Texas BBQ Road Trip in October

A little quick help please.  I originally had Family Tradition BBQ in Waelder, TX on my list for Thursday but understand it is closed so I need to replace it.  Would you recommend Gonzalez Food Market or Novosad's BBQ?  I think I will only be able to don one since I will be heading back to Lockhart for my new travel partner who has never been there.  After those I will hit City Market Luling and City Market Schulenburg with an overnight in La Grange so I can get to Prauses bright and early.  This may all change but it is my best guess as of right now.

Twinwillow


Hitler's, Franklin's BBQ rant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaZx6kGs7pg

That was the absolute funniest thing I have seen since the Jon Stewart rant against Trump's choice of NY style pizza.
 
Thank you, made my night

Happy to know you enjoyed it.

This isn't the line for a ride at Disneyland. It's the daily morning line at Franklin's BBQ in Austin, Texas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2gyfO12Njs

Day 5      San Antonio, TX to La Grange, TX  (Déjà vu All Over Again)
 
Austin, TX – Franklins BBQ
I picked my buddy up at the San Antonio airport intending to head pretty much straight East picking off a few BBQ places before stopping in La Grange, TX for the night.  Plans change.  When checking in with my wife on the telephone she asked if I was going back to Franklin’s.  At first I said of course not we have new places to hit and then after telling my buddy about my first trip to Franklin’s we altered the GPS and off we went.  We arrived around 11:30 am this time and the line was not particularly long, snaking down the stairs and not quite to the parking area.  A mobile seller of drinks provided us a couple of Lone Stars to ease the wait.  The helpful “advance order” person was tallying orders and told us we would likely not get any ribs which, although disappointing, was expected.  Sure enough when we got to the cutting station the ribs were gone so we got a mix of brisket, sausage and turkey.  I’m still amazed at the volume of meat that comes on a mixed plates and I warned my partner to pace himself so as not to over-indulge too early…we had more stops to make.  As with my visit just two days earlier I found that the brisket was “truly and absolutely amazing” with “a huge layer of bark, super juicy and incredibly tender (both the wet and dry portions”) and “at least ½ pound of brisket included on the plate”.  Sausage and turkey were also great and I won’t repeat the earlier reviews I provided on Day 3.  This is still the best BBQ I have ever eaten.  Overall Score:  5.0 Stars (I would give it 6 stars if that were available) 

 
Lockhart, TX  -  Kruez Market
Last on the Déjà vu trail was Kruez with very similar results to day 3.  The rib was the standout and since my buddy had not had the sublime Franklin’s ribs it set the new high water mark.  Overall Score:  4.0 Stars

 
Kyle, TX  -  Texas Pie Company
I didn’t really need a slice of pie but my buddy did need something to take the edge off of all the BBQ…he is a novice at this so I took him back to the Texas Pie Company.  I remembered my wife wishing she had seen the pumpkin pecan pie as we left the place last time and thought it would be  wonderful gesture to eat a piece of that and then call here and tell her what she missed out on.  My buddy had pecan which was good as well and as I mentioned previously getting a whole pie instead of a mini would make them even better.  By the way, my wife didn’t think my rubbing in the pumpkin pecan pie eating was a good of an idea as I did.  Overall Score:  Not Rated…it wasn’t BBQ

 
Luling, TX  -  City Market Market
It was finally time to stop reliving the past and chart some new ground so we were off to Luling prior to closing time.  What a great stop.  The brisket was amazing with a superior smoke ring although not quite up to Franklin’s and J Mueller’s very high  standards.  The sausage was perfect and the rib was outstanding rivaling the most excellent rib of the day at Kruez.  The rib’s barky exterior and meat texture was every bit as good as the Kruez rib but lacked just a bit of that salt and coarse pepper spice.  Although I don’t put a lot of weight on sauce I will say that I like the orange mustardy sauce that is provided when eating at Luling as it adds and interesting zippy flavor, especially the brisket.  Looking at City Markets total offerings it was a very strong contender and I could easily see this being one of my go to spots if I lived in the area.  Overall Score:  4.0 Stars (perhaps 4.25 since it was slightly better overall than Kruez)

 

Re: Smitty's. IMHO, they serve the best beans of all the aforementioned hallowed halls of BBQ. Glad you noticed and mentioned it.

Day 6      La Grange, TX to Durant, OK
 
La Grange, TX – Weikel’s Bakery
I thought this would be a cute little bakery hidden away somewhere in La Grange but turned out to be a large convenience store setup with gas pumps.  Despite the surprising building the fruit kolaches were quite simply amazing.  They are best described as a Danish style dough that has not been “booked” (folded over and over again to make the dough layers flaky).  Wonderfully buttery and sweet.  I only wish I had brought a few dozen back with me to prove to my family how good they are and satisfy my craving for more.  A great first stop of the day.  Not Rated…it wasn’t BBQ

 
La Grange, TX  -  Prause’s Meat Market
On a previous trip Prause’s produced my favorite sausage.  Since then I think I have acquired a preference for the Central Texas style more than the polish style served up at Prause’s which is a very good example indeed.  Brisket was very nice with a thick bark but just a little on the dry side.  I still like Prause’s because it is such an active traditional meat market in addition to selling great BBQ.  Overall Score:  3.0 Stars

 
Schulenburg, TX  - City Market
I arrived just after 11:00 am to make sure I had a shot at all City Market had to offer and got a nice polish style sausage and brisket, no ribs that day.  Similar to Prause’s visit except a lesser quality experience with the brisket.  A tasty mustard flavor sauce similar in flavor to Luling City Market without the orange color.  Probably not worth a return trip for me next time as I didn’t see a lot of promise for an improvement next trip.  Overall Score:  2.0 Stars

