Man Up: Tales of Texas BBQ™

Pitside at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2012-01-31T10:21:00.000-06:00

More of Brad's pics from our first visit to JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX):

Latest lunch at Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, TX)

2012-01-30T10:05:00.001-06:00

At Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, TX):

The pits (serving & cooking) pits at Opie's

2012-01-29T11:21:00.001-06:00

Where the magic happens at Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, TX):

Wild Blue Barbecue (Los Fresnos, TX) is closing.

2012-01-28T19:31:00.002-06:00

Wild Blue Barbecue, in operation since 2005, is going out of business. The Brownsville Herald has the story (Hat tip to my friends at the Texas BBQ Posse):

Wild Blue Barbecue owner and pitmaster Abraham Avila is throwing in the towel. The acclaimed restaurant will close Feb. 4.Despite repeatedly making the list of Texas Monthly "Top 50 Barbecue Joints" and being invited in 2011 and 2010 to the exclusive Texas Monthly Barbecue Festival in Austin, business has not been consistent enough to keep going, said Avila. He opened the restaurant on SH 100 between U.S. Expressway 77/83 and Los Fresnos in 2005. While some months have been strong, others have been poor, Avila said."Making very little is not enough," he said.Avila, a trained chef who graduated from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, said he’s got plans for a new restaurant in Brownsville but offered few specifics. He said he also hopes to reopen Wild Blue in a year or so — in Brownsville. Despite the disappointment of having to close in Los Fresnos, it’s been worth it, Avila said."I don’t regret it," he said. "I met some of my dearest friends who I never would have met if I hadn’t had that restaurant."

Woodshed Smokehouse set to open in Fort Worth.

2012-01-28T11:01:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, February 1, a new BBQ restaurant will open its doors in Fort Worth: Woodshed Smokehouse.

From its website:"Located alongside the scenic Trinity Trails off S. University Drive & I-30 in Fort Worth, the Woodshed Smokehouse at 3201 Riverfront Drive is a concept that has been over 3 years in the making. What celebrity chef & local Fort Worth entreprenuer Tim Love envisioned to be as a modern riverside bar-b-q joint hosting a warm & friendly atmosphere and great smoked meat, has turned into something way more than he could ever imagine. It is now, clearly, the ultimate backyard party. Chef Love's vision of Bar-B-Q might have you slightly confused. This is not your traditional Bar-B-Q. This is Chef Love's Bar-B-Q! With three smokers, two rotisseries, two wood grills, and six different kinds of wood, one glance around the Woodshed and you will find that Chef Love takes his meat seriously. With flavors bursting out of every possible turn, whether it's a pig roasting on the spit, the Spicy Korean Beef scent wafting from the grill, or the stack of pork ribs basting in the smoker, your senses and your pallate are in for one big culinary treat."

On February 1, 2, & 3, Woodshed will open at 4. Starting February 4, hours will be as follows:

Breakfast: Open at 7am (coffee and pastries available)
Lunch: 11am - 4pm
Dinner: 4pm – close

Here's the menu. Check 'em out on Facebook & Twitter.

As we hope for all BBQ joints that open up, good luck, WS!

Opie's has beef ribs!

2012-01-27T09:40:00.000-06:00

Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, TX) now serves beef ribs. The group consensus was two thumbs up.

QOTD: What Texas BBQ joint was your biggest disappointment?

2012-01-26T09:30:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I asked which Texas BBQ joint was most exceeded your expectations. Naturally, I follow that up today by asking which one most disappointed you. Whether you had grand pre-meal expectations or even low expectations, which one was your biggest letdown?

QOTD: What Texas BBQ joint was your most pleasant surprise?

2012-01-25T10:18:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but I go into pretty much any BBQ joint with low expectations. That way, if it's even okay, I'm not really disappointed. But, regardless of your expectations, some places go way above and beyond. So, whether it's a place you thought would be good but was actually fantastic or a place you thought would be bad but was good, what Texas BBQ joint most exceeded your expectations?

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q Giveaway!!!

2012-01-24T09:51:00.000-06:00

Our friends at Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q (Atlanta, GA) have been kind enough to let us give away some of their stuff. We're particularly excited about this giveaway. as the brothers behind Fox Bros. are Texas natives. They're also an affiliate of The Q Card. If you're in the ATL, you're probably well aware of Fox Bros. If not, you can learn all about them via their website, their Facebook page, & their Twitter feed.

Courtesy of Fox Bros., we're giving away 3 prizes, each of which will go to a different winner (So, 3 lucky winners, if you're keeping score at home.). Prizes are...

