Is Snow's the Machu Picchu of Texas BBQ?

The Posse on their first BBQ journey in 2009. L-R: Mike Gibson. Gary Barber, Jesse Hart, David Guzman, Gary Jacobson & Chris Wilkins.

Among the wonders of the world, it probably doesn't rank with Machu Picchu or the Great Pyramid of Giza.

But in the world of Texas barbecue, nothing compares to a trip to Snow's on a Saturday, the only day the joint is open. It's a rite of passage for lovers of smoked meat.

Soon after Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins posted a Facebook photo from our recent visit to Lexington, a commenter wrote: "Can't wait to get out there for the first time!!! Soon... very soon!!! The breakfast of champions for sure!"

And when he does get there, he'll probably pose in front of the famous sign -- "We traveled the distance..." -- and have his picture taken to commemorate his visit.

So, I asked Snow's owner Kerry Bexley, how many people have posed in front of that sign over the years?

"There's no way of telling," he answered.

How about a guess?

Bexley thought for a moment. He then estimated 25 a day, translating into more than 1,200 over the course of a year. Multiply that by the eight years Snow's has been open and you get about 10,000.

Based on our many trips to Lexington, though, I think Bexley might be underestimating. The number could easily be doubled.

Whatever the exact total, it's impressive.

And after we ate Saturday morning, the two members -- Ray Shepard and David Messersmith -- of our group making their first pilgrimages added to the number.

Ray Shepard & David Messersmith during their first visit to Snow's BBQ in Lexington.
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Smoked beef tenderloin the Lopez Island way -- hot and fast

Editor's note: Posse members not only love to eat barbecue but they also love to cook. Bryan Gooding, who recently retired and moved from Dallas to Lopez Island in Washington state, shares his secrets for smoking great tenderloin.


By Bryan Gooding

Though I love to barbecue meats you can’t treat a beef tenderloin like a brisket or pork butt. The smoking needs to be hot and fast since there isn’t enough fat on a tenderloin to survive a long time in low heat.

So I use my smoker with a lot of heat from a wood fire. In this case I used apple wood but you could get a nice spicy taste from mesquite or a soft buttery smoke from pecan.

Since this is fast you don’t need to worry about over-smoking the meat so you can avoid wrapping in paper.

Making the rub, from start to
finish. (Photos ©Bryan Gooding)

To make the rub, pulse chopped shallots and garlic in a small food processor to a smooth mince. Crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Add the brown sugar, crushed coriander/black pepper mixture and salt to the food processor and blend together.

Slather a thick coat of the rub all over your tenderloin and let it marinate in the refrigerator uncovered for at least three hours but not more than five. Before cooking, set the tenderloin out and allow it to come to room temperature about an hour before cooking.

Have your smoker up to 400 degrees.  Start the fire with charcoal (always use a chimney with newspaper because that charcoal lighter fluid crap is not good for you), add your wood and let the charcoal burn away so you have a nice hot wood fire.

Set the tenderloin on the grill as close to the firebox as possible without letting the flames lick the meat. Place the thick end of the meat towards the fire.

I set my meat thermometer, centered, in the thickest part of the tenderloin. I started out at about 45 degrees internal temperature on the meat. Close up the smoker and try to keep the temp at 400 degrees (adding wood as necessary).

I found that a fire that hot needs more air than the fire box vents allow so I cracked the door to give sufficient air.

I pulled the meat once the internal temp hit 130 degrees (this took about 40 minutes during this cook) and double wrapped it in foil and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before slicing into thick pieces.

The beef tenderloin is a perfect meat for a group meal as you get the whole range from rare to done. Cut your more done meat from the small end and rarer cuts from the thick end. I find the combination of the smoke, shallots, and coriander spice gives you an unusual flavor pallet to what can be otherwise a fairly plain-jane cut of meat.

We serve ours with a sauce made with creamed horseradish combined with sour cream and a little salt.

The recipes

Rub
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 Tbsp. black peppercorns
3 large shallots, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
¾ cup Kosher salt
¼ cup brown sugar
1 beef tenderloin, trimmed (about 4 lbs)

Fire
Some charcoal for starting your wood fire (unless you have a better way)
Plenty of good smoking wood – pecan, cherry, oak, mesquite, apple or whatever is handy in your area

Sauce
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup horseradish
salt to taste

How to put some smoke on your prime rib roast before using the 500-degree reverse sear

The Gagne's prime rib roast ready for carving. (Photo ©Texas BBQ Posse)

Warning: This isn't a normal Posse blog post. Just how atypical? I had to look up how to spell sous vide.

But don't worry, that vacuum-sealed cooking method was used only for warming up some wonderful leftovers from the meal that long-time Posse member Mike Gagne cooked on Christmas Day.

Mike is a University of Texas law school grad and serious Longhorns fan, so when we (Mike is married to my daughter, Libby) decided to cook prime rib for the holiday, he went right to the source of all knowledge -- Orangebloods.com.

He quickly found a long thread on the subject that mentioned a Serious Eats article by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. For the juiciest prime rib, Lopez-Alt argues, start low on temperature and go slow on cooking, then finish very hot with what he calls a reverse sear. Everything is done in an oven.

That's when Mike's Posse background took over.

"It's not us if we don't put some smoke on it," he said.

Mike's cooking variation started the roast, which had just a salt and pepper rub, on a Weber kettle. The Weber was set up offset, with charcoal and pecan wood chips. Mike wanted a light smoke flavor so he let the meat cook for 30 minutes at about 250 degrees.

Then the roast, which weighed about 12 pounds or so, was transferred to an oven, pre-heated to about 230 degrees. The roast stayed there until its internal temp was about 130 degrees, which took about 2 1/2 hours.

Now the hard part. Be patient. Mike took the roast out of the oven and let it rest, covered by foil, for about an hour. He then kicked the oven up to 500 degrees and put the meat back in for another 20 minutes or so.

That final sear produced a beautiful looking, juicy, smoke-flavored rib roast. He served it with a mild horseradish sauce.

The next day, we ate the leftovers re-heated in a warm water bath sous-vide style. The meat was just as tender as Day One. This could become a family Christmas tradition.

