When a barbeque spot is listed as one of the top tourist destinations, you know that a city takes its barbeque seriously. Austin’s smoked meat Renaissance has been in full swing for the better part of a decade and attracts impassioned opinions over where to find the best spread of meat and sides and whether the line is worth it (it is). Growing alongside the professional pitmasters are the backyard hobbyists. Those who scratch that primal instinct to combine raw meats and fire and smoke and find satisfaction in doing it themselves. This is a place for those people. A place for those who take a bite after waiting in line for hours and say to themselves, “I’ll bet I can figure this out.” A place to discuss methods, pits, tools, meats, rubs, tricks and recipes.
Do you take your cues from the newly anointed BBQ acolytes or lean on family tradition?
Dozens of barbeque spots have popped up and evolved from food trucks to brick and mortar sit-downs. Hell, Texas Monthly even has an exclusive barbeque editor as of 2013. Any discussion about barbeque spots leads to a nuanced breakdown of where to find the best ribs (pork or beef), when to go, who does the best bark on a brisket and whether there is a better spot than Franklin’s.
Despite the plethora of options to go and feast on barbeque from seasoned pitmasters, there is an elemental, even primal need, for many to make their own. The satisfaction of making your own barbeque can outweigh even the moistest of briskets.