BBQ Porn
Texas Monthly Barbecue Festival gives meat lovers what they want, Austin'sFranklin takes home a win
We could go on and on about the succulent smokiness and finger-licking barbecue this state has to offer, but Texas Monthly already did something better by inviting the very best of the best in the entire state to the Texas Monthly Barbecue Festival to show off why barbecue is a Texas institution.
Smoke pits and pitmasters lined the lawns of the Long Center early Sunday morning as Texas Monthly staff and volunteers pitched tents and set up tables for an onslaught of barbecue lovers. About 500 VIPs got a head start at noon, with a chance to taste all the barbecue they could get their hands on before about 2,500 general ticket holders crowded the front terrace, rolled their sleeves up and dug in. They also enjoyed quintessential Texas tunes from Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel and Jimmy Vaughan.
Twenty-three ‘cue joints from across the state participated, many of which were from Central Texas, including Franklin Barbecue, The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que, Opie’s BBQ, Louie Mueller Barbecue, Taylor Cafe, Smitty’s Market and City Meat Market. The longest lines formed behind Lexington’s Snow’s BBQ, where owner Kerry Bexley and pitmaster Ms. Tootsie cheerfully handed out ample amounts of perfect brisket and sausage, proving why Texas Monthly named them the best barbecue in the entire state in 2008.
Though it's a tough call, some of my personal favorites for the day are: Snow’s, Snow’s and Snow’s for brisket and sausage, as well as Franklin Barbecue brisket, Louie Mueller Barbecue beef ribs, Cousin’s BBQ pork ribs and Salt Lick Bar-B-Que sauce.
We've got a tasty photo gallery to sum up the afternoon. Barbecue is a touchy subject for most people across the state, but whether you like it sliced, chopped, smoked on pecan or oak, served with a side or beans, slaw or just a jalepeno and a slice of onion, we saw it all and then some...
Enjoy the slide show, and as we say in Central Texas, hold the sauce please.
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People's Choice Winners 2011:
Best Pork Ribs: Stanley's of Tyler
Best Brisket: Franklin's of Austin
Best Beef Ribs: Louie Mueller BBQ of Taylor
Best Sausage: Louie Mueller BBQ of Taylor