Tour De Que 2011
Justin and our neighbor Brad (native Texan) got together and dreamed up this idea of the Tour De Que. Basically an all day, non stop, eating fest of all the BEST Texas BBQ restaurants. We are talking featured on Food Network, written up in numerous magazines, sold out at 10:00am kind of places. Legendary Texas BBQ. They talked this idea up and in the end 5 BBQ loving men set out on the Tour De Que the last weekend in March.
These guys were organized. They had an excel spreadsheet rating system. They rated each "cut of meat" giving an overall scoring to each BBQ place to determine the winners. They were also dedicated. This "tour" started at 7am!! Crazy BBQ eating time.
First stop on the tour, Snow's BBQ in Austin. Voted #1 on TLC's Buzzworthy BBQ. Also named Best BBQ in the world by New Yorker Magazine (but really what do they know about BBQ??) Craziest thing about this place? Only open on Saturdays. Open 8am until SOLD OUT. And seriously, they sell out by 10am each week. That's the reason for the early risers on this trip.
Next stop, Taylor Cafe in Taylor, Texas. Famous not only for BBQ but for Vincil Mares. King of Texas BBQ.
"Vencil Mares was born on November 10, 1923. A native Texan, Mr. Mares returned home from WWII and went right into the barbecue business. He began in Elgin, Texas, at the Southside Market in 1948. It was there, working in the smoke pit, that Mares learned the secrets of the barbecue trade, including how to make his much acclaimed sausage. A year later, he purchased what is now Taylor Café in nearby Taylor, Texas, and has been the owner and operator of the establishment ever since. Taylor Café's hundred-year-old building is as distinctive as Vencil's ketchup-based barbecue sauce, complete with jukebox, mismatched bar stools, and an antique cash register. Though the Taylor Café has been housed in the same building since it opened, there have been a few changes. Some years ago, for example, Mr. Mares added turkey sausage to his menu. But Taylor Café is still, at its heart, the same barbecue joint that it was in 1948. "
I guess that Smitty family knows how to make some Lockhart BBQ! I loved reading all the categories and comments from the guys.. what a great visit of Texas BBQ history.
These guys were organized. They had an excel spreadsheet rating system. They rated each "cut of meat" giving an overall scoring to each BBQ place to determine the winners. They were also dedicated. This "tour" started at 7am!! Crazy BBQ eating time.
First stop on the tour, Snow's BBQ in Austin. Voted #1 on TLC's Buzzworthy BBQ. Also named Best BBQ in the world by New Yorker Magazine (but really what do they know about BBQ??) Craziest thing about this place? Only open on Saturdays. Open 8am until SOLD OUT. And seriously, they sell out by 10am each week. That's the reason for the early risers on this trip.
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| Bright and Early at Snow's |
Next stop, Taylor Cafe in Taylor, Texas. Famous not only for BBQ but for Vincil Mares. King of Texas BBQ.
"Vencil Mares was born on November 10, 1923. A native Texan, Mr. Mares returned home from WWII and went right into the barbecue business. He began in Elgin, Texas, at the Southside Market in 1948. It was there, working in the smoke pit, that Mares learned the secrets of the barbecue trade, including how to make his much acclaimed sausage. A year later, he purchased what is now Taylor Café in nearby Taylor, Texas, and has been the owner and operator of the establishment ever since. Taylor Café's hundred-year-old building is as distinctive as Vencil's ketchup-based barbecue sauce, complete with jukebox, mismatched bar stools, and an antique cash register. Though the Taylor Café has been housed in the same building since it opened, there have been a few changes. Some years ago, for example, Mr. Mares added turkey sausage to his menu. But Taylor Café is still, at its heart, the same barbecue joint that it was in 1948. "
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| Justin and the "King of Texas BBQ" Vencil Mares |
After getting there fill or Vencil's offerings.. the boys next stop on the tour took them to just across town to Louie Mueller BBQ. This BBQ joint was opened in 1949 by Louie Mueller and still exist today.
Legendary stop up next!! I myself watched a feature on the Food Network of Kreuz Market. This famous BBQ was cooked up in 1900 in Lockhart, Texas. The key to Kreuz Market. No Sauce, No Forks. They take pride in perfect seasoned, fall apart meat that needs neither of the 2. Justin was eating there the first time and walked up to a guy at the counter and asked where the sauce was. He said they all pointed at the signs hung everywhere! No SAUCE.. No FORKS! They are also famous for their HUGE rivalry with Smitty's across town. A family fallout that resulted in 2 of the most famous of Texas BBQ located in the same small town.
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| Um.. how much more BBQ do we have to eat?? |
And then on to Black's BBQ featured on the Travel Channels Barbeque Paradise. It's the oldest Texas BBQ restaurant continuously owned by the same family. (A little dig at the Kreuz/Smitty's Lockhart rival I do believe) And the crowd's appreciate it!
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| The crowd lines up early at Black's BBQ |
The Lockhart rival had to be tested so the boys headed to Smitty's Market. Smitty's is the original location of Kreuz's market. Restaurant was left to brother, location was left to sister. The age old story of sibling rivalry (or don't be in business with family :-) and the fall out happens. Brother takes his restaurant and heads to a new and bigger location. Sister stays behind and continues the Smitty's BBQ tradition. Both sides have DEVOTED fans..
