Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the only reason I normally get down there is for work, which makes Franklin's tough.

I had two Saturdays down there on my last trip, and one was for Snow's, and the other was during SXSW, which I assumed meant Franklin's would be extra-packed, so I used it for a Lockhart/Luling trip. Besides, it was raining most of the day, and I didn't feel like standing in line in it.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

Sorry for the delay - I've been busy since getting back to Minnesota, but now I've had a chance to look over my notes and write about the last of the places I visited in the Austin area.

Wednesday - 3/21 - Duke's Smokehouse BBQ

I was heading up to Georgetown for a slice of coconut cream pie from the Monument Cafe, but really wasn't in the mood for diner-style food, so I saw this place off the side of 35W in Georgetown and decided to give it a shot. It's a nice-looking place - a big barn-shaped building, with a nice picnic/outdoor dining area right on the creek/river. I ordered a "Hungry Man Plate" - two meats - brisket and ribs, with fries and corn as sides, and Texas Toast. The brisket and ribs were both pretty good - nice and moist - ribs just a little too tender/fall-off-the-bone-y for me, but according to the menu, they use mesquite along with oak to smoke, and that flavor definitely came through. It was different - a little jarring after most of the places I'd been to that were, for the most part, just oak, but it wasn't unpleasant - a nice change. Probably not worth a long drive, but if you're in that area, it's worth a try.

Saturday - 3/24 - Snow's BBQ (Breakfast)

I got up early to start my barbecue mini-tour with a trip out to Lexington to visit the "Best BBQ in Texas". There was a pea-soup fog that morning, so the drive was slow, but, I think it kept the crowds down, too, at least that early in the morning. I got there about 8:30, and the restaurant was almost full, but there was no line, and the outdoor dining area was empty. I went inside, and ordered some brisket, and asked what else was good - the pork was recommended, so I got that. As they were slicing it, I was regretting my decision, since it looked really dry, but I figured they must know what they were doing. I took the meats, and moved out to the picnic tables set up under an overhang right next to the pits. I was the only one out there (it was in the low 60s - too cold for Texans, I guess, but balmy for a Minnesotan), so I got a chance to chat with the pit crew - very friendly, like most pitmasters I've talked to in Texas.

Now, let me set the scene here. I'm sitting at a picnic table, in the middle of the BBQ pits at the best barbecue restaurant in Texas - perhaps the US. The place is surrounded by fog, so you can't see more than a block or two in any direction, but since the stockyard/cattle auction is only 3 blocks away, you can hear the sounds of cattle mooing in the background. Plus, I'm eating some of the best brisket I've ever had, for breakfast. It was all kind of surreal/dreamy, but in a really, really good way. The mooing definitely added to the atmosphere...

So, like I said, the brisket (moist) was definitely great - worth the trip. Juicy, tender without being mushy, just the right amount of fat to make it luxurious without feeling like you're getting ripped off by getting too much fat. The bark was tasty - I didn't taste a whole lot of complexity, but the spices that were there were nice - salt was just right. The pork was good, too - like I said, it looked really dry, but wasn't. It was thinly-sliced, with a kind of crispy crust that was really tasty. Not quite up there with the pork I've had in other places that specialized in pork, but really good. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area.

Saturday - 3/24 - Giddings City Market (Brunch)

Before I left Snow's, I told Ms. Tootsie that I was heading to City Meat Market in Giddings, and she said that they definitely knew what they were doing there. I got there about 10:00 or so, and since I wasn't hungry quite yet, I worked up an appetite walking around the downtown area - nice place.

Now hungry again - doesn't take much when I can smell that meat smoking - I walked into the City Meat Market. There were several people in there, but most were ordering takeout. The place was dark - not the greatest dining area - take your food and find a nice bench/picnic table somewhere. I ordered some moist brisket again, and was going to order some ribs when I saw one of the other cutters tearing off pieces of some really moist, juicy-looking pork, so I ordered some of that instead. The pork and the beef were both good - a little more salty than most of the meat I'd had at other places, though not overpoweringly so, and didn't have quite as much smoke flavor. The pork was, I think, a bit better than Snow's, but the brisket wasn't as good - a little less moist, and not as flavorful.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I was under the impression that moist and lean brisket were basically the thick/fatty end of the brisket vs. the thinner/leaner end. What I got here when I asked for moist brisket was a brisket pulled out of a pan of juices, but the meat was cut from the flat end - not sure if I was misunderstood or that's just what they do there, but it was definitely "moist", and pretty darn good.

