In the first installment of my Texas barbecue quest, I wrote generally about the differences between Texas and Memphis barbecue styles. Now it’s time to talk about some real live Texas barbecue.

For my first foray into Texas barbecue, I didn’t want to be disappointed so I went after the best I could find. There are a few local favorites, but I ultimately decided on The Salt Lick. The Salt Lick is a central Texas institution located about 45 minutes southwest of downtown Austin on a nice spread of land in Driftwood. In 1967 Thurman Roberts built their first pit to supply locals with great food using family recipes passed down since just after the Civil War. From there, popularity grew and now the full-service restaurant seats over 800 patrons.

When you first arrive, you feel like you are entering a ranch. After driving through country roads for a bit, the entrance to Salt Lick is obvious and bounded by its own vineyard. Since it is a BYOB establishment (!), and us being a fresh group of MPA students enjoying a beautiful Saturday, we carried our beer to the hostess stand and were immediately seated. Right as you walk in, you see what all the fuss is about. The pit is there to greet you and lay out your options in plain sight. It definitely didn’t make choosing what meat to eat any easier.

So, as you can tell, at this point I am pretty excited about eating some barbecue. Since I’ve heard brisket is the centerpiece of Texas barbecue, I went with a combo platter of burnt brisket and ribs (to compare to my Memphis ribs, of course!). It wasn’t long before our meals arrived. The ribs were “fallin’ off the bone” good and a formidable match for the legendary Rendezvous ribs in downtown Memphis. The brisket came in three styles, but after hearing the description of the burnt brisket, I had to try it first. It was caramelized to perfection. On top of that, the tangy sauce meshed perfectly with everything. Yes, this is as good as or better than West Tennessee barbecue.

While you’re in Austin, you have to try The Salt Lick. You will not be disappointed! There are a few other places I’ve heard about and still need to get around to trying, such as Franklin’s and la Barbecue. Nonetheless, I am now a believer in Central Texas Barbecue!