Marfa – It’s desolate. It’s far from everything. Yet it draws a crowd. It used to be mysterious lights that brought folks to this small town in West Texas but now, it’s the BBQ.
Mark Scott is the pitmaster and one of the people behind Convenience West, a BBQ joint that’s been a popular place in Marfa since 2017. In a place known for eccentric art and equally eccentric people, Mark is no exception, and neither is his food.
Mark is a rare bird in many ways, but one of the most interesting facts about him is that he actually grew up in Marfa. He says he spent his whole childhood, like everyone else in the town, itching to escape to somewhere more lively. He was in a cycle of moving to the big city, having fun, running out of money and returning home, and eventually he realized the place he kept coming back to really was home.
When Mark opens his doors two days a week, there’s a line. And that’s saying something in a place with a population of around 1,500 folks. Some locals like to call it inconvenience west, but that doesn’t stop people from planning whole days around getting their hands on some delicious barbeque.
A finalist for the 2024 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Award, Mark’s big plates of BBQ are extremely popular in these parts. He’s never worked at another barbeque joint, and has only visited a handful of his competitors, so his recipes are truly his own.
But Mark wanted to do something different with us. He wanted to show off some simple dishes that are full of flavor, so he started with his house made fire roasted poblano sausage. It’s made using brisket trim to ensure nothing goes to waste, and it has a texture unlike anything else you can find. The mustard seeds inside give this sausage an awesome pop of flavor that works great with the spiciness and smokiness of the poblano and beef blend, topped off with chunks of garlic dispersed throughout.
Up next, Mark put together a simple taco, and it was simply out of this world. He placed a pork spare rib in a freshly made flour tortilla, topped it with pico, and simply slid the bone right out to make a delicious taco that’s ready to be devoured. The simplicity of a smoked spare rib with salt and pepper was complemented by the fresh flavors of the pico.
Owning a restaurant is always a tough task but seeing Mark, his wife, and his business partner maintain this sort of quality way out in Marfa makes you wonder how long it could last. After being a runner up for the James Beard Award over the summer, Convenience West called it quits. Despite being the talk of bocas around the state, Mark seemed to be at peace with his forgone conclusion. Well Mark, you done well. Hopefully one day, you’ll be back somewhere, anywhere with your amazing Q.