 
Giddings, TX  -  City Market
What a find.  City Market – Giddings is a really great stop that had a very authentic atmosphere full of locals enjoying some very good BBQ.  Unlike many of my stops that were accustomed to seeing BBQ Road Trip Tourists I got some strange looks as I took pictures of the venue and my food.  The brisket and sausage were both very good examples with ample smoke and bark on the tender brisket.  The rib offering was outstanding and among the best of the trip.  A nice offering of pretty standard sauce that is served warn in a Styrofoam cup.  I did learn not to shake the large bottle of vinegar as there is a small hole in the top of the lid.  Overall Score:  4.0 Stars (perhaps 4.25 since it was as good as Luling City Market slightly better overall than Kruez)

 
Lexington, TX  -  Snow’s BBQ
It was a Friday and, yes, I know Snow’s is only open on Saturday but I had to drive by and snap a photo anyway while wishing I had been able to stay over for a Saturday.  Overall Score:  Not Rated…it wasn’t open…sad face

 
Taylor, TX  -  Louie Mueller
First time through there were no beef ribs so I thought I would give it another try and was successful in scoring a giant example.  My first time eating the Louie Mueller beef rib set a high standard that could not be attained on this trip.  It looked gorgeous with a thick black crust on all but one side (I had asked for an end cut).  Sadly the meat just hadn’t had enough cooking time to produce the perfect melty texture that I had hoped for.  The crust and flavor of the meat were exceptional but it was just a bit off of my expectation.  The beef rib was so huge I ordered nothing else.  Overall Score:  3.5 Stars



 
Dallas, TX  -  Off The Bone
I had one final BBQ stop to make before ending the tour and had considered a return for another visit to Lockhart Smokehouse in Oak Cliff where I had tasted some really nice beef shoulder just a few days before, however, Off The Bone was recommended and was very close to the route home I was taking.  A nicely converted gas station with a somewhat modern décor it was clear that I was no longer in the Central Texas genre.  It became even more clear when I learned the offering included no spareribs, only baby backs, which I ordered along with chopped beef, both of which were served pre-loaded with sauce…I really had exited to classic Central Texas BBQ Trail.  The staff here was more than friendly and served up a nice plate of BBQ that reminded me that many styles of BBQ exist and that I must strive to broaden my road trips to include some Memphis and Carolina offerings soon (I live in Kansas City so get to sample those on a very routine basis already).  Overall Score:  3.0 Stars

 

I have made the stop in Giddings while driving from Houston to Austin, and City Market produces some FINE barbecue.  I would stop there again in a heartbeat.  On the day I stopped, it was at an off-hour, and they were out of some items, but I recall excellent ribs.

Here are a couple of YouTube videos links.
 
Inside Franklin's BBQ.  http://youtu.be/r8-KQsDjhsM
 
Another inside Franklin's BBQ showing brisket being sliced...like butter.  http://youtu.be/tqVbarEI-s4
 
Walking into Smitty's.  Be careful not to catch your knee caps on fire!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XOURvwrkn8
 
Smitty's cutting room.  http://youtu.be/dRoi044x2lc
 
 

Pictures have been added to each days description.

Thanks for the pics. That always helps put things in perspective. I just wish they were bigger.

I'm not sure how to make them bigger but you may be able to try clicking this link to the Flickr slideshow?
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69251889@N03/show/

Tons of reviews, photos, chats with pit bosses, rankings, lists...all Central Texas barbecue, all the time http://chowpapi.com/wordp....8.6/wordpress/?cat=84

mcguirejohnr



Walking into Smitty's.  Be careful not to catch your knee caps on fire!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XOURvwrkn8

Smitty's cutting room.  http://youtu.be/dRoi044x2lc

 
That fire always feels soooo good on a cold winters day after you walk inside. Just remember to walk in the back door. Not the front door.

mcguirejohnr


I'm not sure how to make them bigger but you may be able to try clicking this link to the Flickr slideshow?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69251889@N03/show/

 
Now, that's the way to do it. Picture perfect! Thanks for the link.

The pics of your huge beef rib at Louie Mueller looks amazing. Sorry to know it wasn't up to par. 

Twinwillow


The pics of your huge beef rib at Louie Mueller looks amazing. Sorry to know it wasn't up to par. 

I was going to remark that I hope Ellen sees it...it sure looked good!
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69251889@N03/6295926841/
 
Brad

Haven't been to Schilo's though I've been downtown over the years.In regards to the Family Tradition BBQ in Waelder that has closed,Lake McQueeny is closer to Seguin and New Braunfels.It's formed from the Guadalupe River,and named for the town of McQueeny. If Jerry Fogle does open it up there, than it will be closer for me, since I can drive FM78 to McQueeny to get there and check it out.

Important news flash regarding BBQ in Austin!
 
http://www.fcg-bbq.blogsp...1/11/jmueller-bbq.html

I'm back in the area for a few more stops.  Hit Taylor Cafe (Taylor) and Stiles Swith (Austin) today.  Will do Franklins and City Market Giddings tommorrow with a quick jump south to Weikels Bakery in La Grange to pick up some Kolaches for the family back home.  
 
May try out The Bone On The Grill or OO Smokehouse in Sherman Texas on the way back and, of course, a stop at Guy and Maes Tavern as I near Kansas City.

If you make to Fort Worth, be sure to try out Angelo's BBQ. They have been around for over 50 years and is a landmark for BBQ here in Cowtown.

your list lacks south side market in elgin great bbq

I've done Southside on a previous trip and it was not a winner for me.  I enjoyed the sausage but not the ribs or brisket.  I did get by there pretty late in the evening so perhaps it was a bad time or an off day.