(1) Package of BBQ sauce, wing sauce, & dry rub (See picture below.)
(2) Bottle of BBQ sauce
(3) Bottle of BBQ sauce

As always, we give you several ways to get your name in the hat, and you can do any or all of them one time. For your chance(s) to win, you can...

(1) Follow Fox Bros. on Twitter
(2) Like Fox Bros. on Facebook
(3) Retweet any tweet of mine about the giveaway
(4) Email me the type of wood that Fox Bros. uses to smoke their meats.

You can find this information by going to this page of Fox Bros.' website!Contest runs through February 13. I'll announce/notify one winner on each of the next 3 Tuesdays. Good luck!!!

Inside the pits at Cooper's (Llano, TX)

2012-01-23T10:12:00.001-06:00

QOTD: Which is worse: tough pork ribs or dried-out brisket?

2012-01-22T10:45:00.000-06:00

This is an easy one for me. There is nothing I hate more on a BBQ plate than a tough, chewy pork rib. There is nothing worth doing with it. On the other hand, if I get some bone-dry sliced or chopped beef, at least I can get some sauce, pickles, & onions and make a passable sandwich out of it. What say you? Which one would you rather have: a tough, chewy pork rib or dried-out brisket?

The Big Chop at Cooper's

2012-01-21T09:00:00.002-06:00

Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is home of The Big Chop. This is Brad's from last Saturday in Llano:

Jacob hits up Stiles Switch BBQ (Austin, TX)

2012-01-20T10:22:00.001-06:00

As he usually is the day a BBQ joint opens in the Austin area, our man Jacob hit up Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew on its opening day. His thoughts & his pictures:

"All the photos are from my trip to Stiles Switch on the opening day. I waited too long to write a proper review, and now I can't remember correctly to do it now. What I do remember is that the beef rib was amazing, the brisket and sausages were very good, and the pork rib was awful (though to be fair the pit master knew it was bad, and kept trying to bring me out more to taste, although they all where horrible cuts of meat to begin with, and overcooked and unevenly seasoned.) They need to work on the pork rib and most likely even work on a new source of ribs because they were puney and poor to begin with. Still they were very friendly and great people. This place shows amazing promise and I would say it has all the potential it needs to be top 3 in Austin."

The rest from Saturday's lunch at Cooper's (Llano, TX)

2012-01-19T10:09:00.002-06:00

The rest from Saturday's lunch at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, TX), during our day trip with The Daytripper:

Pork ribs & beef skewers at Canyon of the Eagles (Burnet, TX)

2012-01-18T12:08:00.001-06:00

Brad's plate Saturday evening at Canyon of the Eagles, a great little resort in Burnet, TX: pork ribs, beef skewers, and what I guess is a poblano with cheese and crab.

Update on Joseph's Riverport Barbecue fire

2012-01-18T10:08:00.000-06:00

The latest re: the fire that destroyed Joseph's Riverport Barbecue (Jefferson, TX) early Sunday morning: "Clean up of the building is underway already and the pit looks like it can be refurbished. Plans are also underway for a benefit/auction on jan 28. I will keep you updated as much as possible."

Family style at Cooper's (Llano, TX)

2012-01-17T09:59:00.001-06:00

The spread waiting for us Daytrippers on Saturday at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, TX):

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue (Jefferson, TX) destroyed in fire.

2012-01-16T16:22:00.000-06:00

Email from my buddy Stephen Joseph, who owns Joseph's Riverport Barbecue in Jefferson, TX: "Just letting you know that josephs riverport bbq in jefferson suffered a devastating fire sun am. It was a total loss. Plans to rebuild are presently in progress. Please help spread the word." Terrible news. Here is JRB's Facebook post about it. Our very best wishes to the JRB family, as they move forward.

Saturday's lunch at Cooper's (Llano, TX)

2012-01-16T10:49:00.004-06:00

My plate at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, TX), during Saturday's day trip with Chet "The Daytripper" Garner:

Road trippin' with The Daytripper

2012-01-15T11:12:00.001-06:00

A more detailed post to come about yesterday's road trip to Lake Buchanan and Llano with Chet "The Daytripper" Garner, but here we (Brad and I) are with Chet by the pits at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano. No doubt, blog visits from our female readership will skyrocket today!

