CAUTION!!! Don't eat like this every day. Or even every week!

Texas Barbecue...So tasty and so satisfying. People always ask me what my favorite spot is. Truthfully that's like asking someone what is their favorite vacation. In my mind there's really no way to completely put my finger on either of them. Barbecue has so many qualities (or possible qualities) that definitively telling someone which is my favorite would be impossible.

Let's lay a little groundwork...Everyone sees barbecue and how it should be prepared and served differently. Many purists will tell you it should only be served on butcher paper with nothing else but some bread and/or crackers. Sauce you ask??? Purists would also tell you there should be none. The true test of good barbecue should be in the flavor of the meat and the meat alone. Others believe the sauce is the boss, sides are necessary and plates are welcome at the table. The beauty of Austin is that you can get basically anything and everything.

I could take you to a place where smoke literally billows out of the front door as if the building were burning down, where they have no menu, where the meat is served on butcher paper and the only side you can get is a bag of Doritos and a whole Avocado. So you say you want plastic? You say you want utensils...come on, let's get real...utensils? If that's the case I will get you a plate, I will get you a knife I will even get you the use of an ATM machine or the possibility of paying with credit...just make sure you're good for that bill, we don't need any more credit problems.

In addition to the varying preparation and serving manner the reason I may go to one place over the other is because each place generally has things they're better at than others. For instance, Rudy's has incredible brisket, Smitty's has mouth-watering ribs that cook so slowly and beautifully that the outside becomes naturally caramelized, Pok-e-Jo's has tender and spicy sausage, Kreuz has a pork chop that will put you on...well let's just say...your pork chop, and the Salt Lick has the Sunday special of baby back ribs that, and I quote, my friend said last weekend, "are these really legal...I mean come on...ridiculous!"

Yesterday my Dad I I journeyed to Lockhart, Texas. It is a town thirty minutes away from Austin and is known for its famous barbecue establishments. We went to a place called Kreuz...great barbecue, not so great sides, lung cancer waiting to happen (really smokey inside), too salty, a great time, totally worth it.
For me, barbecue isn't just about the food. It is about the all encompassing experience. It is about the company you're with, the yearning hunger inside that you've built up all day so that you can eat tons of meat, the varying styles and analyzing every little aspect from the smokiness of the meat to the acidity of the barbecue sauce. No barbecue will ever be the best. They are all simply unique and fulfilling experiences that make me feel lucky to live in such a crunchy place...Austin!