Austin, Texas—a city pulsating with the soul of live music, a fiery spirit that runs deep, and a hunger for damn good barbecue that borders on the primal. In this land of cowboys and renegades, where the scent of smoldering mesquite dances in the air, I embarked on a carnivorous pilgrimage, a quest to uncover the most primal, the most tender, and the most lip-smacking barbeque joints this town has to offer. Brace yourselves, my fellow meat aficionados, for we are about to dive into a sizzling journey through the heart of Austin's smoky underbelly, where pitmasters wield their tongs like weapons, and the holy trinity of meat, fire, and flavor reigns supreme. So buckle up, grab a bib, and join me on this wild, unapologetic adventure into the belly of the barbeque beast.
Franklin Barbeque 900 East 11th street, Austin Texas
Is Franklin Barbecue worth all the hype? Hell Yes!
I roll up to this joint a little past 9am, two fucking hours before the doors even open, and what do I see? A Soviet Era toilet paper line already forming. Like, seriously? I finally get my hands on my order just before noon, so that's almost three hours of my precious time wasted. But let me tell you, it was worth every minute. I went all in and got myself some brisket, pork rib, pulled pork, sausage, jalapeño cheddar sausage, turkey, a side of potato salad, and a key lime pie to top it all off. And holy fucking shit, let me tell you, that brisket, pulled pork, and turkey were like nothing I've ever tasted before. I mean, I wouldn't consider myself a rib guy, so that shit didn't blow my mind, but the jalapeño cheddar sausage? Fucking hell, it was on a whole other level compared to the regular sausage. And the potato salad? They went with a mustard base, which personally, I'm more of a mayo guy, but hey, to each his own. Oh, and that key lime pie? Insane! It was the perfect ending to this epic feast.
Terry Black's Barbeque 1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin Texas
Terry Black's delivers a tasty, classic barbecue experience. My buddy and I decided to make the pilgrimage to this joint, craving that traditional barbecue fix. We went all out and sampled their brisket, sausage, turkey, potato salad, mac and cheese, pickles, cornbread, and banana pudding. Now, overall, everything was pretty damn good, but let me tell you, the sausage and mac and cheese stole the show. They were the stars of the feast. However, the crumbly-ass cornbread left me feeling disappointed. In terms of comparison, Terry Black's can hold its own against other big-name barbecue spots in the US.
Some key advice, there's no table-saving bullshit. You can't reserve a table before you get your food, so once you've got your grub in hand, it's time to scavenge for a table, whether it's inside or out on the patio. We hit up Terry Black's on a Saturday afternoon, and let me tell you, that joint was packed to the fucking rafters. Seating options were scarce as hell. Terry Black's knows how to deliver that classic barbecue vibe, serving up some tasty-ass meat that'll have you licking your goddamn fingers and begging for more.
La Barbecue 2401 East Chavez Street, Austin Texas
This joint right here came with a stellar recommendation from someone I trusted, so I knew I had to sink my teeth into it. We flew our asses into Austin on a lazy Sunday, and let me tell you, I was sweating bullets, afraid I'd miss out on those juicy meats 'cause some damn reviews warned about 'em running out during lunch. So, I took matters into my own hands and placed an online order ahead of time, scheduled for pickup at a solid 2:30PM. We rolled up to the joint 'round 2PM, and thank the meat gods, there was no goddamn line in sight. Plenty of seats, both inside and on the goddamn patio, just waiting to be claimed.
The brisket had a good flavor kick, with a beautiful bark and a smoke ring to make your carnivorous heart skip a beat. Now, let's move on to the pork ribs. Holy shit were those things cooked to perfection! Tender as hell, falling right off the bone. The jalapeno sausage was a masterpiece. Juicy as fuck, with a fiery kick courtesy of those jalapenos. I couldn't stop shoving that sausage in my mouth, my friends. It was an addiction.
The mac and cheese dreams are made of. Forget that traditional macaroni nonsense—la Barbecue goes all out with pasta shells. The cheese sauce, oh boy, it was thick and creamy, hitting that perfect balance without being overly cheesy. I'm telling you, if you're hitting up la Barbecue, you better not skip out on that mac and cheese. Trust me on this one. Let's venture into the realm of their twisted take on kimchi.
La Barbecue, my fellow meat lovers, is an absolute must when you're in Austin. If you hit it up during the off-hours, you'll breeze through that line like a goddamn boss, and there are plenty of seats just begging to be filled. I can't fucking wait for the day I go back and experience that meaty bliss once again.
When it comes to Austin BBQ, we're talking about some serious shit here. I'm talking top 5, cream of the crop. And if I'm keeping it real with you, Cooper's is my favorite BBQ joint in this whole damn town. So, picture this: We roll up to Cooper's, and what do we see? A line stretched out the door. But you know what? My local buddies assured me that it was worth every minute of that wait, so we had no choice but to dive right in.
Now, let's get to the meat of the matter, my friends. Oh boy, that meat was something else. Tender and bursting with flavor. We went balls to the wall and tried damn near everything, but let me tell you, the brisket and beef ribs stole the goddamn show. Those babies were the stars of the carnivorous extravaganza. If you're in Austin, you best give Cooper's a shot. Yeah, there might be a line out the door, but let me tell you, it's worth every second. Your taste buds will thank you, your belly will rejoice, and you'll walk away with a meaty smile plastered across your face. Trust me on this one.
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