Best BBQ One Hour from Austin, Texas?

I need a quick recommendation for BBQ within up to a one-hour drive from Austin for a friend.  I know there are a bunch of places in Lockhart, Elgin and Taylor, but which is best?

MD-
I was in Austin over the weekend.  Before then, I would have suggested Louie Mueller's.  Local Roadfooder Bushie joined us there on Saturday and he told me that Smitty's in Lockhart was his #1.  We went to Smitty's the next day and at least on this trip, it was clearly better. 

Here's the "famous" Texas Monthly "Top 50" article on TX BBQ:
 
http://www.texasmonthly.com/magazine/bbq
 
They named Snow's as #1.  As a result, I have seen Snow's featured on (and getting the highest praise from) all over the "foodie" cable networks.  Problem is that Snow's is only open Saturday mornings, so your friend had better be a hardy purist to tackle Snow's.
 
If your friend is a "semi-purist"  BB's recommendations above are excellent and more easily visited.
 
If he just wants to "chow down" at a place which has been featured and highly praised on all the cable shows - Bourdain, Richman, Flay, etc. have them go to the Salt Lick:  http://www.saltlickbbq.com/ .  This is "showtime" open pit BBQ with all the "niceties", i.e., knives, forks, plates, sauces, etc.
 
Wherever they go, they are in for a real "Texas Treat".
 

Unless your friend eats BBQ day and night, wherever they land, they are likely to have an exceptional experience.  Given that, you can't go wrong with any of the places named above, but I'd like to throw one more hat into the ring.
 
I LOVE Southside Market in Elgin.  From my own personal experience, I'd rate Louie Mueller's and Smitty's ahead of Salt Lick, but I didn't go to the original Salt Lick - just the one in Round Rock.  Southside, in my mind, is just as good as LM and Smitty's -and, the tie-breaker...it is closer to central Austin.
 
If your buddy is in the mold of the true Roadfooder, then the lure to Lockhart would be the convenience of going to more than one BBQ joint - Smitty's, Kreutz's and Black's are all within a stone's throw of one another.

The original Saltlick west of Austin is outstanding but I found the one on the river to be just marginal.
 
In Lockhart, Smitty's had by far the best sausage and I thought that Kreuz had the best brisket.
 
I have been to all several times.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Next weekend I will be introducing my Grandson and his other Grandpa to the BBQ in that part of Texas. Friday night we will be in Temple,TX. probably eating Czech food from West,TX or from Green's Sausage House, where they will process some of our anticipated pork from the hunt into Jalopena Sausage!
 
While I like the BBQ at the Driftwood location of the Salt Lick, we'll go their mainly for the ambience of the big pit in the foyer. I want photos of the kid at that pit!! Their 'Que' is good, but far below Louis Muellers and the Lockhart Pits.
Louis Muellers is less than a mile from our motel in Taylor Saturday and Sunday nights, plus I want the boy to try the BBQ and search for my posted business cards on the famous wall in the smokey old dining area.
I will probably pass on Kreuz Mrk, but will be sure to visit Blacks and Smitty's at least once. AND on the way out a stop at City Market could be in order

Snow's is out, since it's over an hour from Austin (I've done that drive).  It's also only open on saturday, and you've got to get up and rolling rather early from Austin to pull it off.  While I had outstanding brisket there, the sausage was so-so, and the ribs lousy.
 
Check out my thread from April: Austin, TX, Three days of BBQ and Food Carts.
 
But in summary, I'd recommend the following, in order:
1. Don't look beyond Austin before trying Franklin BBQ in Austin proper.  Really.
2. City Market in Luling barely makes the "1 hour" criteria, but it's worth it.
3. As mayor al says, the Salt Lick has great ambiance.
 
Obligatory Franklin pic:

 
 
 

I was very disappointed on my last trip to Louie Muller BBQ 6 weeks ago. 
Nothing seemed to be as good as when Bobby was alive. Bobby's son Wayne Mueller was not there that day and their new crew just didn't seem to "click" as well as the old crew. But most disappointing was the BBQ. Just not as good as it was in the "olde" days. Sorry, Mayor Al but the beef rib was not as good or, as big as it used to be and, they gave me jalapeno sausage instead of the regular sausage which I had asked for.
In Lockart, personally I prefer Smitty's and Black's to Kruez Market. But, that's just me.
I was totally bummed that trip because I was really looking forward to visiting Franklin BBQ for the first time on the Monday I was scheduled to go home. As it turned out, that was the first Monday they had decided to be closed Monday's.
I hope no one will be offended by this YouTube Hitler rant regarding Franklin BBQ. But, it's too funny and I just had to share with y'all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaZx6kGs7pg   

That Hitler rant is going to have me chuckling the rest of the day.

kaszeta


That Hitler rant is going to have me chuckling the rest of the day.

Before Twin reminded me I had forgotten all about the "Hitler rants".   For the longest while they weren't on YouTube because copyright was claimed by the producers of the original movie.  This one is a "blast from the past" that I laughted so hard at first seeing I got a spasm in my side.  It's a good thing I didn't have a mouth full of Texas brisket in mo mouth, otherwise I'd have choked to death!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4D14aMMBTM 

Thanks, Jim. Off the BBQ topic, I've never seen a "Hitler rant" that didn't split my side from laughing.
Some are better than others but I've never seen one that failed to make me laugh my @$$ off! They're addictive. Once you start watching one, you have to watch more. Most are listed on the right side of the YouTube window.

Thanks everybody for the recommendations!  They went to Lockhart, and got bbq from Smitty's and Black's.  Here is my friend's wife's report on the trip on her blog:
 
http://www.savvywinegirl.com/?p=2311225654
 
By the way, he is Jeffrey Elliot, the author of  The ZWILLING JA HENCKELS Complete Book of Knife Skills.
 
http://www.facebook.com/#!/jselliot
 
They are in Austin for the IACP convention.  (International Association of Culinary Professionals).
 
 

I have to agree with everybody on this thread. I am fortunate that I live and work in Austin and get this wonderful stuff year 'round but there is a brick pit on my property and I'm getting pretty good making my own. Even bought a sausage stuffer at Cabela's but the jury is still out on my abilities with it.

MD-
Thanks for the follow up.  I was curious as to where your friends ended up going.  Looks like they were happy with their choices.