Mike Gagne carves up the finished rib roast. (Photo ©Texas BBQ Posse)

Warming leftovers sous-vide style, the meat was just as tender as Day One. (Photo ©Texas BBQ Posse)

Lights, Camera, Eat BBQ! The Posse -- briefly -- goes Hollywood

George Clooney and Leo DiCaprio can relax. It's unlikely anyone from the Texas BBQ Posse will challenge them for leading roles in Tinseltown.

Still, we had our brush, very briefly, with video fame. And while nothing came of it -- yet, anyway -- the experience was great fun so we thought we would share it with you.

About a year ago, the folks at 12 Forward Entertainment in Dallas approached us about making a "pitch" video for a reality TV show based on the Posse. The video would then be used to sell the concept to producers and networks.

We liked the idea and assembled a group for a quick trip to Billy's Oak Acres BBQ in Fort Worth.

Re-watching the video now, it certainly does provide a good summary of the Posse's origins and purpose, all in less than four minutes.

On camera, co-founder Chris Wilkins probably summed us up best. "Barbecue is an emotional subject," he said, "an incredibly personal subject."

There is also a brief discussion about one of barbecue's great philosophical questions: How much smoke is too much?

"I think I'm in the school of liking smoke," Daniel Goncalves said with conviction, while admitting there have been times when the smoke has overpowered the meat.

"I can't get enough of it," Phil Lamb said of smoke.

And there is a brief diversion into why I'm the most likely Posse member to say I don't like something, and, even, "get punched in the face" because of it.

"You have to remember he's a reporter from the old school and he pisses people off for a living," Jim Rossman said of me.

Make that past tense since I'm now retired. But Rossman, as usual, may have a point.

Anyway, we want to thank Melanie and Terry Wester at 12 Forward for making the video and allowing us to run it here. We do like it.

UPDATE: Step-by-step, cooking butcher paper wrapped brisket - See the video

Pitmaster Marshall Cooper and son Mark wrap a brisket with butcher paper. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) 

By Marshall Cooper

Six years ago, we wrote about cooking brisket wrapped in butcher paper. It continues to be one of the most read posts on this blog.

As anyone who cooks knows, the more you cook the more you learn. So since that initial post, I've made some refinements to my butcher paper technique that I'd like to share with you in this Posse cooking update and accompanying video.

For me, the major benefit of using butcher paper instead of foil, or leaving meat unwrapped during an entire cook, is that you end up with a better texture of barbecue, very moist and tender and less potential for over steaming. The butcher paper, which is used near the end of the cook, seems to breath, keeping the brisket from drying out while shielding the meat from too much smoke.


Butcher Paper Wrapped Brisket from Gary Barber on Vimeo.

Cooking butcher paper wrapped brisket is really simple if you stick to basics and don’t try to complicate things by using countless techniques you hear about or see at the barbecue joints. Here's how you just keep it simple:

1. Start by buying a choice or prime grade 12-14 pound brisket. Trim the thick fat off the bottom side down to 1/4” or so. Trim the sides as well to 1/4”. Trim the heal off the top side. If you don’t want to bother with trimming, don’t worry about it.  Then, use whatever rub you like. A simple rub for brisket is 1/2 cup coarse ground (16 mesh or butcher grind) fresh black pepper, 1/4 cup of kosher salt and a 1/4 cup of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. Or 1/2 cup of black pepper and 1/2 cup of kosher salt & throw in 1-2 tablespoons of granulated garlic. That’s it. Now season the brisket, sprinkling the rub from a red plastic cup, applying a light even coat, not too heavy. You want to be able to still see the meat.

2. Now fire up your smoker so it will burn fairly clean, and bring it to it’s ideal cooking temperature so that it won’t burn up your brisket while it cooks for 10-12 hours, unwrapped. This will probably be 225-250 degrees (F) for most backyard stick burners or charcoal pits. Use whatever wood you like -- hickory, post oak, pecan or a mix of whatever you like. Just get it burning clean and even. Someone once told me if the smoke doesn’t smell good while it’s burning, the meats gonna taste terrible.

3. Place the brisket on the pit cold. On most backyard stick burners, it should probably go fat side up. Fat side down on charcoal pits if the fire is directly below the meat. You decide what works best on your pit.

4. Cook the brisket at a steady temperature. After 4-6 hours you will see water starting to puddle on the top. This is when it’s in the “stall." If you don’t know what the stall is, you can read more about it on Amazing Ribs web site. Basically it’s when the internal water in the brisket begins to evaporate and the meat stops cooking until the water has evaporated. The stall will take around 4-6 hours to complete if you do not wrap. And we are not going to until later. So be prepared to let the brisket cook unwrapped for 9-12 hours. If it looks like the meat is burning, slow the pit down.

5. Once the puddles of water on top of the brisket start to dry up, the brisket is coming out of the stall. The internal meat temperature should be around 175-185 (F).

6. Let the brisket continue to cook until your index finger will sink into the fatty end about an inch. Then wrap the brisket in the pink butcher paper like I show you in the accompanying video. Use this butcher paper available from Amazon, it’s what Aaron Franklin uses in Austin.

Follow the directions in the video by letting the brisket cook 1 to 3 more hours until the butcher paper is saturated. Check for doneness by feeling if it’s floppy. If it is, then check the internal temp if you must.

7. Let the brisket rest for at least 1 to 4 hours! Repeat, because it's so important: Let the brisket rest!

Then enjoy!

Posse member Marshall Cooper is a leading backyard pitmaster with more than 40 years of experience smoking meats. He is a commercial real estate broker at Capstone Commercial Real Estate Group in Dallas.

Inflation watch: Franklin's barbecue and Austin home prices on same track

All sold out at the original Franklin Barbecue trailer in Nov. 2010. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins sent me a photo the other day from a trip we made to the original Franklin Barbecue in November of 2010.

It shows the front of Aaron Franklin's little trailer in Austin and his barbecue prices at the time.

"Sweet memories," Wilkins said in his email subject line.

Indeed.

Franklin then sold his terrific brisket for $13 a pound. Now it's $20 a pound, a nearly 54 percent increase.

Ribs were $11 a pound then; now $17, also a 54 percent increase.

Franklin, of course, has since moved to a permanent building near downtown, which increased operating costs. And there was a huge jump in the price of raw brisket a while back.

Still, that 50 percent barbecue increase occurred over a period when overall consumer prices in the country rose by only about 10 percent.