Next stop Lulling, Texas. BBQ restaurants # 7 & 8. First up, Luling BBQ (such a simple name). A fairly newcomer on the scene only being around since 1986.
And another Luling restaurant Luling City Market specializing in meat cooked over post oak wood and their famous distinctive mustard sauce that they ship "all over the world". Esquire Magazine says "Best Bites in the USA".
No Texas BBQ tour is complete without a trip to the Big Daddy of Texas BBQ, Bobby Flays personal favorite BBQ restaurant The Salt Lick. Now the Salt Lick is not your small mom and pop restaurant. It is a dynasty. A huge operation. And SO MUCH FUN! We were able to meet up with the guys to enjoy a little BBQ ourselves (and to die for blackberry/peach cobbler). The accolades do not stop for this Hill Country restaurant. The Travel Channel just named it The Tastiest BBQ in America on their latest 101 Places to Chowdown in America episode. Food Network featured it as Bobby Flay's favorite BBQ restaurant. Resident Sandra Bullock is a regular. Southern Living, Gourmet Magazine, Texas Monthly and on and on. My two little BBQ critics love it too!
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| Forget the BBQ.. the Riley's came for COBBLER! |
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| I will let you know what I think about this BBQ |
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| Give me the cobbler and no one gets hurt! |
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| Little tiny Salt Licker |
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| Raise your hand if you LOVE the Salt Lick! |
How the boys made one more stop, I will never know! But they were determined to finish with 10 stops on their First Annual (maybe) Tour De Que. A quick last stop.. the grand finale in a town that made Texas sausage famous Southside Market. Making Elgin sausage since 1882. Now that is BBQ history.
And who might you ask, made history on this Tour De Que? Check out this rating system below!
Jeff W. | El Borracho | Justin R. | Walt C. | Brad H. | Total | Comments | ||
Snows - Lexington, TX | Brisket | 9.0 | 7.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 8.8 | BBQ for breakfast is a great concept |
Ribs | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 7.6 | Well worth the trip…BBQ great way to start day | |
Sausage | 7.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 7.4 | ||
Average | 8.0 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 7.9 | ||
Taylor Café - Taylor, TX | Brisket | 6.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.5 | Vencil was awesome, but he cooks his bbq too fast |
Ribs | 6.5 | 3.0 | 6.5 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 5.4 | May have judged too harshly due to Snow's quality. | |
Average | 6.3 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 6.5 | 5.5 | ||
Louie Muellers - Taylor, TX | Brisket | 9.0 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 7.9 | Best Jalapeno Sausage I've ever had |
Ribs | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 4.3 | Ribs looked great but were shrinked wrapped and had no flavor | |
Sausage - J/C | 7.5 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | ||
Average | 6.5 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 6.7 | ||
Kruez Market - Lockhart, TX | Brisket | 9.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.4 | Poo break here saved me |
Ham | 9.0 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.1 | Poo Break here saved Brad, Brisket was good | |
Prime Rib | 9.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 7.4 | ||
Average | 9.2 | 8.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 8.0 | ||
Blacks - Lockhart, TX | Brisket | 10.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 9.7 | Black family are Longhorn fans, gotta love 'em |
Ribs | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.8 | Only BIG Negative is that the Black family are Longhorn fans | |
Sausage - J/C | 6.5 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 7.1 | ||
Average | 8.2 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.2 | ||
Smittys - Lockhart, TX | Brisket | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.9 | Just awesome grub and a cool ass place |
Ribs | 10.0 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 8.7 | Best all around place when it came to BBQ | |
Sausage | 10.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 8.4 | ||
Average | 9.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 8.7 | ||
Lulling BBQ - Lulling, TX | Brisket | 2.5 | 3.0 | 1.1 | I wanted to hurl from the quantity, but this place sucked | |||
Ribs | 3.5 | 3.0 | 1.3 | Spent only $6.50 here and left food, however a great shirt was bought across street | ||||
Sausage | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 | |||||
Average | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | ||
Lulling City Market - Lulling, TX | Brisket | 6.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 6.5 | El Borracho is eliminated from ratings at this point | |
Ribs | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 6.3 | Brad's ratings are skewed…he must have either burned his tongue or Luling BBQ jacked up his tast buds. | ||
Sausage | 8.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 6.6 | |||
Average | 6.7 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 8.5 | 6.5 | |||
Salt Lick - Driftwood, TX | Brisket | 7.0 | 6.0 | 3.3 | Brisket is always dry, but only place I like sauce | |||
Ribs | 8.0 | 8.5 | 4.1 | Only plce with decent sauce…big disappointment at other places. Good way to end day though. | ||||
Sausage | 0.0 | |||||||
Average | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 2.5 | |||
Southside Market - Elgin, TX | Sausage | 6.0 | 7.0 | We had to make it 10 places | ||||
Only BBQ place to give me indigestion, sausagew was a little too greasy |
I guess that Smitty family knows how to make some Lockhart BBQ! I loved reading all the categories and comments from the guys.. what a great visit of Texas BBQ history.