Saturday - 3/24 - Louis Mueller Barbecue (Late Lunch)

By the time I got to Taylor and Louis Mueller's, it was around 1:30 or so - past prime lunch time, but it was here that I encountered my longest line of any of the places I went to in Texas - probably about 45 minutes or so (no - didn't get to Franklin's). The restaurant was bigger than most - plenty of seating - well lit - but with enough smoke-staining on the walls to make it look legit. The hold-up was the single meat-cutter, who very patiently and politely answered any questions people had, and since I was still trying to work up an appetite anyway, it didn't bother me.

I ordered a quarter-pound of moist brisket, and since I'd heard they were good there, a beef rib. "I just want to warn you, our beef ribs are running pretty big today - about one-and-a-half pounds apiece." Now, of course, I _really_ wanted one, even though it would come out to about $19 for the single rib. But, it was worth it.

The brisket was very good - once again moist, juicy, just fatty enough, with a flavorful bark and a good amount of smoke - not quite as good as Snow's, but a close second.

The beef rib was massive - the bone was probably 10-12 inches long and over an inch wide, and the meat was hanging at least an inch-and-a-half off of both sides, and was probably close to two inches thick. The meat was very beefy-tasting - that extra flavor you get from being cooked with a bone in - but was just a little too fatty, and the bark was missing something - I think it needed a bit more salt. Also, I think it had been sitting/steaming awhile, and the bark was softened up. It was the first piece of meat - from a top-tier BBQ joint - that I'd had in Texas that really benefited from having a little sauce on it. It was still _very_ good, and I gladly wrapped it up and had the leftovers for dinner the next day, but I think the brisket was the better choice here.

Friday - 3/30 - Stiles Switch

After the Saturday meat-fest (and the Sunday leftovers), I kind of cooled it for awhile with the barbecue, but Friday was my last day in Texas, and I was ready to have one more good barbecue meal. I was trying to decide between finding/trying a new place, or going back to one of my "favorites". I decided on the latter, and headed back to Stiles Switch, since it was also close to where I was working/staying.

I went there for lunch and ordered some moist brisket again, and a beef rib. When I bit into that brisket, I knew I had made the right choice, because that particular piece of brisket, on that particular day, was the best brisket I had for my entire month-long trip. Beef's a natural product...variations in wood...temperature...sunspots...whatever it was, but the planets were properly aligned that day in that place to give me a really fine couple of slices of brisket as a farewell to Austin. The beef rib was again very good - I even got some kind of magical end cut that didn't have a bone in it (that's why I don't normally order ribs - I hate paying $10-$12 per pound for bones...), but the brisket definitely shone that day. For a combination of taste and convenience, I definitely think it's hard to beat Stiles Switch if you're in the Austin area and don't have the time to make the trip to Lockhart/Luling/Lexington/Taylor.

The only regrets I have are not getting to JMueller BBQ and Franklin's - I think I hit most of the other places I was wanting to try. How polite of Texas to put so many of the top barbecue places in such close proximity. Thanks to the fellow Austin board readers for all of the recommendations - hope you enjoyed the reviews.

Greg.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

I haven't - but it's another one that's tough to get to. I'm working/staying in the Arboretum area, and it's a bit far for lunch, and by the time I'd get there after work, I assume they'd be closed. If it works out, though, it's on the list. Thanks.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

Glad you enjoyed it. Coming up after the end of the week - after I head back to Minnesota, the land of Famous Dave's - reports on Duke's Smokehouse, Snow's, Giddings City Market, and Louis Mueller, and any others I may find before I leave Saturday morning.

Anybody got any suggestions for my last week here? Between this trip and last October's, I've hit the Texas Monthly top 5 already, and about 10 more. I know - Franklin's - but I just don't think I can work it into my schedule - the company paying for my trip actually expects me to work, and standing in line for a few hours just won't cut it...

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

I had the beef rib at Louis Mueller this weekend, and personally, I thought Stiles Switch was superior.

Plus, a single rib at Louis Mueller was almost $19(!!!) But, it was enough for almost two meals - almost a pound and a half.

More detailed report later.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report II (Also Long)

Thanks to all of you who recommended places to go for "Supper" barbecue. I'm about halfway through my four-week stay in Austin (or, I was when I started this report), and I thought I'd put together a not-so-quick rundown of where I've been so far, and my thoughts about each of the places. Some are "the usual suspects", but I also just kind of sniffed some of the places out - saw them by the side of the road, saw them pop up on my GPS or Google maps and just thought I'd give them a try.

