No city or town in the United States can beat Austin, Texas, when it comes to barbecue.
Mouth-watering BBQ restaurants in many other locales may challenge that bold statement, but Austin-based food writer Rob Balon says it’s true.
“Austin BBQ is superior to the much ballyhooed smoked meats one finds in Kansas City, Memphis and the Carolinas,” he says. “The master smokers and pit masters around Austin are exceptionally talented artisans who rely on time-honored traditions for the preparation of pork and beef ribs, brisket, pork loin, sausage, chicken and other esoteric central Texas favorites like burnt ends (charred brisket bits).”
Austin food writer Rob Balon chows down on pit master Frankie Hoch’s beef ribs at It’s All Good BBQ in Spicewood, Texas, about a 25-mile drive northwest of Austin.
Margaret Connelly Balon
Balon, who publishes a Dining Out With Rob Balon website, says Austin “gets an inordinate number” of out-of-state visitors who come to taste the city’s BBQ. He grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, and, for many years, was a food reviewer on Austin television stations.
If you’re headed to Texas’s capital city, you may want to heed his BBQ recommendations. Here are his favorite joints, followed by his comments:
Franklin Barbecue. “Aaron Franklin has gone from a small start in a food truck to a brick-and-mortar place on East 11th Street where the wait routinely averages three hours. His pork ribs and brisket caught the attention of Anthony Bourdain and soon the New York Times was raving about the place. The publicity rocketed Franklin to iconic national status, but he has kept his ego intact and still has that laid-back vibe Austin is well-known for. Hint: You can avoid the outrageous line by ordering in advance. Minimum order: 10 pounds.”
Rudolfo Paniagua knows the most important aspect of serving a delicious brisket at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q in Austin: slicing against the grain.
Sara Strick
Micklethwaite Craft Meats. “Down the street from Franklin Barbecue in a cozy trailer, Micklethwaite Craft Meats creates stunning moist brisket and pork loins. The owner left a career in banking to heed the siren’s call of smoking beef. Austin BBQ fans are glad he did.”
Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew. “The name of this iconic spot comes from railroad lexicon, and it is an impressive collaboration between owner Shane Stiles and well-known pit master Lance Kirkpatrick. Stiles Switch has long been a favorite of University of Texas students, and the brisket is stunning. Shane also daily smokes delicious sausage, turkey breast, St. Louis pork ribs, chicken, beef ribs and the iconic Texas favorite, Frito Pie, which mixes brisket chili, Fritos, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and cilantro. Stiles Switch delivers on this admittedly odd but tasty amalgam of atypical ingredients.”
La Barbecue. “This relatively recent east side spot takes its name from owner LeeAnn Mueller, a member of the famous Mueller family who could easily be called Austin-area BBQ royalty. She started this place after a spat with her brother, famous beef rib aficionado John Mueller, led to the closing of their trailer on South 1st Street. La Barbecue is known for its mouth-watering, highly marbled brisket.”
The Salt Lick BBQ. “This legendary 50-year-old joint, located about 25 miles outside of Austin in Driftwood, flies in the face of the expression ‘location is everything.’ It’s packed nearly every night and famous for sausage, brisket and the Sunday-only baby-back ribs. Let’s not forget the exceptionally tasty BBQ sauce, and they still only accept cash.”
These pork ribs at Austin’s Franklin Barbecue are one of the reasons people start getting on line at 2:30 a.m.
Margaret Connelly Balon
It’s All Good BBQ. “Just outside Austin next to Highway 71 in Spicewood, this place was begun by a group of guys who met while competing in weekend BBQ competitions. They still have other jobs. Pit master Frankie Hoch, for example, is a mechanic for the Austin Police Department. But this guy makes one of the best — if not the best — bone-in beef short ribs in the area. The meat literally falls off the bone in layers of marbled smoky goodness.”
Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q. “Rudy’s is a local Austin chain of five restaurants. Co-owner and founder Ken Schiller wanted to be a pilot, but, instead, he won the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for optimal business operation and sells more BBQ each week than any place in the city. I’m addicted to the moist brisket which is smoked for 13 hours a day in a proprietary mix. Moist? Hell, that’s actually an understatement. The jalapeño sausage had to have a touch of Texas, and they achieved it. Great cue! One thing I’ve always admired about Rudy’s operating philosophy is a disdain for hot trends in favor of long-standing tradition.”
Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ. “This little food truck on Manchaca Road in south Austin was the first spot to fuse Tex-Mex flavors and stylings with Austin BBQ. Word spread like wildfire, and it took off. I still make my weekly pilgrimage there — an amazing spot!”