But compared to another staple of life, shelter, Franklin's prices appear right in line. Since 2010,  the median price of an Austin-area home has jumped more than 50 percent, from about $179,000 to about $275,000.

So, Austin not only has one of the hottest residential real estate markets around but also one of the hottest barbecue markets.

More Franklin price comparisons:

Pulled pork, $11 a pound in 2010, $17 now.

Sausage, $9  vs. $12.

Tipsy Texan sandwich, $4.95 vs. $8.

Single serving sides (potato salad, slaw or beans),  $1.35 vs. $2.50.

Quart-size sides, $8  vs $9.

I'm certainly not an economic expert. But I would think that there is still some upside to both Franklin's prices and Austin homes.

Gary Jacobson carries the Posse's first-ever Franklin brisket to the table in 2010. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Going whole hog at CattleAck BBQ on Saturday

Tray of whole hog, brisket & pork ribs with sides at CattleAck BBQ in north Dallas (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

The Posse first caught wind of CattleAck BBQ in May 2013, when Jim Rossman picked up some Twitter buzz on a new joint in north Dallas near the Galleria. Jim headed up on the tollway to investigate, finding a promising new player on the DFW barbecue scene.

After success in the catering business, owners Todd and Misty David decided to open on Fridays from 11am until the meat ran out. A full Posse contingent made a followup visit  to CattleAck a few weeks later for a rare Saturday opening and was blown away. Gary Jacobson wrote, "After eating at Cattleack Barbecue last Saturday, the Posse declared the Dallas joint the equal of any in town."

Over three years later, the Davids are still catering but are now open Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30am, and starting last month are open the first Saturday of each month. They also recently expanded their restaurant by adding a large dining room in the space next door. As the lines will attest, CattleAck is far from a secret for hard core BBQ aficionados.

We met pitmaster Marshall Cooper out front on Saturday at 9:30am, where we were first in line. Our timing as good, the line started building almost immediately behind us. There was a lot of anticipation in the crowd for Todd's whole hog offering, not a regular menu item and something you don't see a lot in Texas BBQ.

Along with the whole hog, we ordered brisket, pork ribs, turkey, sausage, beef brisket pastrami and sides. Every meat was cooked to perfection, moist and full of smokey flavor. By 11am I counted 80 people in line, which ran from the back of their new dining room, snaking into a queue for the serving line in an adjacent room. The line seemed to move pretty quickly though.

If you haven't been to CattleAck BBQ yet, check your calendar for the first Saturday of the month and plan a journey to have some of the best BBQ in the state.  And if you're lucky, Todd might just be smoking another whole hog, you can check "What's Cooking" on their website for any special offerings that day.

Cattleack BBQ, 13628 Gamma Road, Dallas, 972-805-0999. Open: Thurs & Fri 10:30am-2pm & the first Sat. of the month 10:30am-3pm. Website: www.cattleackbbq.com

The line of customers winds through CattleAck BBQ's new dining room. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

The day the Posse flew Chile's national flag (oops) and other tales from Blues, Bandits & BBQ

The Posse cook team celebrates after the first Blues, Bandits & BBQ festival in 2010. (Photo@R.J. Hinkle)

The Posse has always loved Blues, Bandits & BBQ, the food and music festival held in Oak Cliff.

Loyalty is a factor. Some of us lived in the O.C. and the festival does a good job of showcasing a great part of Dallas.

We also liked the fellowship of close friends cooking together around the clock and competing against other barbecue teams. Occasionally, winning was a side benefit.

So with the seventh annual BB&BBQ coming soon (Nov. 11 and 12 at Kidd Springs Park), allow us to reminisce, beginning with a lesson learned.

One year we cooked near Rob Shearer,  a creator of Blues, Bandits and the unofficial honorary consul of Oak Cliff. While we hunkered near our offset smoker, ready to feed it wood all night long because that's the way real barbecue is made, Rob tinkered a bit with the vent settings on his Big Green Egg and headed home to catch a few hours of sleep.

We poked some fun at him as he left. He just smiled.

The next morning, the Posse was tired and Rob was well rested. His brisket looked wonderful. The Egg, indeed, can be an excellent barbecue machine.

The Posse crew unloads smokers at the first Blues, Bandits & BBQ festival in 2010. (Photo@Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

For many in the Posse, our favorite Blues, Bandits was the first, held in 2010. It was our initial barbecue competition and there was a special energy as the festival blended itself into the everyday life of the O.C.  Jason Roberts even grafted one of his Better Block projects onto the festival.

We cooked on the street near The Kessler and napped on cots on the ground between the buildings. Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins blogged live and we proudly flew the "Texas" state flag at our site. One problem. Fellow BBQ blogger Don O. informed us that it was Chile's national flag, close but definitely not Texas. (How the mix-up occurred is a long story.)

Oops.

While we loved being on the street, the police thought competitors blended a little too intimately into everyday life, i.e., we obstructed roadways. So, after some intense negotiations, everyone had to move their pits, with fires blazing, a few feet onto the sidewalks. We had two pits, with a couple hundred pounds of meat already on the grates. Moving was a job.

It was also the year -- the only year, thankfully -- of what I'll call the organic experiment. Contest rules required us to cook grass fed and organic meats supplied by Urban Acres. The racks of ribs -- and I'm exaggerating only a little -- looked like strips of bacon connected by bones. Cat ribs, we joked. How do you produce great-tasting barbecue with skinny meat that has no fat?

Ricky Lawson's infamous Big Red chicken in 2010.
(Photo@R.J. Hinkle)

Competitors tried different techniques. Ricky Lawson brined his chicken in Big Red. The photo of him holding his scarlet bird remains a classic.

Justin and Diane Fourton of Pecan Lodge competed that first year. Their joint was still at Dallas Farmers Market; they hadn't yet moved to Deep Ellum. They won for best ribs. The next year, with the reputation of Pecan Lodge booming, I asked Justin if he was going to compete again and he said no. He couldn't afford not to win. Success has a price.

All in all, the Posse did well that first year. Marshall Cooper's brisket placed second. And Bryan Gooding won best chicken. We still call Bryan the Chicken King of Oak Cliff.

In 2012, we invited Clyde Biggins, who long ago owned "Clyde's Old Fashion Hickory Smoked Barbecue" on Westmoreland Road, to compete with us. After nearly 17 years in prison for drug conspiracy, Clyde had gotten out a couple years earlier and was dispensing barbecue again from what he called "Clyde's Rolling Barbecue," essentially his pit on wheels. We had eaten his food a couple of times and it was good.