Monday - 3/5 - Texas Rib Kings

I had been there once before later in the evening, and it was okay, but wanted to see if the barbecue was better earlier in the day. I had the brisket sandwich lunch deal - sandwich, side, and drink for $6.00. Good deal on a really good brisket sandwich - although the corn I chose as a side was completely tasteless - I'm sure other sides were better. I asked for "burnt" brisket, and got some nice end slices, roughly chopped. Very good brisket - nice and tender.

Wednesday - 3/7 - Stiles Switch

After all the talk this pace has gotten on Chowhound, I was really looking forward to it. I ordered a quarter-pound of burnt brisket, a link of the "hot" sausage, and a beef rib. The brisket was very good - nicely spiced, and moderately smoky - very tender, but with a little chew to the crust. The sausage was good - nothing too exciting, but tasty sausage. But the beef rib - wow - I think someone had mentioned that a single beef rib was about $5. I think that's about what mine ended up being - the single rib was almost a half-pound - a good inch of meat on three sides of the bone. When the cutter cut off the rib, I noticed him looking carefully at it. It had a stripe of fat on one side, and I think he was checking to see if it was mostly fat, but as far as I can tell, it was the exact right amount of fat - just a thin layer. Man - what a tasty piece of beef. Definitely among the better pieces of barbecue I've had in Texas so far.

I'm also not normally that excited by the standard sides at barbecue places - slaw, potato salad, beans - do nothing for me. But, I had the corn casserole at Stiles Switch, and it was very tasty - like slightly sweetened cornbread pudding with whole kernel corn and cheese added. Highly recommended.

Friday - 3/9 - Mann's Smokehouse - Brisket, Beef Rib

I went to Mann's Smokehouse on Friday for lunch. Turns out Friday is a good day to go. First, they have "fried" sides in addition to the standard ones - french fries, onion rings - I think I even saw that they had fried green tomatoes? I had a brisket plate with fries and a cornbread stick, and a beef rib on the side. The brisket was good, although not as good as Stiles Switch, and the beef rib, while okay-tasting, looked like it came off a completely different animal than the one at Stiles Switch. While I'd guess the SS rib was at least 2/3 meat by weight, the Mann's rib was probably between 1/3 to 1/2 meat by weight. It was appropriately priced, though - probably only $1.50 or $2, and was good for the price, I guess.

The cornbread stick was good, too - tender, just barely sweetened. Also, on Friday, they give out free home-made ice cream "until it runs out" (that's what the sign says). The ice cream I had was strawberry - with real strawberries in it. I may have to go back this Friday just for the ice cream.

Saturday - 3/10 - Black's Barbecue

I got there early on Saturday, and ordered some brisket - burnt again - and a link of the garlic sausage. Got some nice slices of just-the-right-amount-of-fatty brisket, with a very tasty bark - very tender. I asked the meatcutters for a recommendation on what kind of sausage to get, and they offered me samples, but I only tried one - once I tasted the garlic sausage, I knew tht was the one I wanted. According to the meat guy, it was an 80/20 beef/pork mix, and I think it was the best sausage I've had here (or maybe I was just really in the mood for garlic). Nice smokiness, but not so much that it overpowered the sausage and garlic, and a good snap to the skin.

Saturday - 3/10 - Luling City Market

I stopped at Black's on the way down to Luling. Nice little town. They had a chili cookoff going on, and I would have loved to stay, but it wasn't nearly time to sample the chili, and it was raining off an on, and cold. So, I settled in at City Market for some burnt brisket and a few pork ribs. The brisket was good, but I don't think it was as good as Black's (with the caveat, of course, well-known to barbecue eaters, that this was one day, one particular brisket at each place, your results may vary). It was good brisket, just a little tougher than Black's - it was a single slice off the end - Black's and others had sliced off smaller, thinner pieces - might have made the difference. But the ribs were _very_ good. There was very little "crust" - and I think the rub they used was very simple - with just a bit of sweetness that accentuates the taste of the pork, but they were very meaty, very tender, nicely smoky - oak, I believe, I'm getting used to oak - really lets the meat flavor come through.

