BBQPALOOZA 2023: A Family Affair
It's year 13 of the annual BBQPALOOZA, and we head back to the capital (in more ways than one) Austin, TX. This year was a first as the wives and kids tagged along on a 4 day journey that made its base camp in Dripping Springs. At times it definitely felt different to have the families tag along, but it was also an awesome experience to get a full day of DADS ONLY BBQ... but also get to share some of the magic that is BBQPALOOZA with the wives and the next generation. We visited a few of our favorites and several new spots this year as it is apparent that the Austin BBQ scene continues to roll like the smoke from a well tended pit.
We arrived in Dripping Springs on Monday and had an awesome time hanging out on the outskirts of Austin. Tennis, frisbee golf, basketball, swimming, hiking.....it was a lot of family fun that definitely stoked the BBQ appetites. On Tuesday it was the first ever Ladies Day. Basically, the direct opposite of BBQPALOOZA as our significant others enjoyed a day of vineyards, shopping, pampering, and returning smelling like various fruits as opposed to the holy baptism of smoke. The ladies had fun.....but it was time for the real reason of the trip. Wednesday we awoke early and headed out to secure tacos from the World Famous Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ!
We have been to Valentina's many times, but being nearby gave us the perfect chance to secure the World's Greatest Breakfast Taco "The Real Deal Holyfield". I can't think of a better way to begin a BBQPALOOZA than partaking in the Gold Standard of BBQ breakfast tacos. The potatoes, the beans, the bacon.....but then the Fried egg.....and the star of the show...a perfectly rendered full slice of moist Valentina's brisket! Valentina's is all about family and love for the food, and nowhere does it come through better than in one bite of The Real Deal Holyfield. Just in case we weren't covered in the BBQ breakfast department Steven Jablonski (the 1 member who was meeting up with us this year brought some delicious kerlaches from former BBQPALOOZA favs Kerlin BBQ!
Breakfast was amazing but we had to practice moderation (I know...I know) because our main man and BBQPALOOZA veteran Cole Parkman of Leroy and Lewis Barbecue had assured us that the main meal of the day would be a special tray from the food truck on Pickle Rd. Cole did not disappoint! Beef cheeks, pork steak, house made sausage, whole hog, and the #1 burger in the World the L and L burger! Everything was spectacular! We've been infatuated with Evan Leroy's food ever since we first stumbled into Freedmens many years ago. Him and his crew take such pride in even the smallest details, whether it's the perfect snap on the sausage, the exact melt of the cheese on their brisket burgers, or the way they convert local foods into the delicacies of meat and sides that have no equal. Many of us were surprised that Leroy and Lewis didn't grab the #1 spot on the last Tx Monthly list.....yes....that is how good it is. If the meats aren't enough, they take just as much care crafting some of the best sides in Texas! My personal favorite is the pork hash. New #1 spot Goldees also does a hash, and I realize they are different, but honestly the L&L pork hash is to Goldees hash as Franklin brisket is to Rudy's.....it's that much better! The brisket frito pie is also without comparison, and if you love the sauce.....L&L has you covered as well with everything from the delicious beet BBQ sauce to the tangy and delicious hog sauce! Others rave about the delicious kale caesar slaw, but I would also say that the braised cabbage is the best cabbage I have had! Leroy and Lewis has consistently been at the very top of Texas BBQ for a few years now, and if you have yet to try it you are missing one of the true artists of the scene.
Our next stop was the first new spot on this trip for us CM Smokehouse. CM food truck is located at Bouldin Acres on S. Lamar and that's where Cade Mercer is throwing out some unique BBQ bites. We tried the ribs in a white sauce, the cauliflower with a sriracha, and the famous brisket crunchwrap! This is definitely not your traditional Texas BBQ fare, but the cauliflower was a standout and the crunchwrap delivered. Imagine getting a crunchwrap from Taco Bell....but instead of the mystery meat it is filled with smoked brisket. Delicious....and maybe the only time BBQ has been revered as the "healthier" option. We did all agree we would have rather had the ribs sans sauce to get a better idea of their true value, but overall it was a nice alternative snack after the L&L feast. Much like the 2 unathletic dudes trying their hand at the pickle ball courts right next to our table... it was time to walk away.
After CM we headed to yet another new to us spot Distant Relatives. Located at Meanwhile Brewery, this is a great place to hang out and an excellent location for a BBQ truck. We got an order that included brisket, ribs, chicken, and burnt end black eyed peas. They tout themselves as "Modern African-American", but for me it was a little hit and miss. I really enjoyed the burnt end black eyed peas as a side and loved the toasted sourdough as a tasty alternative to the standard white bread fare. The chicken was OUTSTANDING and some of the best I have had, but the BBQ left something to be desired. It was good and acceptable, but nowhere near BBQPALOOZA favorites. Also, it was generally agreed at the table that we don't care much about sauce.....but Distant Relatives was probably the worst sauce we have ever had....so if that is your thing fair warning. However, if you are looking for a tasty meal at a beautiful brewery order the chicken, black eyed peas, and toast and enjoy the scenery!
