On The Texas Barbecue Trail
By Paris Permenter
Among polite society, a few subjects are invariably touchy,
threatening to flare into heated debate. Politics. Religion.
And don’t forget to add one more topic to that list if you’re
in Texas: barbecue.
Whether you spell it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-que, or just
bbq, one thing’s for sure: barbecue is more than just a meal,
it’s a mantra.
At last count, Texas boasted over 1,300 barbecue joints,
ranging from side-of-the-road greasehouses with slamming screen
doors to sit-down restaurants with beautiful vistas, air
conditioning and even (gasp) wine lists. The business of
barbecue rings up over a half-billion dollars annually, a cobweb
of commerce that connects an otherwise diverse, sprawling state
with a common mission: Go forth and seek out good barbecue.
Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the
Texas variety is different from that in other barbecue capitals.
Texas barbecue means beef brisket, basted meats, and
tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all. The selection
varies from pit to pit but in most tradition reigns.
In each region, divided by hundreds of miles, the local
barbecue is influenced by other culinary cultures, from Southern
to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito or barbecued goat is often
served in the western portion of the state while pork or lamb is
a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary as
well. Out on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked
over a slow fire of mesquite wood while in Southern and Central
Texas pecan and oak are more common. Farther east, barbecue pits
are stoked with hickory. Throughout the state, meals are served
with sides of cole slaw, pinto beans, and spongy white bread,
often on plates of butcher paper. Dessert, if found at all, is
usually a scoop of banana pudding with a dose of vanilla wafers.
Unlike Kansas City and Memphis, Texas has no clearly defined
capital of ‘que. But Texas does have what’s sometimes nicknamed
the “barbecue belt,” a smoky swath that runs through the central
part of the state and includes:
Llano: On the westernmost edge of the barbecue belt lies the
community of Llano. What makes Llano unique among the central
Texas barbecue towns is its cooking style. Most pit masters in
this town rely on indirect barbecuing. In a firebox, wood burns
down to coals, then it’s transferred to the main section of the
pit beneath the meat to impart a delicate smoky taste subtler
than ordinary smoking. Don’t miss Cooper’s Old Time Pit
Barbecue. From its huge rectangular pits located by the front
door to the dining room lined with loaves of white bread and
jars of jalapeño peppers, this is the real deal.
Taylor: Taylor calls itself “The Barbecue Capital of the
World,” home of two legendary barbecue joints separated only by
a parking lot and small road at their locations on Second
Street. Louis Mueller’s is housed in one of the most authentic
barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door,
smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool
breeze on a hot summer day. Next door, Rudy Mikeska’s serves its
equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his
lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters. If
there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and his
barbecue specialties were there.
Elgin: In Texas, the town of Elgin is synonymous with sausage.
The small community, located about 25 miles east of Austin,
produces the sausage sold by many barbecue joints through the
state. The best known of Elgin’s smokin’ stops is the Southside
Market, probably one of the most recognized names in Texas
barbecue lore. In business since 1882, the market is known for
its Elgin hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts.
Lockhart: Twenty-three miles south of Austin lies another
“Barbecue Capital of Texas,” Lockhart. The test of a real Texan
is to know the correct pronunciation of the town’s Kreuz Market.
No, don’t say “Cruise.” It’s “Krites,” rhyming with “lights.”
Also in town, don’t miss Smitty’s, housed in the building where
the original Kreuz Market was located, and Black’s BBQ, which
claims to be the oldest barbecue house in Texas continuously
owned by the same family. Since 1932 the Black family has been
firing up these brick pits every day for lunch and dinner.
Luling: Located east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil
wells. No longer a boomtown, today the barbecue restaurants are
the ones producing black gold. The best known spot in town is
the City Market, a no-frills smoky meat market, with ambiance
replaced by plenty of local atmosphere.
About the Author: Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the
authors of Texas Barbecue and numerous other books on Texas
travel as well as the editors of http://TexasTripper.com,
http://www.TexasTripper.com, an online travel guide to the Lone
Star State.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
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