Tuesday - 3/13 - Uncle Billy's

I went here based on a recommendation - with the caveat that the view is the important thing (it sits high above Lake Travis - nice view), but the barbecue is edible. You know if there's not a big stack of wood out back, and a plume of smoke coming out of the building, that it's probably not going to be great, but the beer was supposed to be good. I had the "Redneck Roadkill" - house-made, thick-cut potato chips served nacho-style with chopped brisket on top - and a few pork ribs on the side. As expected, the food was okay - it would suffice when drinking and watching the sunset, but definitely not worth the drive just for the barbecue.

Wednesday - 3/14 - Johnny T's

I drove by this one on my way back from Uncle Billy's, and made a note to look into it, and decided to go there for dinner the next day. It's in Round Rock - just west of 35 on 620. I ordered a 2-meat plate - brisket and ribs. They had an interesting selection of sides, including a spicy apple slaw - shredded apples and carrots, with chopped dried cranberries, and a "spicy" vinegar sauce. It wasn't very spicy, but it was good - went great with the pork. The brisket and ribs were both serviceable - tender (ribs maybe a little too fall-off-the-bone for me), and moist. It may not be worth an hour's drive, but I do recommend it if you're in the area - give it a try.

Thursday - 3/15 - Ray's Bar-B-Q

I was looking for somewhere to stop on the way to the airport, and searched for "barbecue" (and bbq, and bar-b-q) on my GPS, and Ray's popped up. It's only a few miles from the airport. It's a very small place, but they had a $5 lunch special - sandwich, chips, and a drink for $5. I believe the sandwich deal changes daily, and, I also believe, the "deal" sandwich is not as big as the normal sandwich on the menu, but it was a deal for $5, and the brisket was good. I was still a little hungry, so I ordered a sausage sandwich separately (which was bigger), and it was also good. Once again, not worth a long drive, but if you're on the south side of town, look them up.

Part 2 coming later...

greghoffman in Austin

Warning Southside Market Sausage recalled

Yeah - I realize it's probably different, and once they've found something like this, I'm one of those guys who assumes that it's a good time to go, since they're going to be extra careful, right? But, I had about 6 or 7 places on the list to look into on Saturday, and I'll use anything to whittle those down to a more manageable number... Tough luck, Southside Market...

greghoffman in Austin

Warning Southside Market Sausage recalled

Guess I know which place I'm crossing off my barbecue tour for the weekend... :-)

greghoffman in Austin

In Honor of Pi(e) Day...

For all of you who recommended the Monument Cafe in Georgetown - a _huge_ thank you - second-best coconut cream pie ever (my grandmother makes the best).

I also gave Tootie Pies a try at lunch today - had the apple - it just looked so much better than the rest of them. It was a _very_ good apple pie - lots of apples - nicely tart and still just a bit crunchy - good amount of cinnamon. The crust was buttery - just a little too thick in places, and not really very flaky, but it tasted good, and was a compliment to all those apples - it was a very tall pie.

On the way out, they had samples of a few other pies. One was the buttermilk, I believe, which was way too sweet for me, but, I think it's supposed to be like that. It was very nice and creamy, though. The second was the Key Lime Margarita - to me, it tasted like artificially-flavored margarita mix. I would have preferred a well-made standard key lime.

greghoffman in Austin

Any good Greek food in Austin?

Kind of read that wrong - for a few seconds, I thought you meant that the guy coming in to make the dolmas had to sit in the refrigerator while he made them...

greghoffman in Austin

Sprouts mergers with Sunflower

I've noticed that the Trader Joe's, at least in Minnesota, have gotten more expensive over the few years since they've opened there. They still sell the same stuff - and it's an interesting, yet limited collection of usually decent quality products, but I still have this sneaking suspicion (no proof, though) that when they first come into a market, they lower their prices somewhat to "hook" the consumers - get them in the habit of shopping there because they're cheap - and then slowly raise the prices. I swear the same thing happened when they moved into the Chicago area 10-12 years ago.

Of course, this may all be due to general inflation, and Trader Joe's is still, pricewise, a step or two lower than "gourmet" stores, and there are still some things that I'll make a special trip to buy there - good deals on olive oil, maple syrup, some of the frozen meals - but other items have been priced out of my cheapskate price range.

greghoffman in Austin

In Honor of Pi(e) Day...

Where can I find the best pie in Austin? It's Pi(e) Day, and I feel like celebrating...

I'm partial to coconut cream, myself (and did read the thread about it), but if there's a particular pie that the city, or a particular restaurant, is world-renowned for, I'll be more than willing to give it a try. And, if it weren't in the midst of the SXSW frenzy, so much the better...

greghoffman in Austin

"Supper" Barbecue?