Gameday meal at Fat Hen Grocery (New Orleans, LA)

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

This past Monday, the first thing I did when I woke was head out St. Charles Av. to Fat Hen Grocery. I needed a good meal to start my BCS-championship gameday. I knew the day would end well (It did.), so I wanted it to start well, too. I got to FHG around 10AM, so they weren't serving BBQ (only breakfast), but they were nice enough to make me a sandwich from the deli. I sat the counter and thoroughly enjoyed my smoked turkey and jack cheese on raisin bread, collard greens with pulled pork (piping hot, excellent flavor, and, thankfully, they weren't sweet), & iced tea. They got my sandwich completely wrong (asked for yellow mustard, lettuce, & pickles only but got mayonnaise, tomato, no pickles, and no yellow mustard), but they got it worked out, and it tasted great. Only negative is that prices are high. FHG entered last year's Gettin' Sauced!, so I was glad to be able to stop in and patronize. Looking forward to going back for BBQ next time I'm in The Big Easy.

What's the best (in this case, the better) BBQ in Elgin?

2012-01-13T10:36:00.000-06:00

The small town of Elgin, TX, is home to 2 popular BBQ joints: Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse and Southside Market. Which do you prefer?

On the table at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

Second round of Brad's pictures from our first visit to JMueller BBQ:

Prepping our order at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

First round of Brad's pictures from our first visit to JMueller BBQ:

BCS BBQ Baked Potato

2012-01-10T10:33:00.000-06:00

Snagged a BBQ baked potato during half time last night at the Superdome. The nice ladies at the Saint Jack's Barbeque concession stand let me go half pulled pork, half sliced brisket. The sweet lady in the back who fixed it burned her elbow while doing so & wanted me to kiss it & make it all better. Of course, I did. Anyway, getting that bad boy back to my seat was a chore (slippery floors, steeeeeeeep steps, rowdy fans), but I rose to the occasion, sorta like my Crimson Tide, who put an epic beatdown on the Tigers. More on that shortly. Meats weren't fatty at all. Didn't toss aside any of it. Nice sauce on the brisket. Dark, tangy. Not sweet, thankfully. The meat servings weren't skimpy, which was good, since I paid just under $10 for it. Wasn't the best potato I've had in my life, but I ate it all & enjoyed it. Perhaps I would've enjoyed almost anything, considering the complete domination Bama was inflicting on LSU. Like the potato, Bama's defense was loaded and salty. And like the potato, this New Orleans trip was worth every penny. As is Nick Saban. Roll. Tide.

Pulled-pork tacos at Squeal (New Orleans, LA)

2012-01-09T09:22:00.000-06:00

After walking for almost an hour down St. Charles, I finally hailed a taxi for the remainder of the trek to lunch at Squeal Bar-B-Q (8400 Oak St.) in New Orleans. I liked the feel of the place immediately, as there was a smoker putting out some nice smoke on the front lawn of the red-house restaurant. I met one of the 3 brothers who owns Squeal. From New Orleans, but he went to high school in San Antonio, so we chatted a little Texas BBQ. I wanted gumbo and brisket, but they were out of each. So, I opted for pulled-pork tacos. Tasty & a great value for the $6.95 price tag. 3 grilled-corn tortillas, with a healthy mound of pulled pork & horseradish coleslaw. Got the homemade chipotle sauce on the side. Would've liked sliced pickles on it. Side note: If you're into fried food, I saw a couple of orders of their Smoked Pork Cakes and their Black-Eyed Pea Egg Rolls, & they looked good. And from the reactions of the patrons eating them, apparently they are.

The rest from Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2012-01-08T10:23:00.000-06:00

More from Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

Brisket at Cowpokes Bar-B-Q (Pearsall, TX)

2012-01-06T10:08:00.000-06:00

BBQ & bald eagles

2012-01-05T09:02:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, January 14, my friend Chet "The Daytripper" Garner will be leading the first of a series of tours of Texas hotspots. Chet's the perfect man for the job. If you don't know what I mean, just check out his Texas travel show on PBS. It's awesome. Anyway, this first tour will depart from Austin, with breakfast tacos from Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q, and head West to Lake Buchanan's Canyon of the Eagles resort to search for bald eagles. Then, lunch at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, a river cruise of an abandoned city, smores, & more. There are just a few tickets ($125) remaining. I'll be there, but don't let that stop you from joining. Click here to purchase a ticket!

