"Maybe I don't like Texas BBQ" (Austin, Belton: vs, oil)

[SickOfCalifornia]

The BBQ song:

[BevoLJ]

I know this isn't close to Austin but there is a place near La Grange she would probably like. I can't think of the name right now though. We have only stopped there once. We always stop at Peter's which is half way between La Grange and Columbus when we are driving to Houston. I LOVE Peter's! So we only stopped at this other place the one time because my partner wanted to give it a try. It was good, but not really my style of BBQ.

I wish I could remember the name, since with out it this will not be an at all helpful post. lol. It wasn't Prause.

[Nairobi]

A lot of what OpenD has described is specific to Central Texas, which, in many circles, is considered uniquely Texan barbecue, but it doesn't necessarily apply to the entire state.

Speaking for my background, the highlight of East Texas barbecue - from Houston to Texarkana - is the pork and not beef. Brisket takes a backseat to ribs, and, yes, sides do play a significant role. This is what I grew up on.

True, when people come looking for Texas barbecue, they'll be directed to Lockhart, but they'd be doing themselves a disservice to overlook the other varieties found in Texas.

JMHO

[EzPeterson]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

I know this isn't close to Austin but there is a place near La Grange she would probably like. I can't think of the name right now though. We have only stopped there once. We always stop at Peter's which is half way between La Grange and Columbus when we are driving to Houston. I LOVE Peter's! So we only stopped at this other place the one time because my partner wanted to give it a try. It was good, but not really my style of BBQ.

I wish I could remember the name, since with out it this will not be an at all helpful post. lol. It wasn't Prause.

The place you're thinking of is likely the one I was in the other thread. East TX BBQ might be the ticket for Mrs. G.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

There's a new place in Jarrell that I didn't have high hopes for but now that they're open and I've been there a couple of times, they've knocked my socks off. Not only because the brisket is so tender and juicy (which it is), and the sauce is tasty (which it is), but these people really know how to do sides - they give them the same attention that a good pitmaster gives the beef. Or the pork ribs..

Please tell us the name and if they are open on Monday! An early morning dentist visit in Round Rock and I could be on my way!

[tfresca]

She should try the non-local chain bbq places. Voodoo BBQ in Round Rock,etc. The fact that she's all about no sauce means she's not a Texas BBQ person. No shame. I have a brother who I offered to bring BBQ to and all he wanted was sauce. BBQ means meat dripping in sauce to a lot of people.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by SickOfCalifornia

The BBQ song:

That's actually quite good, although they left out one distinctive barbecue style: Kansas City.

I've had them all, enjoyed them all, and for sure they got it right that Barbecue = Meat.

[Trainwreck20]

Speaking for my background, the highlight of East Texas barbecue - from Houston to Texarkana - is the pork and not beef. Brisket takes a backseat to ribs,

Pork makes me think of the Georgia BBQ I had while working there for a while. Good stuff (I had to learn the difference between chipped and chopped), but definitely what I picture when I think of SE BBQ.

For sides, I have always liked Pokey Joe's, despite its lack of fame relative to the heavy hitters .

[TexasHorseLady]

Dang, I just realized when reading 10scoachrick's post above, that I didn't put the name of the new BBQ place in Jarrell. It's Rider's BBQ & Sausage.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by la60336

I thought Memphis style was all about the dry rub...

Yes and no. There are actually two Memphis styles for ribs (pork). One which starts with a dry rub, one which starts with a wet mop. But regardless of the start, both get basted with a wet mop sauce during the long slow cooking and again at the end. So it is much more sauce-centric than Texas BBQ. Their barbecue sandwiches are more like Eastern BBQ, with chopped pork piled on a bun, doused with a vinegar based sauce and with a dollop of cole slaw on top. This is almost identical to the style my ex grew up with in Virginia.

Originally Posted by Nairobi

A lot of what OpenD has described is specific to Central Texas, which, in many circles, is considered uniquely Texan barbecue, but it doesn't necessarily apply to the entire state. Speaking for my background, the highlight of East Texas barbecue - from Houston to Texarkana - is the pork and not beef. Brisket takes a backseat to ribs, and, yes, sides do play a significant role. This is what I grew up on. True, when people come looking for Texas barbecue, they'll be directed to Lockhart, but they'd be doing themselves a disservice to overlook the other varieties found in Texas.

True. There are actually three distinct Texas styles, East, Central, and West. And it's all good. East Texas is basically Southern Style, slow-cooked pork and sides, as practiced throughout the deep south with local variations. And West Texas style is direct cooking over mesquite, rather than the indirect cooking over oak that marks Central Texas "market" style. But when food writers wax poetic about Texas BBQ... and write their long paeans to the glories of the BBQ trail... well, no offense y'all... but they're talking about BBQ the way it gets done best in Central Texas.