The Central Texas BBQ counter on James Canyon Highway — moist-or-lean brisket, house-smoked sausage, and the honest BBQ-shop caveat that the day ends when the day ends.

Est. 2021 · family-run · counter service · closed Thursday · sells out

Six categories · daily (except Thu)

The menu

A working BBQ counter menu — brisket, ribs, and house-smoked sausages anchor the pit, with sides, sandwiches, specialties, and desserts filling the plate. Specific items rotate; "moist or lean" is the brisket call you'll be asked at the counter.

Smoked meats

House specialty

Premium cuts smoked low and slow.

Sliced brisket (moist or lean)
Chopped brisket
Baby back ribs
Beef ribs
Smoked turkey
BBQ chicken

If you eat here once, get the sliced moist brisket — that's the kitchen's headline.

Sausage

House-smoked

Three smoked links — plain, jalapeño, and jalapeño-cheddar.

Smoked sausage (plain)
Jalapeño sausage
Jalapeño-cheddar sausage

The jalapeño-cheddar is where the Texas accent shows up loudest — order it as a third meat on a combo plate.

Sandwiches

Piled on a bun with your choice of meat — lunch-speed BBQ.

Brisket sandwich
Pulled pork sandwich
Smoked turkey sandwich
Sausage sandwich

A brisket sandwich + a side of fried okra is a sneaky-good lunch order.

Specialties

House creations that go beyond the sliced-plate format.

Brisket fries
Loaded baked potato
Texas-style chili (no beans)
Dinner plates — meat + 2 sides

Brisket fries as a shared starter, dinner plate as the main — that's the order that fills a table.

Sides

Fried okra featured

House-made sides — the honest backbone of a Texas plate. Fried okra is one of the best items on the menu: perfectly crunchy, crisp, and flavorful.

Fried okra — perfectly crunchy, crisp, and flavorful
Mac & cheese
Smoked baked beans
Tater salad
Coleslaw

Order the fried okra. Then mac & cheese plus smoked baked beans for the classic pairing.

What I'd order

Your first visit

"Sliced moist brisket with mac & cheese and smoked baked beans. That's the honest read on a Central Texas kitchen — brisket done right plus two sides that reveal the rest of the program."

Sliced moist brisket + two sides

The side that steals the plate

"Add a side of fried okra to whatever you order. Perfectly crunchy, crisp, and flavorful — one of the best items on the menu, full stop."

Fried okra

Shared lunch for two

"Brisket fries to start, then split a dinner plate with mac & cheese and tater salad. Banana pudding to close. A lunch that doesn't commit you to two full plates."

Brisket fries + shared plate + pudding

Six days · 11 AM – 6 PM

Hours

Open six days a week, 11 AM to 6 PM. Closed Thursday. Like most BBQ kitchens, the day's inventory can sell out before 6 PM — call ahead on busy weekends if you're driving up specifically for brisket.

Sunday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

Monday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

Tuesday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

Wednesday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

ThursdayClosedToday

Friday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

Saturday11:00 AM – 6:00 PMToday

Heads-up: this is a working pit kitchen. The day runs on inventory, not on a clock — Brother-N-Law can close early if brisket is gone. On a summer weekend, plan for an earlier lunch or call (215) 858-0400 to check before the drive up JCH.

209 James Canyon Hwy

Where you'll find it

Middle of the James Canyon Highway dining strip — two blocks past Mad Jack's at the 100-block, before the Dusty Boots / High Rollin' / Big Daddy's cluster further up the highway. Parking in the Family Dollar lot next door.

Address & directions

209 James Canyon Hwy
Cloudcroft, NM 88317

Parking: the Family Dollar lot next door, per in-shop guidance.

Get directions →

Contact

Phone: (215) 858-0400
Email: cloudcroftbbq@gmail.com

Instagram: @brother_n_law_bbq

Decision aid

Good for · skip if

What this kitchen does well, and when to aim somewhere else on the James Canyon strip instead.

Good for

A dedicated BBQ lunch on a JCH roadtrip day
A lean-vs-moist brisket decision with house-made sides
Active-duty, veteran, or military families (discount on request)
A counter-service BBQ room rather than table-service dinner
Anyone who came for the side that steals the plate — the fried okra

Skip if

It's Thursday — the shop is closed
You want post-oak credentials and a BBQ flight — Mad Jack's is two minutes down at 105
You want a diner-range menu with breakfast — Big Daddy's runs 7 AM–9 PM daily
You want a walkable Burro-Ave stroll with dinner — this is on the highway
You want a special-occasion dinner room — go to Eighteen99
You're arriving late in the afternoon without calling first — risk of sold out

One photo

Gallery

We have one good photo on file — the carved wooden front sign that dates the shop to 2021 and sets the family-run, counter-service tone. More photos coming on a future pass.

Practical notes

Hours, sell-out & calling ahead

Posted hours are 11 AM – 6 PM, Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday, closed Thursday. Like most working BBQ kitchens, the shop can close early if inventory runs out. Regional dining-guide coverage flagged Brother-N-Law's online detail as thin — meaning the posted schedule isn't always the same-day reality.

If you're coming specifically for BBQ and driving up JCH, call (215) 858-0400 before leaving. Mid-week lunch is usually the lowest-risk window; summer weekends are when sell-out risk is highest.

Parking, payment & the 215 area code

Parking is handled next door in the Family Dollar lot — there's no dedicated BBQ-shop lot. It's a highway-side counter, so watch for mountain-road speeds coming in and out.

The shop's phone number carries a 215 (Philadelphia) area code. It's consistent across Chamber and in-shop signage, so it's not a typo — likely an owner mobile brought from out of state when the business opened.

Dietary & discounts

In-shop signage advertises a gluten-free-friendly orientation, and the owner is reported to be knowledgeable about ingredients — ask about specific menu items rather than assuming. Obvious carb-forward items (sandwich buns) aren't GF; most of the plate format and sides are workable.

Brother-N-Law offers a military discount. Ask for it at the counter when you order.

Takeout & family tables

Dine-in and takeout are both confirmed. The shop reads as family-friendly — counter-service speed, sides for sharing, and a mission statement that foregrounds community. Server Steven is a long-running presence on the floor per in-shop references; expect first-name-basis if you become a regular.

Editor's take

"Delicious BBQ and the fixin's. Get it like this editor by ordering chopped brisket, moist, and a side of fried okra. The mac and cheese is pure comfort."

— DiscoverCloudcroft editors

Brother-N-Law BBQ.