I've read a few things about Sam's BBQ - including the pants-meat scandal. How's the barbecue there?

greghoffman in Austin

"Supper" Barbecue?

I had Texas Rib Kings last time I was down there - they were pretty good in the evening, and very convenient to where I was working. I had a very good brisket sandwich, and some decent - for that time of day - pork ribs ( full review of the trip here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834636 ).

Thanks for the suggestion.

greghoffman in Austin

"Supper" Barbecue?

In addition to some extended barbecue trips over the weekends while I'm in Austin next month, I'd also like to try some of the in-town barbecue places during the week. The thing is, most days I'll be working until 6:00-ish, so those "we close as soon as the barbecue runs out" places are probably out. Also, with SXSW in town, maybe staying away from the immediate area where that's going on would be a good thing, too (although I'll be there for a few weeks after SXSW is over, too).

So, which places have the best barbecue in the evening? Places that have enough turnover that I'll be getting "fresh(ish)" brisket, and not something that's been sitting in a steam tray all day. I'll be staying toward the south side of Round Rock and in the Arboretum area, but for good barbecue, I'll travel.

Thanks in advance...

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Yeah - definitely a fan of fatty brisket. Lean brisket, if done _perfectly_ - and, I believe, it takes both a perfect brisket to start with _and_ a perfect cooking environment/pitmaster - can be great. Fatty brisket, on the other hand, leaves a little room for error both in the starting product and the cooking.

Given the enviable choice between the ultimate in fatty brisket, and the ultimate in lean brisket, I still think I'd go for fatty, but it would be a tough choice.

And the sausage - I'll have to give it a try, too.

Thanks for the pointers.

greghoffman in Austin

Asian Deli at 388 Western - What a GEM

I finally made it to this place - just happened to be in the area around lunchtime and thought of it. When I got there right at 11:30, there was only one other person in there, but right behind me, three more small groups came in, and then people started showing up for takeout orders. Looks like their lunch business is pretty good.

I started out with the spring rolls. They weren't the best I'd ever had (Taste of Thaiyai, in Apple Valley - the "Special Spring Roll" - love the added mint leaves), but were very good - and for the price - $3.95 for three good-sized rolls, each with three nice-sized shrimp, pork, and two kinds of dipping sauce - they're hard to beat.

I also ordered the red curry with chicken. They did not ask me about spice level, and I would have preferred it more spicy, but it was very flavorful. It wasn't quite like other red curries I've had around here - I think it had _some_ coconut milk in it, but not much, and it wasn't mixed well with the rest of the broth/sauce - kind of separated out to the bottom. I was missing that coconut sweetness. But, the (mostly dark-meat) chicken, bamboo shoots and tips, basil, etc were all nicely seasoned by the broth, and the dish was very good. The only things I had to look out for were some large slices of ginger, some (kefir lime?) leaves, and some lemongrass stalks that were not chewable - had to pick around them.

On the way home, after some of those flavors had started to clear, I even thought I detected a little bit of that Szechuan-peppercorn ma (or is it la?) tingling/numbness - not sure if there were any peppercorns in the curry, or in the pepper sauce I added, or whether it was just something else, but I did really like the dish - lots of complex flavors.

greghoffman in Minneapolis-St. Paul

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

If you can't talk your colleagues into driving an hour or so for some of the best barbecue in the US (and, therefore, the world), I think you need to hang out with a new group... :-)

I kind of have the same problem with the people I work with while I'm in Austin - they're all more than happy to just eat lunch at the company cafeteria. To promote a little team bonding, I stuck it out for a few days, but after that, I was just, "Okay - I'm out of here - see you in an hour or so...", and I was off to explore some of the local eateries. I'm a contractor, getting paid hourly, so I didn't quite want to take the time to drive to Taylor/Lockhart/Luling for lunch, but found a few nice lunch places withing a few minutes drive of the place I was working that offered the variety I required.

Besides the cafeteria, which I frequented twice, the only other place I ate at more than once in the two weeks I was there was the lunch deli/restaurant at "Le Cordon Bleu". I didn't find out that this was there - right across the street, almost - until the last few days I was in Austin, but it was very convenient, and they usually had one or two interesting and very tasty entrees/sandwiches/salads each day. Highly recommended. If I remember right, one day I had a kind of chicken/cheese/caprese grilled panini, and a bowl of creamy garlic soup, and the second time, I opted for the (always-available) bacon cheeseburger - nicely grilled, and served with some of the crispiest fries I've ever had that came in a styrofoam takeout container - no idea what they did to make them stay crispy in there...