The man behind the counter at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2012-01-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

Will Fleischman in action (Check out this tattoo of Will's.):

Signs at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2012-01-03T10:24:00.000-06:00

Most recent order at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2012-01-02T14:00:00.000-06:00

Action shot of our order (sans Tipsy Texan sandwich, which we got after eating our order) during our most recent visit to Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX):

2011 Readers' Choice Awards!

2012-01-01T11:47:00.000-06:00

It's that time again. Time to pick your favorites of 2011. Man Up picked "Best of" awards in 2008, 2009, and 2010, but it wasn't until 2010 that we added Readers' Choice Awards (for Best Brisket and Best Overall). This year, we expand the Readers' Choice Awards to include sausage, pork ribs, & beef ribs. So, you, our readers, will be in control of 5 awards:

Best Brisket

Best Sausage

Best Pork Ribs

Best Beef Ribs

Best Overall

Voting lasts through January. You may vote once for each category. To vote, simply email us your picks. Which Texas BBQ joint gets your vote(s), based on what you had in 2011? Vote for as few or as many categories as you please. With that said, let the voting begin!!!

First order of the day at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-31T10:43:00.001-06:00

BBQ Food Trucks

2011-12-30T10:00:00.000-06:00

Mobile food vendors are all the rage these days, so I want to know how many of them serve BBQ. So, I begin a compilation of BBQ food trucks. If you know of more, let me know, and I will add them to the list.

1. Smokin' Willie's BBQ Truck (Los Angeles)
2. Red Eye BBQ (Orlando)
3. Redbones (Boston)
4. Carnivore BBQ (Washington, DC)
5. Shortstop BBQ (Fullerton, CA)
6. The Rib Whip (San Francisco)
7. Hello My Name is BBQ (Charleston)
8. Mama's Fixins Soulfood & BBQ (Orlando)
9. BBQ Bus (Washington, DC)
10. Spring Street Smoke House (Los Angeles)
11. Sweet Auburn BBQ (Atlanta)

J-Pa hits up Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew (Austin, TX)

2011-12-29T11:33:00.002-06:00

Review from Man Upper Jason, who visited Stiles Switch BBQ for the first time:

I’ve been pretty excited about this place as it’s real close to my house! We North Austin folks have been waiting for a place like this. Stiles Switch reminded me a lot of Louie Mueller and of course JMueller. I’m sure we’ve heard that they all derived from the same source. Anyways today I ordered moist brisket, jalapeno cheese sausage and a beef rib. The brisket was excellent; on par w/ any great brisket in town. They take pride in hoping to speed up the process and not have people wait over an hour for food. Jalapeno cheese sausage was also solid; very very finely ground and great flavor. Beef rib was suburb today; my co-worker went last week and said it was not great when he got it; but mine was juicy and great pepper rub. I’ll def. be back as this place is only 5 min for me. The lay out is nice w/ plenty of tables all around and TV’s everywhere. They also served several beers on tap as well as a nice drink cooler.

Hickory House Bar-B-Que tattoo

2011-12-28T11:05:00.002-06:00

Got these pics yesterday afternoon, to add to our collection of BBQ tattoos. This one's from our friends (and an affiliate of The Q Card) at Hickory House Bar-B-Que in Denison, TX. Cross knives, flames, and a cow head in the center with ribbons that say Hickory House Bar-B-Que. Rack it!!!

When the door opens at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-27T12:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I posted a video of the line outside Franklin Barbecue. Today, the video of when the door opened a few minutes later.

Before the door opens at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-26T12:31:00.002-06:00

Seen at Franklin Barbecue a few Fridays ago before the door opens. (See all of our videos here.)

Thursday's dinner at Green Top Bar-B-Q (Dora, AL)

2011-12-25T10:44:00.001-06:00

Outside-sliced, pork-shoulder sandwich & a chopped-pork salad from Green Top, the BBQ I grew up on:

The rest from Saw's BBQ (Homewood, AL)

2011-12-24T10:34:00.001-06:00

Rest of the pics from my first meal at Saw's BBQ (Homewood, AL):

Lunch at Saw's BBQ (Homewood, AL)

2011-12-23T11:10:00.002-06:00

On Wednesday, I had my first meal at Saw's BBQ (Homewood, AL). I pass it every time I go to Birmingham and always intend to stop. Finally did. It's a small joint. One room and a bathroom. Alabama football memorabilia all over the walls, and the lady running the place had a Crimson Tide shirt on. So, right out of the gate, we're in good shape. I wanted a sandwich but couldn't decide between the pulled pork or the smoked chicken with white BBQ sauce. They're the same price, but I was told I couldn't do half and half. I never understand that. Same price! Anyway, I got the pulled pork with pickles. Sauce on the side. I like the simplicity of the sandwich. Bun, pork, pickles. Bun was soft. Pork wasn't dry, but I should've asked for outside pieces, so I could've gotten more flavor. Poured some sauce (very thin) on the side of the basket and simply dabbed the top piece of the bun in it. Liked it. Got turnip greens for my side. A tad sweet for my taste. Only ate a few bites. The iced tea was a homerun: awesome crushed ice; and, unlike most every other place I visit, they brewed it strong enough that it didn't simply look like dirty water. Meal was $9 + tax. I'll go back.

