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There is no shortage of BBQ in Central Texas. And, as sure as the line is long at Franklin’s, everybody has a favorite. For me this year, it is Snow’s BBQ in Lexington.
With Ms. Tootsie working the pits, moist brisket and ribs, and the most welcoming BBQ atmosphere I have encountered, Snow’s is it for me. Sit out back and let the smoke wash over you. Review: Snow’s BBQ in Lexington
Some call this “tablecloth BBQ”. They usually don’t mean it in a nice way. I don’t think you need to be cooking in a dirt floor shack with an old pit to produce tasty BBQ. Case in point, Lamberts Downtown BBQ. Their slow roasted meats have an updated twist on old-style “Q”: Brown Sugar and Coffee Rubbed Brisket, Maple and Coriander Crusted Pork Ribs, Achoite and Lime Rubbed Chicken (Combo plates $12-$16). A trio of house made sauces come on the side. Unlike some other BBQ places that don’t even have forks, Lamberts has a full menu for those who prefer to munch on things that didn’t have hooves: Deviled Eggs, Green Chili Queso, Broiled Oysters, Soups and Salads.
My personal favorite is the Pulled Smoked Pork Cuban sandwich ($11). Stop me if you already know the details. Chunks of tangy, sweet pork on a grilled Ciabatta roll with crunchy pickles and gooey Jack cheese. Dangerously good. I get a side of Jicama and Carrot Slaw, to cut the richness of the pork. They don’t mess with it too much, which is the way I like it. Crunchy and bright.
Lamberts serves a very respectable house margarita ($10, ouch). Nice balance, not too sweet or tart. I could easily order two or three more, but my accountant counseled me otherwise. But, on the other hand, this drink looks pretty lonely. They couldn’t have picked a cooler location. The Schneider Brothers building, standing stoically in the changing face of downtown Austin. New structures sprouting around and over it. It’s a perfect fit. Sophisticated, thoughtful BBQ in a historic setting. Lamberts Downtown Barbecue : 401 West 2nd St. Austin, TX : (512) 494-1500
After talking with Pat Sharp at Texas Monthly, I know they are pretty thorough when it comes to picking a winner for their BBQ issue. That being said, I was reasonably sure I was in for a treat at Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, ranked #1 in 2008. Above, Ms. Tootsie (the Pit Boss), and her son on the far left. Kerry Bexley (Snow’s owner) is adding moral support (and about to get reprimanded). The gentleman between them is the next door neighbor. He’s in charge of tending the fires early in the A.M. You’d think a business would be wound a little tightly with a honor like #1 hanging around their necks. Not true with the crew at Snow’s. In fact, I am going to bestow onto them the first annual Austin Food Journal ‘Friendliest Restaurant Award’. Eating Texas BBQ can be an intimidating experience. Many places I have ventured to tend to look you over and shake their head, tagging you as an interloper. Being dragged out back always seemed like a possibility. At Snow’s, I was more concerned about having to dodge a goodbye hug. Besides a sign on their fence declaring victory, I wouldn’t have guessed their accolades. The other places should take a page out of Snow’s book. I was planning my next visit before I got back in the car.
Being friendly is all fine and good, but if the brisket sucks, the whole show is a non-starter. Maybe, this is why the Snow’s crew is so happy, they had nothing to worry about. The meat was excellent. Kerry welded all the pits. The smoker (pictured above) is made of half inch steel pipe. With the second smoker, they can have a hundred briskets going at once. Having that much metal helps keep the smokers at a consistent temperature, around 250. During the Summer, they can keep the temperature within 5 degrees during the whole cooking process.
The meat is cooked with Oak, in a couple stages: open smoked and wrapped in foil. The fires are started and the Brisket goes on around 11pm. It’s tended throughout the night and is finished just in time for the huddled masses at 8am.
We prided ourselves on not being idiots and called ahead to reserve some brisket. And, some pork ribs. And, some sausage. And, some pork steak. And, they told us if we were still hungry we could get a few whole smoked chickens. Good call. Everything was very moist, which I like for the most part. Many places have brisket that has lost most of it moisture from over smoking. That, I don’t like. As a rule of thumb, if I can sand the paint off my car with it, it’s not for me. Snow’s was very juicy, smoky and looked the part with a charred exterior and hot pink smoke ring. The pork ribs were almost too juicy. I like the condensed flavor of an over-cooked rib (not to say that I didn’t eat over my share). The item that benefited the most from the cooking process was the pork steak. It’s dangerously easy to cook all the moisture out; it was my second favorite thing behind the brisket. The sides (potato salad, pinto beans and coleslaw) I liked for their restraint. They weren’t trying to be fancy with extra flavors. Straight forward. The beans maybe a little too restrained. Ms. Tootsie is bringing the heat. This place has only been open for six years! Hell, most other places have cord wood older than that. I love it and can’t wait to go back. Snow’s BBQ : 516 Main Street Lexington, TX : (979) 773-4640 : Saturdays Only! 8am till sold out (noon or before).
What a run we had this year. We were hot and spicy and had enough fuel to last till the end of the game. Football team did pretty good , too. This past weekend marked the last home game of the University of Texas Tailgating Season. And, what was the cool BBQ find of the day? I’m going to have to go with La Caja China Roasting Box. Doesn’t sound like it’s locally made. Should have been, though. What else screams Redneck Microwave more than this!
Jay, the owner, explained to me that La Caja cooks meat in a sealed 350 degree environment, with indirect heat (from above). When I stopped by, twelve turkeys were about ready to pop out. He was also taking advantage off all that top heat by simmering some beans. I’m worried that might void his warranty.
What else did I learn? If it’s been raining (it had) and you will be tailgating (you will), go out in the barn and get some hay to bring with you. It helps you from sinking into the mud. Pretty smart. La Caja China Box : Hay not included
Well, this past weekend wasn’t quite the spectacle of the previous one (Texas Tech). Everyone kept saying, “you should have been here last weekend” (I was). Because of the early game time, many tailgaters left their big rigs at home. That’s not to say that there were not some interesting grills cooking up a storm. Ever had dreams of being a short order cook? Checkout Luck-N-Chuck Tailgaters’ flat top grill with integrated deep fryer bowl.
This one-off masterpiece is a mix of heavy gauge steel, wire racks and portable propane burners. They better submit a patent on this before someone beats them to it.
Why is this man smiling? Because he’s resourceful. Why buy a second grill when you can just rob the one that hangs off the back of your powerboat? Sure, laugh it up land-lovers. But, it’s Larry’s kind of focused, one burger at a time cooking that has made tailgating what it is today.
In the beehive that is game day, sometimes it is hard finding one, sweet tailgate rig that really stands out from the crowd. This was not a problem for the Texas Tech vs. Texas tailgate. A monster stood out from the crowd.
This thing is massive. It must be at least 15′ tall at the top of the stacks. Two fireboxes feeding a enormous rotisserie smoker. Marcus Tejada, of the Tejada Diehard Horns Tailgate, built this from scratch with his uncle last year. Click on the link below for more pictures…  |
   
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