With Clyde, who once worked for West Dallas barbecue legend Chester Hardeman, tending to most of the meats, the Posse won People's Choice. It was fun to see Clyde holding the trophy.

Gooding made his own sausage that year but couldn't attend the festival so I cooked for him. I managed to burn every link but one, which we carefully turned in to the judges. It won, but all these years later, my Posse mates still kid me mercilessly. How can you burn sausage? (It's a long story.)

In 2013, Martha Gooding, Bryan's wife, devised some special culinary treats as we went all out to defend the People's Choice title. During the public tasting period, teams serve regular barbecue and other items to festival goers. The people then "vote" for their favorite with tokens.

One of our appetizers was a homemade crostini topped with a smear of brie, peach preserves, and a slice of smoked pork belly.  "Bribery on a crostini," one Posse member said.

It was, admittedly, a little high brow for normal Posse tastes, but the bribery worked as we won People's Choice again.

Sheriff Lupe Valdez poses with her Posse at the 2011 Blues, Bandits & BBQ festival. (Photo by Daniel Vaughn)

The event in 2014 is still a blur of cold and wind. Shivering for much of two days is not fun. It's much better to cook barbecue and listen to music when the weather is nice.

Last year, we retired and moved to Austin. My wife, Sherry, and I did return to Dallas in November for one more Blues, Bandits with Bryan and Martha. We competed as the O.C. Sausage Co., not the Posse (another long story).

Bryan made his sausage again and had high hopes. It was good and had a nice, subtle aftertaste. But subtle doesn't work in contests, where it's all about the judges' first impressions. While his sausage didn't even place, Bryan did win again for chicken, using his terrific vinegar brine. The Chicken King of Oak Cliff still reigns.

This year, the Goodings moved from the O.C. to Lopez Island, Washington State, where they already are building a food reputation for themselves. Before next year's big island cook off, Bryan promises to perfect rabbit sausage. Lopez has thousands of the critters running wild.

So the Posse (and O.C. Sausage Co.) won't be at Blues, Bandits this year. But we will be thinking about all of our friends there and remembering many good times. Have fun!

Bryan Gooding, aka: The Chicken King of Oak Cliff, at the 2010 festival.  (Photo@R.J. Hinkle)

The Posse cook team works the crowd in 2013 serving homemade crostini with brie & pork belly, winning the People's Choice Award.

Chile's national flag flies over the Posse cook camp at the first Blues, Bandits & BBQ festival in 2010, oops! (Photo@Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Miller's Smokehouse in Belton is moving on up

Dirk Miller, owner & pitmaster of Miller's Smokehouse in Belton. (Photo ©Michael Ainsworth/ Texas BBQ Posse)

We got a chance to visit Saturday with one of our favorite pitmasters in the state, Dirk Miller of Miller's Smokehouse in Belton. Posse member Marshall Cooper & I first visited Miller's in early 2012, after Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn tweeted about a promising little joint in Belton. It quickly became one of our favorite BBQ places in the state.

Our group of four caught up on all the BBQ news with Dirk, including their move down the street to a much larger space. On our first trip to Miller's four and a half years ago, you walked into a tiny dining room, which has expanded twice since then into a 1600 sq. ft. restaurant. Only 14 months after our first visit, Miller's was named to Texas Monthly's top 50 BBQ joints. Their growing reputation and success since then has been a credit to the Miller family's pursuit of BBQ and dining excellence.

The new restaurant, located a block and a half south on Penelope St., is 7000 sq. ft. and will feature five 1000-gallon indoor smokers. Dirk has the new smokers lined up outside the current building so they will be well-seasoned before the move, which is expected in December. Also, Miller's is now open seven days a week, a rarity in the barbecue business.

I often get the question from co-workers and friends, "I'm heading to Austin the weekend, where's the best BBQ there?" I tell them to pull off I-35 when they get to Belton, then drive a couple of minutes to Miller's Smokehouse. You won't find trendy two-hour lines there, just some of the best BBQ in the entire state. And if he's around, you'll probably get to talk barbecue with one of the top pitmasters in Texas.

Miller's Smokehouse, 208 N Penelope, Belton, 254-939-5500. Open Sun-Thurs 11am until the meat runs out, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm or until the meat runs out.

Work continues on Miller Smokehouse's new location at the corner of Penelope & Central in downtown Belton.
(Photo ©Michael Ainsworth/ Texas BBQ Posse)

Three of Miller Smokehouse's five new 1000-gallon smokers are seasoned beside the current restaurant. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/ Texas BBQ Posse)

And everywhere the BBQ Posse looked there were other posses

Member of the Bandera County Young Life BBQ group pose for a photo with legendary Snow's pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz.
(Photo ©Chris WIlkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I was pretty sure we ran into a first -- for us anyway -- during the Posse's trip to Snow's BBQ in Lexington last weekend.

We met two groups of fellow barbecue lovers, each wearing special shirts championing their meat-loving pursuits.

One group of a half-dozen guys from North Texas wore very nice black and red bowling shirts with the words "BBQ Burnt Ends" above the word "Caliente."

Another similar-sized, but younger, contingent had simple white sleeveless t-shirts that said: "Bandera County Young Life Texas BBQ Tour."

After eating, both groups had their photos taken with Snow's great pit master Tootsie Tomanetz.

"The greatest BBQ Lady in the world," Ric Clark of Burnt Ends wrote when he posted his group's photo with Tootsie on the Posse's Facebook page.

To double check my memory, I consulted with other long-time Posse members. Co-founder Chris Wilkins reminded me that we did run into a couple of California guys at La Barbecue early this year who wore special shirts commemorating their Texas tour.  And while we all remembered meeting many other dedicated barbecue lovers since our barbecue travels began in 2009, no one could remember meeting such similar organized groups.

"It's my impression there are way more organized groups now," Wilkins said later as we discussed the phenomenon by email. "I rarely remember running into groups in the early days. Also, there were no paid tours then either."

He referred to the sponsored tours and other barbecue experiences organized by Drew Thornley at Man Up Texas BBQ, Daniel Vaughn at Texas Monthly's TMBBQ, and others.