BBQ ink

2011-12-22T10:43:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago, I posted pics I took of an awesome BBQ tattoo you can get a peek at when you're ordering at Lockhart Smokehouse in Dallas. Right forearm of the man behind the cutting board, Will Fleischman. Now that I have the pics Brad took, I'm posting on the aforementioned tattoo again. As I said in my previous post, if you have a BBQ tattoo, email me a pic of it!

Odds & ends at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-21T10:05:00.001-06:00

At the counter at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

Friday's photo-shoot lunch at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-19T11:42:00.001-06:00

More of the Tipsy Texan

2011-12-18T11:20:00.000-06:00

The Tipsy Texan sandwich at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX):

Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew opens in Austin!

2011-12-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

At this very minute (11:00 AM), Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew is opening its doors in Austin! Our man Jacob is, of course, first in line. I look forward to seeing his pics and reading his review. They're open 'til 9PM, folks. 6610 N. Lamar in the Violet Crown Shopping Center. Welcome to Austin, Stiles Switch!!!

Tipsy Texan sandwich at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-17T10:10:00.000-06:00

The rest of yesterday's lunch at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX): Tipsy Texan sandwich. Chopped beef, sausage, slaw, onions, pickles. Huge. Who's had it? What do you you think about it?

Today's lunch at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX)

2011-12-16T12:30:00.001-06:00

In front of me, about an hour ago, at Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX):

QOTD: Chopped beef or sliced beef?

2011-12-15T10:58:00.003-06:00

Which do you prefer?

Founder of Mac's Pit Barbecue passes away.

2011-12-15T10:16:00.003-06:00

Rest in peace, Macario "Mac" Martinez. Full story here.

Turkey leg at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2011-12-14T10:20:00.003-06:00

BBQ, a pretty French girl, & the most beautiful t-shirt you've ever seen. What more could you want in a post?

Hog head at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

The pit at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, TX)

2011-12-12T10:45:00.001-06:00

Kickin' it with Chris Lilly

2011-12-11T11:25:00.004-06:00

During the American Royal earlier this year in Kansas City, Brad and I had our 2nd sit-down with world-champion pitmaster Chris Lilly, of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (Decatur, AL). As he was the first time we met him in Memphis, Chris was a pleasure to chat with. Plus, he's a Crimson Tide fan, so it goes without saying that he's awesome.

The doctor was in.

2011-12-10T10:02:00.002-06:00

Snagged a quick couple of pics with Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe, while we were making the rounds at the American Royal in Kansas City. Rest assured, fellow Crimson Tide fans, that this was the first and hopefully last time I appear in a picture with Albert E. Gator.

Good times with Diva Q & Bigmista!!!

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

At this year's American Royal in Kansas City, Brad & I had the pleasure of kicking it for a bit with Diva Q & Bigmista. So good to meet them finally. Had some of Diva Q's brisket, before she turned it in. Mrs. Canada can cook, y'all!

First details on Gettin' Sauced! 2012

2011-12-08T09:54:00.005-06:00

This week, my sunburn from this year's 110-degree Gettin' Sauced! finally healed, so I figure it's a good time to start talking about next year's 3rd-annual BBQ sauce contest & festival. We've got a venue and a tentative date, so we wanted to get them on your radar. Pencil in Saturday, October 27, 2012 (Time TBD). Then, get out your map of Austin, & stick a push pin where East 6th Street dead ends at Calles Street, the home of Hops & Grain Brewery & the venue for next year's event! Soon, we will begin emailing sponsor/vendor/entrant applications. If you want us to send you one, email us. In the meantime, you can get up to speed by checking out our website, which has a list of all the entrants, sponsors, vendors, as well as the results of the sauce competition and pictures from the event.

QOTD: What's your single favorite Texas BBQ meal?

2011-12-07T09:25:00.002-06:00

It may not be your normal favorite. It may not even be from your favorite place. But what is the single best meal you have ever had from a Texas BBQ joint/caterer? Name the place and exactly what you had. What made this one stand out above all the rest?

BBQ joints at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival (Austin, TX)

2011-12-06T09:54:00.006-06:00

Miscellany from the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival (Austin, TX)

2011-12-05T11:11:00.004-06:00

QOTD: What's the best sit-down-and-order-off-the-menu Texas BBQ joint?