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Thanks for the info - I guess I didn't even realize there was a light rail line - definitely seems to be a good way to get there, assuming it's not swamped. The one in Minneapolis tends to get overloaded during major events.

Now, to get this back on topic, are there any don't-miss restaurants within walking distance of any of the light rail stops - preferable outside the immediate SXSW area?

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Well, I'll put it this way - if I were actually coming into Austin to _attend_ SXSW, and had a nice hotel room right in the middle of it all where I didn't have to drive/park, I'd probably be more excited about it, but since I'm going to be in town for a completely different purpose, and won't have much time to appreciate the festivities, I'll probably be siding with the curmudgeons on this one... :-)

That being said, I'll be staying in the NW Austin/Arboretum area. Is that far enough from SXSW central to be unaffected/less affected (except for hotel occupancy)? In fact, with all of the nightly activities downtown, might people be concentrated down there until later in the evening, and as long as I don't want to have a really late dinner, I should be able to dine fairly unmolested?

And, one more question, let's say I did want to head down there one evening just to see what the hubbub is about - is there any way to do that without spending most of my time mired in traffic and searching for an overpriced parking spot? Last time I was down there, I drove downtown one afternoon after work, and was surprised by the congestion on a non-weekend evening.

Sorry this has strayed a bit away from the original topic...

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Okay - in finalizing my trip and trying to find accommodations, I stumbled upon the fact that I'll in in Austin during SXSW - I'll actually be there almost the whole month of March. Judging by the hotel situation, this brings a ton of people to the area - I know it's a huge thing.

My question is - does this change things in any way, barbecue-wise? Does the SXSW hipsterism/trendiness intersect with the I'd-drive-an-hour-or-two-to-have-great-brisket Chowhoundism? I know I read somewhere a remark about Franklin's crowd swelling up even more than usual with "SXSW-badged" folk, but does it extend to the farther-out joints?

And, in general, are things just crazy with SXSW going on? Even worse traffic? Fuller restaurants all over, or only hip/trendy/places-to-be-seen restaurants near the event venues?

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Wow - we think a lot alike... If someone had asked me, "What would you _like_ to do to kill time between barbecue feasts", exploring a nice historic-looking downtown area and going to a cattle auction would have been at the top of my list. Okay, I probably wouldn't have thought of the auction, but it sounds great. I grew up on a farm, went to a lot of livestock auctions when I was a kid - mostly hogs, but same general idea. And something about seeing the barbecue in its primal state just seems right - and getting to meet the people who bring this wonderful food (part of the way) to my table...

The only problem might be the logistics - the auction, as far as I can see from a couple of websites, is at 12:30 on Saturday. And, as I've also seen from a few articles/websites (including this one), if I get there anywhere near that time, I've got a pretty good chance of not getting any barbecue.

Do Louis Mueller's or either of the Elgin places run out of anything early? None of them had the "Til the barbecue runs out" as a closing time, so I'd assume if I got there sometime reasonably far enough away from closing time, I'd be okay? Say, if I were to go to Snow's first thing in the morning, then head over to Elgin (wouldn't say I'm a sausage "fiend", but a good sausage, properly smoked, can be very tasty, and a break from the brisket focus) - about 25-30 miles away - and eat a little more there, and then head back over to Lexington to watch the auction for a bit, then leave for Taylor around 1:30 or so - get there by approx. 2:30 - is that early enough?

Or, I could forgo the auction for that day - looking at the Texas Department of Agriculture site, it looks like there are cattle auctions all over the place...

I'll also definitely look into the other Taylor places - see if anything looks worth tasting.

Thanks again.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

I'm thinking about an excursion one Saturday - hitting Snow's first thing in the morning, then Louie Mueller's and maybe one (or both, if that's necessary) of the Elgin places after that - or is there another place in that general area that I should hit in addition to Snow's and Louie Mueller's? Anything else to do around that area to kill time while I'm working up an appetite between meals?

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

I haven't been to Donatelli's - heard about it, but it's about a half-hour to 45 minutes away, and we don't get to that area very often. Looks like a good menu, though.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

That's a good encapsulation of what I thought of Rudy's - same as Famous Dave's here in Minnesota - a "baseline". If another place isn't one (or preferably more) of: tastier, cheaper, closer, or more consistent - no reason to go there. These constraints are interconnected - if a restaurant is slightly tastier, it's worth a slightly longer drive, or if s place is cheaper, it doesn't have to be quite as consistent.

