Aaron Franklin BBQ Visit & Other Great BBQ Spots In Texas!

[gregbooras]

I am heading to Texas later today and I will be stopping in and trying some of the best BBQ Texas has to offer.

My first stop will be to Franklin's BBQ in Austin tomorrow. Franklin is one of the top brisket smokers and folks normally stand in line 3-4 hours just to get lunch. Not being the kind of guy that likes to stand in line for 3-4 hours, I preordered a vacuum sealed brisket (fully cooked) 5-6 lb. range. I am traveling with my soft sided cooler and I plan to bring it back to Florida to share with friends.

I am real interested to try his famous brisket. If it is half as good as they say I plan to order a brisket from his supplier Creekstone Farms.

After stopping by at Franklin's (not being able to eat there) I will hit one or two of the other hot spots. Most likely it will be Micklethwait Craft Meats, but John Mueller Meat Co is also on my list. Since I will back in Austin later next month I will try them both soon. 

I also plan to try out Rudy's or Augie's Alamo City BBQ in San Antonio.

Greg

 

[SuperDave]

One of my buddies was there last weekend for the Texas / Cal game and stood in line for close to 5 hours.  He said it was amazing. 

 

[gregbooras]

One of my buddies was there last weekend for the Texas / Cal game and stood in line for close to 5 hours.  He said it was amazing.

Well the cost of the brisket I am buying will be $130 so it better be good

Greg

 

[prudentsmoker]

Me and my family were pleased. We got an order to go that was around $100, but got two meals out of it for four.

 

[gregbooras]

I stopped by Franklin's yesterday to pick up my brisket around 11:15 and there was a pretty good line. Since I pre-purchased the brisket I was able to just walk in and pay at the cash register.

Cost of the 5.2 lb brisket was $112.00 with tax, I have it in my soft sided cooler and will take home on Sunday.

I also picked up both of his sauces to see how they compared to his recipes he posted. I can say for sure they taste like the recipes he posted (I don't care for either one).





Greg

 

[Grampy]

Greg, at around $21.50 per pound I sure hope it is good!

 

[gregbooras]

After picking up my brisket yesterday I headed down the road to Micklethwait Craft Meats.

Opening in 2012 and serving excellent BBQ out of a Comet Trailer. I arrived around 11:30 and the line consisted of about 4 people, with another dozen or so already eating or waiting to food on the picnic tables.

For lunch I ordered the Brisket plate along with coleslaw and beans and a soda. Cost for lunch was $15.00 and they even gave me a fresh Pastrami roll.

The wait for the food was about 15 or 20 minutes and man was it worth the wait. The Pastrami roll was really good, but the Brisket, OH MY!

The sauce had just the right amount of sweet/heat. The meat had excellent flavor, the bark was perfect and I can say it was one of the best Brisket I have ever eaten. If you are ever in Austin, you must stop in and have lunch!






Greg

 

[gregbooras]

Greg, at around $21.50 per pound I sure hope it is good!

I will let everyone know in a week or so. I am flying back home on Sunday, so it will be consumed in the next week or so!

Also keep in mind that this is finished brisket, so you can assume that the brisket was at least 10 lbs. So that works out to about $10.00 or so a lb.

The real test is how does this baby taste

Greg

 

[BBQ4YO]

Greg, your trip really sound like an inspiration for some folks to put together a “BBQ Crawl”
Do we have a travel agent among us……………….let’s get going!

 

[smokeasaurus]

Greg, I have BBQ envy. Nobody is hotter right now in the Que world than Franklin. A BBQ crawl does pique my interest........

Please keep up the pics and posts cause I am living vicariously through your travels  8)

 

[gregbooras]

Yesterday for lunch I had a great lunch at Augie's Alamo City BBQ.

I ordered the Brisket/Beef Ribs/Fries and Borracho beans. The brisket was very tasty maybe not as good as Mickethwait but good. The ribs were huge and while they were tasty, they could have used a bit more time in the smoker for tenderness. The beans, man they were really good, a bit spicy but something I want to try to make in the future.