2011-12-04T11:45:00.002-06:00

At most Texas BBQ joints, you order at the counter & then take your seat. At some, however, you sit down, order off a menu, and the waiter/waitress brings your meal. The latter joints are the ones I'm concerned about today. Which of these sit-down-and-order-off-the-menu Texas BBQ joints is your favorite?

QOTD: What drink pairs best with BBQ?

2011-12-03T10:12:00.002-06:00

Simple question: What's your drink of choice when eating smoked meats? Feel free to give different answers, based on the particular meat. As we all know, for me, it's all iced tea, all the time.

Lockhart BBQ recaps!

2011-12-02T14:03:00.004-06:00

Not counting this one, 75 of my blog posts are tagged "Lockhart." As many of you know, it's known as the Barbecue Capital of Texas, as deemed by the Texas Legislature. We've got a good bit of chatter about it on Twitter today, and a couple of blog posts I've never seen were tweeted. They're both fantastic pictorial recaps of visits to all 4 BBQ joint in Lockhart (Black's, Chisholm Trail, Kreuz, & Smitty's), so I wanted everyone to see them. Both are from Austin blogs. One is from my foodie friend Sarah Pember, who runs the blog The Smart Kitchen. The other is from Tasting Buds. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting these self-proclaimed "food & wine geeks," but after seeing their Lockhart post, I definitely wanna grab some smoked meats with them.

Wednesday's dinner at PoK-e-Jo's (Austin, TX)

2011-12-02T11:42:00.004-06:00

Wednesday's dinner at the Hancock Center location of PoK-e-Jo's Smokehouse (Austin, TX): pork ribs, turkey, broccoli-rice casserole, & jalapeno-cornbread casserole!

QOTD: Which Texas BBQ joint has the worst customer service?

2011-12-01T08:28:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I asked which Texas BBQ joint has the BEST service. Today, the counter question: Which joint is WORST in your book, when it comes to customer service?

QOTD: Which Texas BBQ joint has the best customer service?

2011-11-30T09:33:00.004-06:00

For now, table the food. (Get it? TABLE the food!) Forget atmosphere. Based solely on customer service, which Texas BBQ joint is tops? Which Texas BBQ joint treats its patrons the best? And, yes, I will soon ask which joint has the worst service, so stay tuned.

A trip across the pond for Texas BBQ

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000-06:00

For his 40th birthday, a reader of mine from the UK trekked it over to Texas for some smoked meats (and Mexican food). He emailed me a few pics and said that he tried to hit up JMueller BBQ and Franklin Barbecue, but they were closed. From top to bottom: Salt Lick (top 2 pics), Kreuz, & Southside Market.

Next round of pics from the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival (Austin, TX)

2011-11-28T10:28:00.003-06:00

The rest from our latest trip to JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2011-11-27T10:37:00.004-06:00

The rest from Johnny's (Salado, TX)

2011-11-26T11:53:00.003-06:00

The rest from Wednesday's stop at Johnny's Steaks & Bar-Be-Que (Salado, TX):

Wednesday's lunch at Johnny's Steaks & Bar-Be-Que (Salado, TX)

2011-11-25T09:49:00.005-06:00

En route from Austin to Dallas for the Thanksgiving holiday, we stopped for lunch at Johnny's in Salado. On the table: brisket, pork ribs, turkey, chopped-beef sandwich, mashed potatoes, fried okra, green beans, fries, homemade bread, peach cobbler a la mode, & an oatmeal-raisin cookie. And iced tea, of course. I recommend doing as I did and getting outside slices of the moist brisket. Another rec: Make sandwiches with the sauce, homemade bread, & whatever protein is on the table. If you're not up for a plate, the chopped-beef sandwich & fresh-cut fries should fill you up. Particularly with the onions, it's got a little zing to it!

Around the trailer at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2011-11-24T10:41:00.003-06:00

Texas Monthly BBQ Festival 2011: The Smokers

2011-11-23T09:20:00.006-06:00

M-E-A-T. Meat! Meat! Meat!

2011-11-22T09:00:00.003-06:00

From this year's Texas Monthly BBQ Festival:

"Adam & Elvis Ribs"

2011-11-21T09:39:00.007-06:00

At the American Royal BBQ competition last month in Kansas City, Brad & I had the honor of being 2 of the 3 judges for the finals of the Gnarly Head Rippin' Ribs Tour. The competition's 5 regional winners convened at the American Royal to battle it out for the championship. Tal Goldsby (Memphis, TN) took top prize with his "Adam & Elvis Ribs." I found out after the contest that, had I gone with my original post-high-school plan and played football at Rhodes College, Tal & I would've been teammates. I also found out that Tal is a die-hard Alabama Crimson Tide fan. Naturally, we met up for dinner later that night at Tomfooleries to watch the Tide donkey stomp the Gators.