The Bandera County Young Life BBQ group digs into a Snow's BBQ feast.
(Photo ©Chris WIlkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

"It's also interesting how many of them have been following us (on the blog) and use that in their planning, much like we did with Daniel's original blog in 2009," Wilkins said.

Before TMBBQ, Vaughn wrote the Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog and still has a Facebook page with that name. In the early days, Full Custom was indeed our barbecue gospel.

So, what's going on here? Is the organized barbecue "posse" concept becoming a thing?

Well, yes, it appears. And the better answer, actually, is "has become" not "becoming."

Jacob Raitz, director of the Bandera County Young Life organization, says this is the fourth year he has led his high school-aged group on a barbecue tour. He continued the idea from his predecessor who started the tours two years previously.

"Barbecue and fellowship just go together," Raitz said in a telephone interview. "They really do. Anything where you sit down and eat a meal together. We're talking about barbecue. We're talking about life."

The Posse couldn't agree more.

Raitz said his group ate barbecue Friday, Saturday and Sunday, visiting Black's, Louie Mueller, and M-Train BBQ as well as Snow's. M-Train is a new joint in Austin, started by a former employee of John Mueller at the trailer site of the former John Mueller Meat Co.

"We do a burger tour in the spring, which is great, but it's nothing like barbecue," Raitz said. "Tootsie gave us all hugs."

To those hugs, and to all the other barbecue posses out there, The Texas BBQ Posse adds its salute.

The BBQ Burnt Ends tour group from the D/FW area pose with Tootsie Tomanetz. (Photo Ric Clark/Facebook)

Cooking up a kosher BBQ storm in Big D

I don't know who invented the double-barreled lede, but old Charlie Dickens had it down:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

After talking to barbecue competition judge Jennifer Shiflett in advance of the Dallas Kosher BBQ Championship next weekend, we found ourselves in need of the same technique.

She said there's no difference in taste between kosher barbecue and regular barbecue. And she wondered if competitors are using too much sauce on some of their entries.

Either idea would make a good lede -- beginning --  for this blog item.

During the interview, we the got the taste question out of the way right at the start:

In a blind test, can you tell the difference between kosher barbecue and regular barbecue?

"Absolutely not," Shiflett, a lifetime member of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, said. "I don't think anybody could."

Shiflett and her husband, Bill, live in Fort Worth and are both Master Certified Judges. They are the KCBS contest representatives at the second annual Dallas Kosher championship at Sunnyland Furniture.

The big difference in kosher competitions, of course, is that there is no pork. Competitors cook beef brisket, beef ribs, chicken and turkey.

All the meats, smokers, grills, knives, utensils, spices and condiments are provided by the organizers to ensure that kosher dietary laws are followed. Teams do their prep work Thursday night. Cooking begins after sundown Saturday and judging begins at noon Sunday (Oct. 30).

The competition is organized by the Men's Club of Congregation Beth Torah in Richardson. Last year, nine teams competed. As of the beginning of this week,  nine teams had registered for this year's event.

Jennifer said that she and Bill do a couple dozen or so competitions a year as judges and competitors. "I bought Bill his first smoker for his birthday in 2010 and it’s been a whirlwind since then," she said.

Regular readers of this blog know that the Posse, generally, is anti sauce. Real Texas barbecue, we think, needs only a good spice rub and smoke. We've been to a few competitions, though, and noticed that many expect sauce. Jennifer concurs.

"It seems like it's gotten sweeter and sweeter over the years," she said. "There's a ton of sauce on chicken and most of the time it's ridiculously sweet."

"I don't think I've seen a dry rib all year," she continued. Judges are even starting to see sauce on brisket. "And I think that's horrifying," she said. Wonderful brisket, with a nice crust, can be cooked with a rub of mainly salt and garlic.

The Posse couldn't agree more. Good luck to all the competitors this week in Dallas.

And, as for Dickens, it's always the best of times in barbecue.

Bill & Jennifer Shiflett at a BBQ competition in 2015. (Courtesy photo) 

The top 10 posts in the history of the Texas BBQ Posse Blog

Our first trip to Snow's BBQ in 2009 was a life-changing event for a group of friends. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

If a milestone occurs and no one notices, is it still a milestone?

That question certainly doesn't rank with the great philosophical barbecue debates -- i.e., foil or butcher paper? -- but it is something we're pondering this week.

Why?

This is the 400th published post since we launched the Texas BBQ Posse blog in March of 2010, six and one-half years ago.

The initial post in our Barbecue Chronicles is still one of my favorites. It was about our first trip to the Central Texas barbecue heartland. We ate at Snow's, Louie Mueller Barbecue, Smitty's Market and Kreuz Market the same day.

"Think of the fullest you have ever been at a Thanksgiving meal, then multiply by two," Posse member Gary Barber said at the time.

And the trip coined what has become the guiding principle in all our travels: "Let the meat speak for itself," Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins said.

For barbecue fans, such wisdom is worthy of Socrates.

In the years since, the Posse has roamed a good portion of the state in search of great barbecue and found plenty, including a trip to Aaron Franklin's original Austin trailer operation in the autumn of 2010.

"Is this the best brisket in Texas?" we wondered then. In a close vote, yes, it was. Re-reading the post now makes me nostalgic. Eating at Franklin's little trailer was a truly wonderful experience.

That Franklin post remains the sixth most read in the history of the blog, which has totaled nearly 1.4 million page views overall.

The two most popular posts by far were by Marshall Cooper and Wilkins. They explain, in words and photos, how to smoke a great backyard brisket and how to use butcher paper to wrap brisket during a cook.

Together, those posts account for roughly 10 percent of the blog's total traffic. Weekends and holidays, as people get ready to fire up their smokers, they still get lots of readers.

So, on this milestone that someone is noticing, here are the top 10 posts (with links) in Posse blog history:

1. Pit talk: How to smoke a great backyard brisket.
2. Butcher paper wrapped brisket.
3. Tips for choosing a backyard smoker.
4. The thrill is gone from New Zion Missionary Baptist Church BBQ.
5. Road trip to Llano.
6. Franklin Barbecue -- Is this the best brisket in Texas?
7. Barbecue Chronicles: Back to East Texas.
8. First trip to 3 Stacks.
9. Map of the Posse's favorite joints.
10. Hipster pitmasters...a barbecue revolution.