Our next stop was dubbed the "2023 Revelation" for this year's edition of BBQPALOOZA....the delicious, amazing, full of culinary surprises....Mum Foods! What an amazing collection of deliciousness. I feel like I would need at least 5 more visits to truly be able to grasp all the amazing foods offered here. We were blown away by the small sampling we had of red beans and rice, sausage, brisket burnt ends, house made bread, pickle plate, a babka?, and the famous pastrami. You know the pastrami is going to be legit when there is a picture of Sandy Koufax in the restaurant! Place that perfect pastrami on a piece of homemade bread, spread a little house made mustard across it, sprinkle some pickled onions and I challenge you not to have an out of body experience. Whatever a babka is....they threw one on our plate and it was the perfect post BBQ snack....until we had a bite of the brown butter chess pie. Like the silky smooth left handed delivery of Sandy Koufax that chess pie snuck sweetly onto your taste buds and then BOOM knocked you out with a flavor explosion! We bought several pieces to bring back to the wives cause we weren't born yesterday my friends. There was not a bite we had here that wasn't delicious and top notch. I need another visit to try the ribs, all the baked goods, and a Rachel sandwich.....Mum Foods is an Austin superstar and you need to try it!
The last stop of the day would be recent Texas Monthly #2 InterStellar BBQ. Unfortunately while enjoying the fantastic spread at Mum Foods we learned that Interstellar had sold out for the day. We preordered to make sure we wouldn't miss out, but now we would have to pick up after "hours" and bring it back to the house. Our order consisted of brisket, ribs, jalapeno popper sausage, peach tea glazed pork belly burnt ends, scalloped potatoes, and gouda mac and cheese. I'm not sure if it was the fact it had sat premade, the hour long drive home, or the fact it was the last meal of the day...but for the #2 spot it was very good.....not revelatory. Everything tasted fine....but it didn't taste as fresh as getting it made on your plate in front of you and the burnt ends were a little tough. Overall, it was a good meal and the families were definitely excited to find out we were bringing it home to share (they enjoyed it more....maybe because they didn't already have 5lb of BBQ in the tank?), but I felt a little underwhelmed much like my experience at Goldees. #1 and #2....maybe it's not fair....like they have an unrealistic expectation on their heads, or maybe Texas Monthly's most recent list just didn't align with my personal tastes and rankings, but I can guarantee that my personal top 10 (and especially 1-2) would differ a lot more from the most recent list than any previous lists.
If Interstellar was a little disappointing, the next day was nothing but absolute fire. Kids and families packed up and tagged along for 2 more top notch stops before the trip home. We started out at 11am at quirky, eclectic, completely original KG BBQ. Kareem El-Ghayesh and his crew are bringing a brand new Egyptian twist to the Austin Texas BBQ scene and according to this BBQ lover it is a HOME RUN. We had a completely original and delicious tray that included mac and cheese, brisket, brisket shawarma, brisket rice bowl, the Egyptian Cowboy (explanation coming lol), baladi salad, and Mediterranean rice. All of it was amazing.....like visiting the pyramids of Giza in the courtyard of the Alamo! The mac and cheese was like nothing I've had....(the kids were disappointed....as like most children they think of yellow cheesy goodness when you say mac and cheese) these were closer in kinship to an Italian tomato based pasta. Smooth, creamy, and delicious....it might be sacrilegious...but this Texan may actually prefer Egyptian mac and cheese to traditional. If the mac and cheese was fire...the Egyptian Cowboy was another level as KG takes the mac and cheese and tops it with lamb, sumac onions, and pomegranate BBQ sauce! Really the only thing that missed for me was the oum ali (Egyptian bread pudding), I guess unlike the other alternatives I just preferred the original bread pudding to the Egyptian style....but many loved it. KG BBQ was as wild, imaginative, and original as its owner. A meal truly original and in my opinion.....fantastic!
As a side our good friend Cole Parkman showed up again to hang with us on Day 2 and he brought what might be one of the top 5 bites from ANY BBQPALOOZA.....a massive bacon rib from Leroy and Lewis! This mythical slab of pork is like nothing else.....belly still attached, this delectable rib is glazed in maple syrup! The result is what amounts to a gigantic perfectly smoked pork belly burnt end topped in maple syrup. Sweet....then salty....with the flavor of Grandma's bacon from the cast iron skillet.....OMG....this might be the single best bite of pork I have ever had and we are forever grateful that Cole shared the Legendary item with us.
We contemplated going home before realizing we were 10 minutes away from BBQPALOOZA favorite and criminally underrated Micklethwait Craft Meats. One final stop couldn't hurt. We ordered a Texas trinity plate with some chicken and not a single person was disappointed in the decision to stop. The best bite of brisket I had all trip, top tier sausage from "The Sausage Champ" as always, and excellent ribs. Honestly, it's hard to come up with spots that can put together as good of a trinity plate as Craft Meats! The house made bread was devoured by all our kids, as was the always fantastic mac and cheese and grits. If I had to choose a final meal on death row.....Craft Meats would be on my short list of possibilities....they have NEVER disappointed. As if the perfect BBQ and sides were not enough....we picked up homemade moon pies, oatmeal cream pies, and OH FUDGE FOR THE RIDE BACK HOME. Honestly, Tom Micklethwait has crafted a small slice of heaven in the middle of Austin, Texas.
Everyone fell deep into a BBQ induced sleep as the Dad's drove home to end BBQPALOOZA2023. It was a fun week visiting a few favorites, finding a few new favorites, and introducing the families to a little peek at why the Dads act like kids before Christmas the week of BBQPALOOZA. As I drove back I couldn't help but think back to my very favorite bites of the trip in no particular order: L&L bacon rib, KG Egyptian Cowboy, Mum pastrami, Micklethwait brisket, and the Real Deal Holyfield. Now it's time for my annual water/salad BBQ detox and dreaming of next year's smoked meats!