QOTD: What Texas BBQ joint serves the best turkey?

2011-11-20T10:12:00.002-06:00

Most people couldn't care less about turkey at Texas BBQ joints (I care.), but it's Thanksgiving week. While turkey is fresh on people's minds, I need to strike while the iron is hot and ask "Which Texas BBQ joint has the best turkey?"

On the table at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2011-11-19T07:51:00.003-06:00

Joined some BBQ friends from Houston and Dallas at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX) a few Saturdays ago. Here's what made it onto the picnic table (first two pics are beef ribs, btw):

Pulled-pork sandwich & burger from The Good You (Kansas City, MO)

2011-11-18T09:18:00.005-06:00

At the American Royal last month in Kansas City, we had the pleasure of getting to know the good folks at The Good You, a local food trailer. More specifically, as they describe themselves, "a mobile organic eatery." (I'm pretty sure today is the first time the word "organic" has been mentioned on this blog.) We ordered the grass-fed beef burger and the pulled pork & slaw sandwich. Brioche bun, people. Who knew "organic" could be so fatty, juicy, salty, & tasty???

Pregame proteins

2011-11-17T09:15:00.002-06:00

My plate in the club level of DKR-Memorial Stadium, before the Texas-Oklahoma State game: brisket, pork loin, chicken, & crab.

Jacob reviews opening day at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2011-11-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

Our man Jacob's thoughts on opening day at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX):

I arrived at 12:30 because I wanted to ensure I would be one of the first ones, lucky for me I was number one so I put up a chair and posted up my lucky first customer spot (John, did you hang my $20 bill on the wall in a frame yet?). The spot and the trailer look amazing. They have some picnic tables set up and a good size lot for parking (although it filled up fast on opening day. All the meats were good to great. Brisket was truly special. Cooked perfectly, great salt and pepper rub, and the fat rendered perfectly and had a slight butter taste to it which made it better. I simply pulled the brisket with my fingers. Also he cut from the whole brisket all the way across, which you can see from the photo leaves the fat in the middle and the top and bottom portion together on the piece. Ribs are st. louis style and also were great, slightly sweet with great smoke flavor. The turkey was heavy pepper and very tender, it worked out perfectly. I liked the flavor of the sausage but the casing was not packed full so it seemed to be unevenly cooked. The pork loin has had great flavor, but wasn't as moist as I would like, a bit to much fat, and it tasted a bit dry; it may have been that I got an unlucky piece because everything else was cooked perfectly (even with the poor weather and humidity during the morning). The BBQ sauce was vinegary and very spicy. It tasted great with the turkey and the sausage. The brisket was cooked so well there was no way I was going to taste it with the sauce and disrespect John like that, but for those that swing that way and enjoy spice I think they will love the bbq sauce. I'm sure there will be some tweaking and small adjustments made as time goes on, but if day 1 was any indication this place will be a favorite for myself and many more BBQ fans. Would mention that prices are a bit high at $14 a pound, but I'm guessing more people should come to expect this for perfection. After all, Austin favorite Franklins is the same price, and the high cost of beef most likely does not help right now. Sandwiches are a reasonable under $5 price, but I did not see one so can't comment on how good of a value it is.

Wayne Mueller at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

2011-11-15T14:00:00.000-06:00

The Houston Foodie at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

Socks' Love Rub Co. Giveaway!!!

2011-11-14T08:31:00.007-06:00

We're teaming up with our new friends at Socks' Love Rub Co. (Duluth, GA) to bring you a great giveaway. Socks' Love Rub, which uses 100%-natural, premium spices, is giving away an 8.5-ounce bottle of rub to 3 lucky winners. We will run the giveaway for 3 weeks, naming 1 winner at the end of each week. The giveaway starts today, runs through Monday, Dec. 5, & winners will be announced on each of the next 3 Mondays (Nov. 21, Nov. 28, & Dec. 5). Okay, so, here's the rub (Ha!): There are 4 ways to enter, so be sure to enter each way so that you have 4 ways to snag a bottle of rub. To get your name in the hat for each of the 3 drawings, simply...

1. Like Socks' Love Rub Co. on Facebook
2. Follow Socks' Love Rub Co. on Twitter.
3. Socks' Love sells its rub in 2 sizes: 8.5 ounces and one other size. Email me the size of the other bottle. You can find the answer on Socks' Love's website.
4. Retweet this post or any other post of mine about the giveaway.