Overall a great lunch and if you are ever in San Antonio, I would suggest you give them a try.






Greg

 

[smokeasaurus]

Man those beef ribs look good and I love Borracho beans 

 

[gregbooras]

Man those beef ribs look good and I love Borracho beans 

It was my first time trying the Borracho beans, they were spicy but really good.

Greg

 

[gregbooras]

Man I love the food you can get in Texas. I stopped by the grocery store this afternoon and they had Brisket Sausage. Needless to say I bought a pack to take home tomorrow!



Greg

 

[gregbooras]

Well I head home tomorrow and it is probably for the best or I may have need to join M.E.A.T. (Meat Eaters Anonymous)

For lunch I made my last BBQ stop on this trip. The destination was Smoke Shack BBQ located in San Antonio. This is a family run business that started in a food truck and now has a restaurant in the city.

As I walked in I was greeted by a smile and menu, for lunch I ordered Brisket, Ribs, seasoned fries and beans.

The Brisket was really good and the ribs, a bit over cooked for some but fall of the bone. Overall a great lunch and it was a perfect finish to my trip.

I will be back in Texas in another 10 days, and my goal is to stop by at John Mueller Meat Company in Austin. He is the grandson of the famous Mueller BBQ in Taylor Texas. He also employed Franklin before he went out of business the first time. Did I mention that Franklin bought several of his smokers at that time. Anyways he is back in business and I am looking forward to giving his BBQ a go.








Greg

 

[Libohunden]

Greg,

You can't come to Texas looking for bbq and not go to the Mecca. Lockhart has 3 of the top BBQ joints in Texas. Blacks Bbq in Lockhart has some of the best Brisket you'll ever taste.  Smiths BBQ in Lockhart is another that you will not want to miss... A 2 min walk from Blacks. Snows BBQ in Lexington (short drive east of Austin) has the absolute best Brisket. However, they are only open on Saturdays and if you are not there by 10am (or call 2 days prior and order) you won't be eating brisket. Coopers BBQ in Llano has the best beef spare rids I've ever eaten but it is out of the way.  Lulling City Market is another great in Luling (not far from San Antonio).

Your next trip may require more advance planning if you really want the best of the best!

 

[gregbooras]

Greg,

You can't come to Texas looking for bbq and not go to the Mecca. Lockhart has 3 of the top BBQ joints in Texas. Blacks Bbq in Lockhart has some of the best Brisket you'll ever taste.  Smiths BBQ in Lockhart is another that you will not want to miss... A 2 min walk from Blacks. Snows BBQ in Lexington (short drive east of Austin) has the absolute best Brisket. However, they are only open on Saturdays and if you are not there by 10am (or call 2 days prior and order) you won't be eating brisket. Coopers BBQ in Llano has the best beef spare rids I've ever eaten but it is out of the way.  Lulling City Market is another great in Luling (not far from San Antonio).

Your next trip may require more advance planning if you really want the best of the best!

Hey I have heard that Lockhart has some great BBQ. I will put this on my list in my next trip or so. I will be in Austin twice in the next month, so I should be able to make a side trip 

So much Brisket so little time

Greg

 

[AlinMA]

Greg..... Outstanding!
Great photos, excellent evaluations and you make one glad to be into BBQ. Also you have made me very hungry!
Thanks again

 

[gregbooras]

Greg..... Outstanding!
Great photos, excellent evaluations and you make one glad to be into BBQ. Also you have made me very hungry!
Thanks again

Hey Al,

It was a fun trip, but I need to take a break from Brisket for a week or so, well maybe a week

I plan to put the Franklin Brisket I bought in the freezer tonight and will pull out in two weeks when I am back in town. This way it will keep and I can share it with some friends.

Tonight dinner will be salad and some bread

Greg

 

[damnfingers]

Made me want to go back to San Antonio and eat something other than Mexican food!