Backyard BBQ guru Marshall Cooper has shared his smoking techniques with thousands of Posse blog readers.
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

The Posse finds that John Lewis, indeed, has arrived in Carolina

(Note: Posse members Mike and Libby Gagne recently visited John Lewis' new barbecue joint. This is Mike's report from that visit.)

Charleston, South Carolina has long been a culinary destination showcasing some of the most American of cuisines.

Lewis Barbecue, the eponymous BBQ haven for Texas pit master John Lewis opened just a few months back and has caught the attention of many along the eastern seaboard.

Given the Posse's past with John and the mark he left at places like Franklin, John Mueller BBQ, and La Barbecue, being only an hour away from our beach vacation spot seemed too apropos and we had no problem convincing the rest of our party that a lunch excursion to Charleston was in order.

It was immediately apparent that John Lewis has arrived.

Situated in East Central Charleston, Lewis finds itself the newest and most modern construction in its area but it’s clear this mixed commercial/industrial neighborhood is growing rapidly.

In many ways it feels much like East Austin not but 10 years ago. Lots of old, historic buildings; a good deal of industrial zoning, and a few run down lots sprinkled in with new developments.

The restaurant venue was clearly new and intentional in design with a striking modern feel that had more than enough rustic elements to continually remind you this is a real BBQ, not someplace for show.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the attention to detail on everything from the custom made pits, the oak filled wood cage, the picnic table area laid out neatly under a sprawling oak, the full cocktail bar with beers on tap, and the dual meat-cutting lines – something that really helped the line move quickly.

Subtle and not so subtle tips of the hat to Lewis’ Texas roots were all through the restaurant. Horseshoe stamps and lassos adorned the wall and directly above the line hung a horned steer. The horchata and Texas beers at the bar reminded me of East Austin bars.

But the coup de grace was the the massive “All Hail The King” beef mural outside the restaurant on the adjacent building. It shined like a BBQ beacon to those parked through the neighborhood and looking for the restaurant. There were even directions painted on the sidewalks and road around the neighborhood.

We arrived to a moderate 5 minute wait in line -- on a Saturday! -- and wore our favorite BBQ shirts, me with La BBQ and my daughter in her Franklin BBQ tee. We were greeted by two friendly employees who quickly recognized the Franklin shirt and began chatting us up.

We made sure we got a little bit of everything. The Texas brisket, hot guts and beef rib, some Carolina pulled pork, and some thin sliced turkey along with a smattering of sides.

The brisket was just as we remembered from the La Barbecue's heyday: moist and smoky, perfectly tender and full of flavor. Libby and our daughter, Ella, were partial to the beef rib, which is always a favorite.

The pulled pork was juicy and filled with flavor, and not the over-dried stuff we can sometimes see in Texas. The turkey, the often forgotten smoked meat that John tended to perfection at Franklin, was as good as we’d remembered (and the first thing we’d run out of). The hot gut had an excellent snap, and more spice than we’d remembered.

We were lucky to visit Lewis BBQ on a Saturday, the only day of the week they serve beef ribs. While certainly not the lowest cost alternative (a single rib cost over $50), it was well worth it!

The bone effortlessly slipped out of the meat, which was smoky and crusty on the outside and absolutely tender and delicious on the inside.

Our baby, Jake, loved gnawing on the massive bone.  In fact, he had the beef rib bone in one hand and a pork rib bone in the other, a true Posse member in the making.

We weren’t the only ones who drove a ways for good food.  Another guest recognized our shirts and was wearing a Franklin hat of his own.  He was from Dallas and had convinced his family, who lived in the Charlotte area, to drive nearly seven hours round trip for a taste.

His family didn’t even come inside.  They waited in the minivan while he ordered take out, and their plan was to take it to a nearby park and stretch their legs while eating.

Behind the restaurant is a separate building where the BBQ magic is created.  John wasn't there during our visit, but according to the manager, John and his dad built four huge smokers out of propane tanks, and they are happy to take customers back there for a tour.

When we went to check it out, the pit master (an apprentice of John’s) was smoking a couple dozen briskets, and estimated there was room for nearly 40 on each smoker.  So this place has room to scale up. The halved horseshoes welded to the handles and the custom Lewis branding iron highlighted the Lewis craftsmanship -- it starts with the metalwork and ends with the food.

Contrary to the good-old-days, when visitors had to get there bright and early for a chance to sample the delicious meats before they sold out, lunch is no longer the busiest time of day.  In the short time the restaurant had been open, the line now has a tendency to extend out the door at dinner time.

Despite being open only a few weeks at the time of our visit, the restaurant had already become a destination.

Lewis Barbecue, 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC, (843) 805-9500, www.lewisbarbecue.com.

Former La Barbecue pitmaster John Lewis and his new brisket pit in 2013. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

How to make the best smoked pimento cheese in the world*

From start to finish, here's a look at Bryan Gooding's amazing smoked pimento cheese. Photos ©Bryan Gooding

* Or, at least in Oak Cliff, Texas

For a while, I've been trying to persuade good friend and fellow Posse member Bryan Gooding to write about some of his barbecue recipes.

But the reigning chicken king of Oak Cliff has been reluctant to share. He has guarded his secrets as closely as Kentucky Fried.

Maybe for good reason. Bryan has twice won the award for best chicken at the Blues, Bandits & BBQ cook-off, including last year. He also has won best sausage and, along with his wife, Martha, helped the BBQ Posse win two People's Choice awards. The seventh annual Blues, Bandits is scheduled for November in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood. It's always a fun time.

Since moving to the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest earlier this year, however, Bryan has changed. Is he becoming less competitive in his advancing years? Has the mellow mood of the island life got him with all the tree felling and crab trapping?

Whatever the reason, Bryan has decided to reveal some of his secrets, in his own words and photos, starting with his great smoked pimento cheese:

Hatch Pimento Cheese (Apple Smoked)

This has always been a favorite to serve at the Blues, Bandits, BBQ Cook-off and has been a good give-away to the testing crowds.

Personalize the recipe through your choice of wood, flavor of cheese and the type of fresh pepper.

During hatch season I usually smoke a large bag of hot and mild hatch peppers. Anytime I smoke I usually throw in jalapenos while the pit is warming up.  Poblano peppers are also good to use and are a milder alternative.