Aaaaaaand GO!!!!!

The rest from Pok-e-jo's (Austin, TX)

2011-11-13T10:11:00.001-06:00

Straight-cut brisket at PoK-e-Jo's (Austin, TX)

2011-11-12T09:07:00.006-06:00

A while back, a group of us had a Saturday lunch at PoK-e-Jo's, and the main event was a new cut of brisket they're serving up at a couple of locations. The straight-cut brisket is smoked without the fat trimmed, and toward the end of the smoking, they pull the brisket, trim most of the fat (leaving a small layer of fat), season the whole thing (including the thin layer of fat), and then put it back in the smoker for a couple more hours. I didn't have my camera that day, but Brad took some pics with his phone. He emailed them to me, and they just got buried in my inbox. Found 'em today. Here is the first of two rounds of pics:

Views from above the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

2011-11-11T08:58:00.001-06:00

Hog on The Quad

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Though it pains me even to bring up the game, while walking around The Quad before last Saturday's Bama-LSU game, I came across a tent being catered by Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q. Apparently, JNN fed the ESPN College Gameday crew earlier that day. Here are some pics of the pork they were cooking up:

Grilling is NOT barbecuing!

2011-11-09T10:26:00.003-06:00

My buddy Robert Sierra, of S&S Pit Crew in San Marcos, alerted us today to this story on MySA.com: San Marcos man barbecues on his bicycle. I have no problem with this guy peddling his fare, but I do take issue with the verb the chosen for the article's title. The guy has a little grill and serves up burgers and what not. I'd say he "grills," not "barbecues."

You see this all the time on TV and in movies. Talk of a "backyard barbecue." Turns out they're grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, just like the annual White House July 4th BBQ. Nothing wrong with grilling, but it's not barbecuing. And vice versa. Each has its merits, but each is distinct from the other. Put me in the camp of those who believe that the two words are not interchangeable. Thoughts?

Monday's lunch at Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q (Jasper, AL)

2011-11-09T09:15:00.001-06:00

My lunch on Monday, before I hopped a plane back to Austin: pulled-pork sandwich with collard greens at Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q in Jasper, AL.

Surveying the scene at JMueller BBQ (Austin, TX)

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

A short video from a couple of Saturdays ago, when some fellow BBQ lovers and I convened for an 11AM lunch at JMueller BBQ in Austin.

Latest meal at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas, TX)

2011-11-07T10:30:00.001-06:00

See all of our YouTube videos here.

Coming up...

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001-06:00

Pictures from our wildfire-relief benefit at Black's Barbecue (Lockhart)

Jacob's review of his opening-day meal at JMueller BBQ (Austin)

Videos from latest meal at Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas)

More pictures from the American Royal (Kansas City)

More pictures from the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

Videos from the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

Pictures and videos from my second visit to JMueller BBQ (Austin)

Another Texas BBQ Giveaway

BBQ friends at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

2011-11-06T11:23:00.003-06:00

Last Sunday was the 2011 Texas Monthly BBQ Festival. Loads of pictures on the way. Here are ones of Brad and me with Daniel "BBQ Snob" Vaughn, who runs Full Custom Gospel BBQ, and Kevin Kelly, of KevinsBBQJoints.com, who recently moved from California to Texas to apprentice with John Mueller at JMueller BBQ in Austin.

The rest from Lou Lambert's talk at the Texas Book Festival

2011-11-05T10:41:00.004-05:00

Happy 86th, Edgar Black!!!

2011-11-05T08:24:00.003-05:00

I have it on good authority that today is the 86th birthday of the man who started it all at Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, TX: Edgar Black. In honor of Mr. Black, today from noon-2PM, Black's will be offer 86-cent hot sausage (limit 8 per person) and free birthday cake. Mr. Black will be in the house, signing hats and t-shirts! A great day to stop in for lunch at Black's, for sure. Happy Birthday, Edgar!!!

Sandwich time at Buster's BBQ (Lakeway, TX)

2011-11-04T08:56:00.003-05:00

Before hitting up a Lake Travis football game a few weeks ago, I stopped into Buster's BBQ and snagged two sandwiches. One chicken thigh. The other pulled pork. Both with onions and jalapenos. They used to use buns. They've switched to a hoagie roll (I guess that's what you call it.).

Lou Lambert's Braised Beef Short Ribs

2011-11-03T09:15:00.001-05:00

I had the distinct pleasure of joining chef Lou Lambert at this year's Texas Book Festival, as he prepared braised beef short ribs, green-chile grits, and mira qua sauce. More pics to come after this first batch.