef fat that would disqualify it. If you are eating at Rudy’s, ask about meat in the beans and about what the potato is seasoned and smoked with. If you want barbecue you can order without an interrogation, one of the dedicated vegan spots listed above is the better trip.
Also, always opt for healthier ingredients, especially when it comes to barbecue. There are so many selections of vegan barbecue recipes that we’ve also provided if you choose to make one at home during the grilling season. Health is wealth!
