I've got a dirty secret. I'm a Texan.
I was born in Bryan, grew up in Dallas, and went to Rice University in Houston. Since then I've bounced back and forth between Texas and California, but whenever I can I try to make it back to Austin.
Over the next three weeks I'll be updating the OP blog daily with some of my favorite things to see, do, and eat while you're in Austin for the World Championships.
Church of the Pit
Barbecue is essentially a religion. People can't even agree on what "barbecue" means, much less settle on what regional flavor is the best.
So let's start off with the basics. Barbecue, or BBQ, should only refer to meat that is cooked slowly over low heat from charcoal and natural woods. If your using high heat and propane, you're "grilling", not barbecuing. I don't want to hear any arguments - you're wrong. Get over it.
Now people have gotten into fistfights over BBQ. Some like sweet, wet sauces like Memphis ribs. Other people claim that the Carolina-style pulled pork with their spicy, vinegar sauce is the best. My in-laws are fans of Kansas City BBQ, which uses a variety of meats and a sweet, spicy sauce served on the side.
To be honest, all of them can be good. It all depends on teh pit master, the meat, and wood.
And friends, the best pit in Texas is Snow's BBQ.
Located about 50 miles east of Austin, Snow's BBQ is more of a pilgrimage than a meal. They are only open on Saturdays, and are usually sold out by noon. But the journey is worth it. Snow's was crowned the best BBQ in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine.
If your schedule doesn't allow you to make it to Snow's, then make sure you try to get to one of Top 5 Pits in Texas while you are in town. I'll also cover the best places in Austin in a future post.
We'll be discussing these posts and other things to do in Austin in this thread. The local players have put together an awesome PDF of Austin info as well, so be sure to check that out.
See y'all tomorrow!
Ben