Stopped by Franklin Barbecue last month and finally get the hype

I always thought waiting 3 hours for brisket was ridiculous, but I drove through Austin and figured why not. The bark on that thing had a deep pepper crust that tasted like it had been building for 12 hours, and the fat rendered perfectly through the whole slice. I still won't wait that long on a regular day, but I finally understand why people camp out for it. Has anyone else changed their mind after trying one of the 'legendary' spots?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_morgan1813d ago

Oh man, that pepper bark is no joke. I had the same experience with a place in Lockhart a few years back, drove two hours and waited ninety minutes. The trick I learned is to go on a weekday right when they open, or check their social media for slow days. Some of these spots post their wait times online, which saves you a lot of standing around. You can also order ahead at a lot of them now, though Franklin doesn't do that. But yeah, once you taste that perfectly rendered fat, you get why people put up with the line.

nina_taylor13d ago

I've started doing the weekday thing too and it's a game changer. Also, pro tip: bring a camping chair and a cooler with drinks. Makes that hour wait feel like nothing.

sammartinez13d ago

Damn right, that pepper crust is unreal. Had the same awakening at Snow's in Lexington last spring, waited two hours and every bite was worth it.