Fortunately for you down in Texas, these exceptions - these worth-the-drive barbecue places - seem to be a lot more commonplace than here in Minnesota, which is why I bought the smoker and make my own.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

I've heard about the frites at Barbette, but have not had the pleasure of eating there...

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Thanks for the suggestions. Supposedly, I'll be in Austin for around a month this next trip, so I should have time to explore (even) more. I really wanted to get to Franklin's, too, but like I said, the timing just didn't work out.

And I know what you mean about Rudy's - not that it was _bad_ barbecue - I'd put it on par with the (Minnesota-based) Famous Dave's chain - it's not bad _food_, but should not be held up as an example of good _barbecue_. But, I was tired from a long day of travelling, and it was within a mile or so of my hotel, and, like I said, they were also very friendly. I looked at it as a "not bad - but looking forward to even better barbecue to come" meal.

greghoffman in Austin

Barbecue Trip Report (Long)

Just thought I'd pay it back for the info I've gotten off this board - coming down to Austin again in a month or two, and will want some questions answered, so thought I'd report on my last trip.

General info: I was in Austin for two weeks - and ate a lot of barbecue. I'm a resident of the north - Minnesota for the last ten years or so - not the best place for barbecue, but I've got an offset-firebox barrel smoker, and smoke several times a year - pork shoulders, briskets, ribs, turkey - and I've done barbecue trips through the Carolinas and other places, and am always searching out good barbecue.

Since this was a working trip - and I was putting in quite a few hours, I wasn't able to hit as many places as I really wanted, and getting to those only-open-until-the-meat-runs-out and stand-in-line-for-an-hour-or-two-to-get-served joints was a problem - mostly went to the larger places that I knew would be open and have food.

So, here's where I went, and what I thought about them. This probably won't be news to most of the locals, but other out-of-towners in a similar situation might get something out of it.

It the order I ate at them:

- Rudy's Barbecue - this was the first night I was in Austin. The barbecue was pretty good. It's a chain - I saw several more around Austin and the surrounding area. I had much better barbecue later, but they were really friendly, and the food was not bad at all. Had some moist brisket and a little sausage.

- Texas Rib Kings - I just got take-out from here one evening. I had a really tasty chopped brisket sandwich and a couple of good ribs, but it was toward the end of the day, and I think it would have been better for lunch, when it was still fresh. Pretty good for quick take-out food, though.

I was in town for one weekend, so I took most of Saturday off and drove to Lockhart and New Braunfels to taste what those barbecue meccas had to offer.

- Smitty's Market - in Lockhart - Smitty's was kind of scary. You walk in the front door into this long hallway, and the walls are completely black from smoke, and if you look up, there's a layer of smoke about 3 feet above your head. You walk back the hall right past the open pits full of burning wood. It seemed kind of dangerous to me, but I guess they've been doing this for a lot of years. You then go to the counter, inside the smoky pit area, and order your meat. I had two kinds of brisket - moist and lean - and some sausage. I got there at about 10:00 in the morning, so it was just coming off the fire. This was my indoctrination to the true Texas barbecue place - they served the meat on a piece of butcher paper with a few slices of bread. Could I get a fork? No forks. No sauce. This seemed to be the way a lot of barbecue places down there serve it. But man, was it good. The moist brisket was definitely better than the lean, and the sausage, which, when I cut into it, oozed melted hog fat all over the paper, was also very good (once it had drained a bit).

- Black's Barbecue - also in Lockhart - I stopped here after Smitty's. They had a special of a "chopped beef" sandwich, which I thought would be chopped brisket, but I think it was some other kind of beef, mixed with a little sauce. It was good, but not as good as the stuff I had at Smitty's. The next time I'm down there, I'll definitely have to try the _real_ brisket.

- Kreuz Market - also in Lockhart - This place has been in business for over 100 years, I think, although they moved to a new building several years ago. I had some more brisket, and some smoked prime rib. The brisket wasn't _quite_ as good as Smitty's (still very good, though), but the smoked prime rib was incredible (and at $18/lb, it should have been). The bark was nicely seasoned, and the meat was well-done, but still tender - kind of like the best prime rib you've ever had, but smokier. I'll definitely have to give this a try the next time I'm smoking meat.

