Gettin' Sauced

In case it hasn't already been established I really love free things, bevies, and food. Lucky for me these things go together often in Austin.

Everyone knows that Texas has great BBQ ... and I am not talking hot dogs and hamburgers. A true Texas BBQ will have sausage and brisket, but what makes it special is the way it's cooked and of course... the sauce.

Man Up Texas BBQ, a blog about a group of men and their adventures with BBQ, decided to have a  BBQ sauce tasting in a parking lot on the side of the freeway. The idea seems a little sketchy but with the promise of live music, door prizes, free beer, free sauce, and free dessert it was basically impossible for me to pass up the offer. I gathered a few friends and my Dad (a sucker for something different) to test out the first annual Gettin' Sauced event at held outside the Franklin BBQ trailer.

It wasn't a big event but I did get a free beer from St. Arnold's to help cleanse the palate while I dutifully ranked the 45 sauces presented. Yeah I said 45 sauces. Not shocking but they all kinda ran together. I lost my scorecard but  I still remember that #17 burned my mouth; and that was not OK.  I think #12, #18, #20, #23 or maybe it was #28 and one in the #40s were my faves.  My brother and my Dad seemed to go through the list pretty quickly making their decisions with certainty. On the other hand, my friends Sara,Casi, and I evaluated each sauce and went back and fourth between our top favorites writing down what we liked and descriptions as to why we liked them and then we tried them again. It was kinda like shopping. The men figured out what they liked and were finished in minutes while the women debated, evaluated, and considered the very best sauce for the specific setting and if they would really use the sauce on their meat. At least the guys had live music and beer to entertain them while we deliberated. It was pretty hilarious.

Since the free beer ran out quickly and it was thinking of raining we didn't stay long after we cast our ballots. The results can be found at http://manuptexasbbq.blogspot.com/. I am not sure if my favorites won and I don't know which ones are which at this point so what I learned from the event was... well... I guess that I love trying new things... especially if they are free!

http://www.franklinbarbecue.com/

Mobile friends and BBQ

I hesitate to assume that Austin is the only place you can find food in a unique location, but earlier this week my friend and I found a gem of a restaurant... on a school bus. Old School BBQ & Grill.

An Austin original is to get quality food out of a trailer, but Old School takes trailer food to the next level. Driving along MLK I busted a "U" when I spotted the big yellow bus I had heard about but never seen. My friend Emily and I pull up and hop out in the freezing dark cold and check to out the menu. Turns out on this particular day (and I suspect most other days) they are just about sold out of everything on the menu. Emily and I ask the jovial cook to tell us what we CAN get and he informs us that all they have left are burgers, brisket, and fries. Perfect. We will have one of each. No he says, you will each need your own fries. Ok, then you're the boss.

After we place our order we are then honorably invited to join the party ON the bus rather than waiting in the cold. While our new friend informs us this isn't typical and he never lets customers on the bus we spot two of his groupies chilling in the front seat hanging out. We take the risk. While watching our new friend Dan cook our food we hear his story of opening something like 56 restaurants in 12 countries in 3 continents. AMAZING. Then his sidekick, Trey, returns and joins in on the cooking. Em and I squeeze in the corner of the bus and slap on our napkins to devour the food. The burger was so good we forgot to add condiments and there was nothing left of the chopped brisket sandwich or the homemade sweet and chunky BBQ sauce. It was a good thing I was safely on the bus cause we definitely went took a ride to flavor town.

Now I am pretty sure that experience can't be repeated for everyone but THAT is what I love about Austin. Making new friends down by the railroad tracks. 

Available Mon 11am-3pm, at 3001 East Cesar Chavez St; Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm at MLK Jr. Blvd & Clifford Ave