Third generation family members serve Riverside and beyond with this grocery, meat market, deli, meat processor…and “sausage wonderland.”

“From the moment you walk through our doors, we want you to feel welcome. It’s important that our customers feel seen and heard instead of feeling like an anonymous shopper at a self-checkout line.” –Ashley Tallent Roberts

With this warm and welcoming attitude (plus almost 20 varieties of smoked sausage, upwards of 60 flavors of fresh links, and many other quality products) Tallent Sausage is sure to please!

Originally named “Riverside Supermart” when established in 1977, the store was rebranded in the mid-1980s as “Tallent Sausage & Grocery.” It is now known simply as “Tallent Sausage.” In its beginning, the store provided groceries, minnows, and gasoline to the local community. Thomas Tallent (or “Grandpa” to family members) had worked as a meatcutter for years in a Houston area grocery chain, and upon retirement, looked for a more rural place to live. Joining sons Ron and John in Riverside, the store was opened and adapted to the needs of area citizens. “Grandmother” Arlene and Tommy Jr. operated a full-service restaurant onsite for a time, offering breakfast and lunch menus. Over the forty-five years of its existence, many family members have worked at the store at either the initial location or at its current facility, built in 2000, at 3736 Hwy 19 in Riverside, Texas. The store now employs twenty-five people and is operated by third-generation family, Cody Roberts and Ashley Tallent Roberts. Ron and Diane Tallent are now enjoying their well-deserved retirement.

Although smoked sausage was not originally offered by the store, it was quickly determined they needed something to set them apart, so they began experimenting with different flavors, spice blends, casing types, meat ratios, and cooking styles. According to Ashley, this quickly became the signature product and Tallent Sausage now offers sixty varieties of pork and beef sausage flavors–including Original, Jalapeno Cheese, Cajun, German, Philly Cheesesteak, Loaded Baked Potato, Reuben, and frankly, too many more to name. They are one of the few sausage makers who still use a true wood-smoke process without the use of fillers or liquid smoke, and only the highest-quality meats and seasonings are utilized. The sausage comes packaged in various sizes, with sample packs available as well. In addition to sausage, they have developed new award-winning chorizo flavors, tamales, and homemade meatballs. Everything found in their fresh meat case is all-natural and minimally processed. Beef is ground fresh every day using only whole-muscle beef. As you gaze at the selections, you will realize that delicious—yet difficult–decisions await!

Need more options for your dinner table? Other meat offerings include poultry products such as marinated chicken wings, smoked chicken breast, smoked half chickens, snack trays, and grab-n-go items. Need meat cut to your specifications? No problem. Let their skilled meatcutter enhance your dinner with a high-quality thick-cut angus steak or some other mouthwatering choice. Complete your menu with fresh vegetables, fruits, peas, beans, and rolls, along with many other items, all available from their well-stocked shelves, so that you have only a one-stop shopping trip to prepare that perfect meal. All products are fresh, all-natural with no additives, and are minimally processed. This includes their full line of pickles and pickled products, quail eggs, jellies, cobblers, and salsas. These Texas-based products are made special for Tallent Sausage and cannot be purchased elsewhere. And if you are a cook who delights in concocting new dishes of your own, a line of custom seasonings has been developed and packaged and await the culinary adventures in your kitchen!

In addition to a broad selection of groceries and meats, Tallent Sausage can take care of that pang of hunger you feel when out and about running errands, or just finishing a fishing trip on the Trinity River. Stop by and enjoy their ready-to-eat offerings at the deli counter. Everything is fresh and made from scratch so fill a plate and feel good about what you eat! Many choices are available including smoked sausage, pulled pork, or BBQ chicken breast. Cozy that up with ample servings of potato salad, coleslaw, and beans, add a beverage, and one of their luscious desserts, and you are on your way to finishing your busy day on a sweet note! Booths are available to enjoy your meal onsite, or you can purchase it as takeout.

Deer processing is another service offered by Tallent Sausage and they have served a wide variety of customers over the years. For information on services and prices, check their website at www.tallentsausage.com or call 936-594-2591.

Tallent Sausage was featured in a 2018 edition of Texas Monthly magazine as “The Best Texas BBQ Bites of 2018” and referred to in the article as a “sausage wonderland.” They were also awarded the Reserve Grand Champion in 2019 for beef jerky by the Texas Association of Meat Processors and again by TAMP for beef jerky in 2022. And let’s not forget those yummy snack sticks! They were named Grand Champion Snack Sticks in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Tallent Sausage was voted The Huntsville Item Reader’s Choice award for “Best Meat Market” in 2017 and has won the “Best Butcher” Reader’s Choice award for several years. These awards and accolades are proof that Tallent Sausage not only offers the finest quality meat products, but also has a loyal customer base that continues to grow. As Ashley tells it, “We have a lot of great local customers we see daily. Some walk here from around the corner, and one even drives his tractor from down the road. We have customers who stop in once a week or once a month to stock their freezers with meat, including plenty who drive in from Houston and Dallas. In fact, one Dallas customer buys sausage for his whole neighborhood each month. Another lives in Washington, DC, and always gets a shipment of sausage when family comes to visit. And still, another loyal enthusiast from as far away as California eagerly awaits an occasional shipment of mouth-watering Tallent meats.”

Shopping at Tallent Sausage can be accomplished by walking in or calling ahead to have an order ready. Some customers regularly call at the first of the week or month to place their order which will be custom-wrapped and ready for pickup when needed. In the cooler months (usually beginning in October), orders can be shipped to certain areas. Information about shipping can be obtained by calling the store. Tallent Sausage continues to improve by incorporating more products from small businesses, as well as adding Blue Bell Ice Cream and coffee products that local shoppers enjoy. Ashley and Cody continue to enjoy working on new recipes and creating new products. They also work hard to stay true to their roots. As she states, “We recognize that you can buy a steak or BBQ in a lot of places, so we focus on a great customer experience. Grandpa’s motto was always to ‘offer a good product at a fair price,’ and we still stand by that today. I believe it is a big part of why we’re still in business.” The family and employees at Tallent Sausage look forward to getting to know you and meeting one of your most important needs–that of having high-quality and great-tasting meats and groceries for your table. You may want to include one of those sixty flavors of sausage on your dinner table this week!

TALLENT SAUSAGE

3736 Hwy 19
Riverside, TX 77367
936-594-2591
www.tallentsausage.com
Facebook: Tallent Sausage and Grocery

Tuesday – Saturday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Closed Monday