Once smoked, seed and dice them. You can freeze any leftovers for use later. Also be careful not to overwhelm your cheese with too much smoke or use woods that can taste tarry (mesquite).

Once made, store your pimento cheese in the refrigerator and it can last about a week.  This recipe will produce about six cups of pimento cheese.

8 large hatch peppers diced (smoked and seeded)
2 lb. block gouda cheese (avail. Costco), cheddar or Monterrey Jack
3 - 4 oz jars sliced or diced pimento peppers, drained and chopped finely
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Set up smoker with a small chimney of charcoal  and, once lit, add the wood of your choice.

I have done this recipe with alder, pecan, oak, and apple. I consider these milder woods and therefore work well with cheese.

This is a chance to personalize your taste.  Keep fire low or starved back to produce lots of smoke but low heat. Ideally try to keep the heat under 175 degrees.

Cut the Gouda cheese into approximately one-inch strips to expose as much surface area of the cheese to the smoke. I wrap an aluminum tray in foil (the whole tray so the smoke doesn’t stain it!) and lay cheese out evenly.

Place in smoker as far from fire as possible and low in the cooking chamber.  I smoke until cheese begins to lose shape but not puddle. In these photos,  this took about 30 minutes at 175 degrees.

After cheese cools, shred by hand or food processor.

In a large mixing bowl combine cheese, diced peppers (pimento and your second pepper) with mayonnaise and cayenne pepper. Then chill.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Can be served on a BBQ slider or alone as an everyday pimento cheese sandwich.

Enjoy.

Bryan Gooding, aka the Chicken King of Oak Cliff. Photo © R.J. Hinkle

In praise of the Cornell Recipe and Bob Baker, the Aaron Franklin of chicken

Cooking Cornell Recipe chicken at the Rochester Canoe Club in the early 1980s. Photo: Gary Jacobson

Within our great barbecue family, none of us stands alone. We're all influenced by someone or something else. Friends, relatives, pit masters, other cooks, experts, bloggers, books and all the joints we've ever visited, good and bad.

One of my main influences occurred almost 40 years ago when I first encountered the Cornell Recipe.

For fans of Texas barbecue who love dry rubs and post oak smoke, this may be a bit jarring. The Cornell Recipe is for a sauce -- a vinegar and oil marinade, if you prefer -- used on chicken.

The recipe is wonderful in its simplicity (see below). And it allows for some great barbecue theater.

On a long, cement-block pit, I've helped cook chicken for 100 guests, periodically splashing the sizzling quarters and halves into a pot of the sauce and then returning them to the grate. As the charcoal burned down, we lifted the heavy grates and kicked out a layer of blocks to get the chicken closer to the heat.

Labor intensive, yes. But lots of fun to cook…and to watch. It can be barbecue as performance art, even when you're using the Weber in your back yard.

Dr. Robert C. Baker
Photo: Cornell University

Dr. Robert C. Baker, a college professor, developed the sauce recipe while at Penn State after World War II. He took it with him to Cornell when he moved to the Ithaca, N.Y., school, and served it for decades at his Baker's Chicken Coop at the New York State Fair in Syracuse.

I "discovered" the Cornell Recipe in the late 1970s while working in Rochester, N.Y., about 90 miles from Ithaca. Ever since, the sauce has been a barbecue mainstay for me. Even hard-core barbecue fans like it. Meathead Goldwyn praises the sauce on his Amazing Ribs Web site.

While the recipe alone would be enough to put Baker in my culinary pantheon, he created many other food innovations, including poultry hot dogs, turkey ham and chicken nuggets, long before McDonald's. The New York Times once called Baker "something of a chicken Edison."

To translate that into Texan, we might call Baker the Aaron Franklin of chicken.

There's even a humorous song about his exploits:

O, Nugget Man
O, Nugget Man
Headin’ on down to that old Promised Land
Happy the meals all have been since the day
That the Nugget Man came our way

Baker died in 2006 at age 84. Before his memorial service, they held a chicken barbecue in his honor at his church.

In our great barbecue family, that rates among the highest forms of tribute.

Cornell Chicken Barbecue Sauce Recipe
From the Cornell Web site:

(enough for 10 halves)
1 cup cooking oil
1 pint cider vinegar
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg

Beat the egg, then add the oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir. The recipe can be varied to suit individual tastes.

Note:  I use kosher salt.

A return visit confirms, Killen's BBQ is one of the best in Texas

Phil's lunch of brisket, ribs, turkey & Sausage at Killen's Barbecue in Pearland. (Photo ©Phil Lamb)

Posse member Phil Lamb checks in this week with a dispatch from Houston:

The passage of time plays funny tricks on the BBQ mind. For example, I often wonder whether a particular joint serving above-average 'cue will hold up over time. This is especially true of out-of-town spots we don't regularly visit. Similarly, I occasionally wonder whether a joint we once ranked as "outstanding" was really all that special. It's as if doubt starts to creep in after a few months go by. Did that brisket really rank on my top 5? Were those REALLY the best ribs ever?

So it was nice to get to Killen's Barbecue on Wednesday and be reminded of how great their BBQ really is. We loved our first visit on the Houston Redemption BBQ Tour and Killen's was every bit as good this week. Both the Wagyu brisket and the "regular" brisket were spot on, the sausage and ribs were stellar and I'd put their turkey up against any other smoked turkey in the state. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Ronnie Killen is a star pitmaster and Killen's BBQ ranks among the best in Texas.

Killen’s Texas Barbecue, 3613 E. Broadway, Pearland. 281-485-2272. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until the meat runs out. killensbarbecue.com

The line forms early at Killen's Barbecue in Pearland. (Photo ©Phil Lamb)

The Posse returns to Central Texas and not a bad bite of barbecue was had

The Texas BBQ Posse returns to Snow's BBQ in Lexington. (L-R) Mark Vamos, Jim Rossman, Bruce Tomaso, Chris Wilkins, Michael Ainsworth, Gary Jacobson, Daniel Goncalves & Tom Fox. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

We weren't on the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston. And it wasn't snowing. Still, James Taylor would have liked the scene.

In the early morning sun, a white frosting covered the fields along the highway from Austin to Lexington, Texas. Ice crystals glistened, almost as if they made their own light.

