Strip Mall Barbecue? In El Paso? Guy Fieri Was Skeptical Too.
“El Paso Texas, real deal barbecue, strip mall — you got to be kidding me,” Guy Fieri admitted when he first heard about this spot. But that skepticism evaporated the moment he learned about the operation: a monster stick burner running day and night, no gas assist, just pure oak smoke and dedication.
Welcome to Desert Oak BBQ, where owners Rich Funk and his wife Suzanne have brought Central Texas-style barbecue to the border. In a town where Guy was told there’s “not really” a lot of barbecue, this place has carved out its reputation as the real deal — and their signature dish, the El Paso Stuffed Potato, is why people keep coming back.
Building the Ultimate Stuffed Potato
This isn’t your average steakhouse side dish. The El Paso Stuffed Potato is a full-on meal that Guy described as “four human sizes” worth of food. Here’s how they build this beast:
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The potatoes get wrapped in foil and thrown directly into the smoker for about four hours. Once they’re ready, the real work begins. Guy watched as the cook literally beat the potato to soften it up — “beat it up is more like it,” he observed. Then comes the layering: butter, salt, pepper, cheese, sour cream, and chives. But that’s just the foundation.
On top goes a quarter pound of house-smoked brisket, a scoop of beans, and the finishing touch: jalapeño toreados. These aren’t just any roasted peppers — they’re prepared with no oil, just lime juice and soy sauce, then marinated overnight with onions before roasting. Guy was so impressed he declared, “Toreado is one of my new favorite things.”
The Brisket Behind It All
The star of the potato is the brisket, and Rich Funk doesn’t cut corners. He starts with a big, fat brisket, trims it to “a perfect shape,” then hits it with salt and pepper before it goes into the smoker. The cook time? 18 hours between 250 and 275 degrees. When Guy asked where Rich learned his technique, the answer was honest: “a lot of trial and error.”
The result earned Guy’s respect: “One thing I like on your brisket — it’s not overly smoky, nicely seasoned, good bark.” Similar to how pitmasters approach BBQ Smoked Alligator Ribs, the key here is patience and proper smoke management.
Tips From the Pit
For the jalapeño toreados: Skip the oil entirely. Roast your jalapeños dry, then marinate them overnight in lime juice, soy sauce, and onions. The acid and umami do all the work.
For the brisket: Keep it simple with just salt and pepper, but commit to the time. Low and slow at 250-275°F for 18 hours is the formula.
For the potato: Smoke it alongside your meat. Four hours in foil gives you a completely different texture than oven-baking.
The Verdict
A local customer named Jesse summed it up perfectly: “When I’m hungry I definitely get the stuffed potato. Great flavors, great zest to it. The brisket is just consistently moist in the middle — incredible.”
Guy’s final word to Rich and Suzanne? “You’re the real deal. Everything that you’re doing, you’re doing really mindfully, and that is what it takes to be great at barbecue.”
From strip mall skeptic to full believer — that’s the kind of transformation that happens when someone commits to doing barbecue right. Much like Guy’s reaction to His Childhood Pretzel Cart or discovering Brazilian Seafood Moqueca, sometimes the best finds come from the most unexpected places.
Looking for more Triple D spots? Check out our restaurant directory to find Flavortown favorites near you.