- Cooper's BBQ - in New Braunfels - I had already had barbecue three times (over 1.5 pounds of meat in about 2 hours), so I decided to drive over toward New Braunfels, and, since it was getting kind of hot (almost 90 degrees), I stopped in San Marcos to see a movie. After the movie, I drove around the New Braunfels area - it used to be an old German farming town, and there are still some old German-style buildings around. Then I went to Cooper's BBQ, just outside of New Braunfels. I did order some brisket, and asked for an end piece. I wanted some chicken, but they only sold entire half-chickens, and after all the barbecue I'd had, I didn't want that much, so I had some smoked turkey breast, instead. The end piece of the brisket was nice and crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside, mostly, but a few pieces were kind of tough. The turkey was very nice, though - kind of spicy, and really moist. I can't get mine to stay that moist when I smoke turkey.

Back to Austin - later in the trip:

- Pok-e-Joe's: I went here one night, just because it was near where I was at the moment, and had their daily special - the rib plate. It was the only barbecue I had that wasn't really that good. There were only three ribs, and they were kind of dried out and not real hot. They were taken out of a steam tray, and were wrapped with plastic wrap. Probably wouldn't go back there.

- Salt Lick Barbecue - in Driftwood - I had been there 15 years or so ago, it was in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Now, there are a lot of houses around it - some of them looked pretty fancy. The restaurant is big, and now they've added an even bigger banquet hall - the complex is huge. I ordered a half-pound of brisket and a half-pound of ribs. The waitress asked if I wanted my brisket "moist, dry, or burnt". Moist means "kid of fatty", dry means "lean - very little fat", and burnt is the burnt ends of the brisket. I ordered the burnt, and the waitress thought that was a good idea. The ribs were good, but the brisket was definitely the best I had in Texas. I know Salt Lick draws very disparate opinions from locals, but on this particular night, with this particular brisket, it was remarkable. Salty, crispy, spicy crust, and the just-fatty-enough meat was fall-apart tender and juicy. Salt Lick has this really interesting sauce - it's kind of a mustard-based sauce, and a little spicy. A lot of places in Texas don't even serve sauce, but this sauce is really good. The brisket didn't need sauce, but it was a nice addition.

So, those were my experiences. Hope it helps out someone...

Greg.

greghoffman in Austin

Honeybells/Sugar Belles

Just a heads-up - I was in Cub today, and there were no less than four different varieties of Florida oranges, including the elusive Honeybells. They were all in the $1.20 - $1.50 per pound range - reasonable, in general, for good oranges, and a downright steal for Honeybells.

Aside from the Sugar Belles (which are still available, and still tasty), and the Honeybells, there were Honey Tangerines and Sunburst Tangerines.

The label on the outside of the case said "Honeybells", but the label on the oranges was the more generic "Florida Minneolas" - definitely don't get them confused with the really pretty-looking Minneolas in the big display - they're from California, and while okay in a pinch, they aren't that much better-tasting than any of the other California oranges. The Honeybell display was about one foot by two feet, bottom shelf, sharing a bin with some other oranges. And these Honeybells were _probably_ the leftovers from after they packaged all the nice-looking ones up in giftboxes for shipping. Ugly. Spotty. Most didn't have that nice nubby thing on the end, either. But, they peeled easily, and almost fell apart into segments after peeling, and the juice was just running out - I probably shouldn't have tried eating it in the car, but it was _so_ good. Sweet, orangy, just enough tartness, seedless. Get them while you can. Just stay away from my store... :-)

The Honey Tangerines were equally ugly - it's come to a point where I seek out the ugly oranges - splotchy, some green (but, as we learned in Florida, green-ness isn't necessarily a sign of orange immaturity, just a sign that you're going to pay less for them). This one also peeled pretty easily, and was also sweet and juicy - not quite so much so as the Honeybells, but close - but full of seeds - 2-3 in each segment. Had a little bit of that tangeriny flavor - like tangerines used to have - a little more tart. If you don't mind seeds, these were also good, and cheaper than the Honeybells.

The Sunburst Tangerines were a deep orange on the outside, almost reddish - more like what tangerines used to look like. The peel almost fell off of this one by itself. Reasonably seedless - one or two in the whole thing - but a little drier, and not as sweet, but even more so than the Honey Tangerines, they had that tangerine flavor that's missing in those Clementines that are so popular these days. I probably wouldn't get (many) more of these - although there were tangerines in the bin from three different growers - I happened to get two from the same grower (Ocean Spray, I think) - maybe others are better.

Anyway - that's the orange report for today. In case you're not near a Cub, be sure to look out for them at whichever stores you shop at.

greghoffman in Minneapolis-St. Paul