It was a nice way to begin a barbecue tour, especially since we were headed to Snow's BBQ, open only Saturdays, where brisket for breakfast remains one of the Posse's favorite meals since we first visited the place in 2009.

I recently moved to Austin so Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins and I were driving from there, an hour or so west of Snow's. Others were making the road trip from Dallas, about 180 miles north. A few more Posse members would join us at later stops.

Legendary Snow's BBQ pitmaster Tootsie Tomantez works the pits during our visit. (Photo ©Tom Fox) 

Over two days, the Posse ate at seven places, most ranked among the top handful of barbecue joints in the state, including Franklin Barbecue and La Barbecue in Austin.

Other stops, all in Austin, were John Mueller Meat Co., Freedmen's Bar, Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ, and Micklethwait Craft Meats.

We also planned to visit Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew, but were so stuffed from earlier eating that we had to wave the white flag of smoked meat and surrender until another time.

"Not a bad bite was taken, though some of us, like me, took too many bites," Posse member Michael Meadows said of the tour.

Taste highlights were the brisket at Franklin, the brisket and egg tacos at Valentina's, the pit chili at Freedmen's and just about everything on the menu at La Barbecue, a food trailer that also offers free beer and live music.

The massive beef rib at La Barbecue was a hit with the Posse. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins)

"My absolute favorite was the beef rib at La Barbecue," said Scott Montgomery, Meadows' brother-in-law, making his first tour with the Posse.

Wilkins ordered the giant rib -- at $22 a pound it cost $47 -- and shared it with everyone. My 21-month-old grand daughter, Ella Gagne, loved it, too.

Ella also dined on the spicy pinto beans at Franklin the next day. That was a love-hate relationship. She'd eat a few beans, cry and clamor for water to ease the heat, then take another bite and repeat the process. It's early in her barbecue-eating career, but she appears to have the makings of a first-rate Posse member. She is a little crystal that does generate her own light.

Her four-month-old brother, Jake, also made a couple stops with us. He smiled a lot so he fit right in with the group, but he didn't eat any barbecue. Maybe next time.

The longest lines we encountered were at La Barbecue and Franklin. Steve Hecht, a reader of this blog from California, saved us a lot of time at La Barbecue. He was making a tour of Texas joints, based in part on some of our posts. He was near the front of the line and discovered we were near the end so came back to talk.

Hecht then let us piggyback on his order, saving us at least an hour and a half of waiting. Thank you, Steve.

Man's best friend joins in the line at Franklin Barbecue on a chilly Saturday morning. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

Sunday morning, while the main Posse party went to Valentina's for breakfast, I got in line at Franklin at 7:35. The place opens at 11 a.m.

It was 36 degrees and there were already 20 people and one dog ahead of me. The first person in line told me that he arrived at 5:30. We all wore parkas or several layers of warm clothing and head coverings. Some wore gloves.

The wait, even in the cold, is a social experience and the time goes fast. People bring chairs and drinks and play cards or other games. The guy behind me had been a U.S. Army tank commander in Europe who was soon deploying to Korea. I got a quick lesson in depleted uranium tank-buster shells.

My daughter, Libby Gagne, mother of Ella and Jake, joined me about 90 minutes or so into the wait. She lives a short distance from Franklin and brought hot coffee and pastries. The Posse contingent from Valentina's arrived soon after that bringing extra tacos.

Brisket breakfast tacos at Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

"That's the best breakfast taco I've ever eaten," Wilkins said, handing me the warm bag. Libby and I sampled one. Chris might be right.

After the doors opened and we moved inside, our attention was drawn to a photograph of Aaron and Stacy Franklin and crew at their original trailer, first set up in 2009 near I-35 and 34th Street.

The menu listed the price of brisket then at $13 a pound. Now, it's $20, more than a 50 percent increase. Seems like a lot, but Austin home prices have also shot up over the same span. Shelter and barbecue, after all, are two necessities of life.

Stuffed, we headed to our last stop, Micklethwait, a short drive away. It's a trailer operation in a nice park-like spot. Some of the Posse had headed back to Dallas after Franklin.

The few of us left ordered a three-meat platter with a couple of sides. We barely picked at the food but it was all good. I found myself thinking that this would be a great weekday lunch spot for anyone living in Austin, then quickly remembered, that's me!

I'll be back.

Return to Austin BBQ Tour  

Saturday Jan 23

6:30am: Leave Dallas, meet at Snow’s around 9am  (178 miles to Lexington)

9am: Snow’s BBQ, 516 Main St, Lexington, 979-773-4640. Open Sat. 8am–12pm or until the meat runs out.  (66 miles to Austin)   (Texas Monthly Top 50)

noon: La Barbecue, 1906 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, 512-605-9696. Open Wed & Sun 11am-6pm or until sold out, Thurs-Sat 11am-9pm or until sold out.   (Texas Monthly Top 50)

3pm: John Mueller Meat Co., 2500 E. 6th Street, Austin, Open Thurs-Tues (closed Wed) 10:30am-6pm or until sold out.  (Texas Monthly Top 50)

7pm: Freedmen’s Bar, 2402 San Gabriel St., Austin, 512-220-0953. Open Tues-Wed & Sun 11am-10pm, Thurs-Sat 11am-midnight.

Overnight in Austin

Sunday Jan 24

8:30am: Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ, 7612 Brodie Ln, Austin, 512-221-4248. Open 7 days a week 8am-10pm.  (trailer/breakfast tacos)

11am: Franklin Barbecue, 900 E 11th St, 512-653-1187. Open Tues-Sun 11am-until the meat runs out.     (Texas Monthly Top 50)

1pm: Micklethwait Craft Meats,  1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, 512-791-5961.  Open Tues-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

2:30pm: Head back to Dallas (195 miles)

Out late Saturday lunch at John Mueller Meat Co. was stellar.   (Photo ©Tom Fox)

The wait at La BBQ was over two hours from the back of the line. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

Ribs are pulled off the pit at Snow's BBQ in Lexington. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

The Texas Capitol dome hovers in the background across I-35 from Franklin Barbecue. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

The brisket, ribs and sausage at Franklin Barbecue were among the best of the weekend. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

A photo of Aaron & Stacy Franklin from their original BBQ trailer hangs on the wall at Franklin Barbecue. (Photo ©Tom Fox)

Posse member Jim Rossman enjoys breakfast at Snow's BBQ. (Photo ©Tom Fox)