Texas BBQ Enthusiast : Chisholm Trail (Lockhart), Opie's, and a Trip Back to Franklin Barbecue

Chisholm Trail BAR-B-Q (Lockhart)
Took a quick trip down to Central Texas last weekend to visit a couple of new places to me and to go back to Franklin Barbecue in Austin.

So I started the trip by going to the fourth but lesser known Lockhart BBQ joint, Chisholm Trail BAR-B-Q. This place is said to be the place where the locals go and those other three, Smitty's, Kreuz, and Black's, are the tourist traps. Well we got there at 12:30 and I ordered my usual, ribs, brisket, and sausage. The brisket was dry, ribs were tough and dry, and the sausage had little flavor. I really wanted to enjoy this place but I'm sorry it's no better than any BBQ chain you would find in the city. I'm also not the kind of person to complain about the actual facility but this place was a bit of a dump. Flies were everywhere, restrooms were pretty nasty, and they had one of the dirtiest "wet floor" signs I've ever seen sitting on the floor as you exit the line. I'm not even going to give this place a second chance when I know I can get great barbecue in Lockhart at one of the three "tourists" traps.

http://www.chisholmtrailbbq.com/
1323 S Colorado St, Lockhart, TX 78644
Phone: 512-398-6027
Hours: 8 AM - 8 PM

Next on to Opie's BBQ in Spicewood

Keira and Leah

Well the next day some of my family in Austin joined me to try out Opie's in Spicewood, TX. We got there about 12:45 and shortly after arriving ordered off of the serving pit. I got brisket, jalapeno cheese sausage, and a half rack of habanero ribs. I also got some sides, spicy corn (kind of like Mexican corn in a cup), coleslaw, and tater-tot casserole (yeah, it's as good as it sounds). I gave my aunt some of my ribs and we both bit into our ribs at the same time and looked at each other with eyes wide opened. These are the best ribs I've ever had anywhere. Cooked perfectly and full of flavor, these ribs were amazing. The brisket was great as well with a simple salt and pepper rub and great fat rendering. The sausage was good too and better than Cooper's in Llano. If you don't want to spend money on sides, pinto beans, bread, and relishes are included with your meat. The facility is large and very clean, a great place to take the family. Opie's may now be my aunt's favorite place. Sorry Cooper's, you just took the back seat.

Serving pit

Great Brisket

Awesome ribs

Wood pile at Opie's

http://www.opiesbarbecue.com/

Phone: 830-693-8660

9504 HWY 71 Spicewood,TX 78669

Hours: Mon & Tue 11-4

Wed, Thur, & Sun 11-7

Fri & Sat 11-8

A Quick Trip Back to Franklin Barbecue

Franklin BBQ old sales trailer

Well on my way out of town I stopped by Franklin for another taste of the best barbecue in Texas. This trip I had my eye on the Tipsy Texan. A BBQ sandwich consisting of chopped and sauced brisket, sausage, pickles, onions, and topped with coleslaw. I got there at 9 AM and was probably already about 60 people back in line. I met a young couple on vacation from Chicago who were standing behind me in line and who I joined once we got in and got our food. Once they opened it took us another 30-45 minutes to get up to the chopping block which was manned by the proprietor, Aaron Franklin himself. He's a bit of a BBQ guru and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I ordered and he told me I couldn't just order a sandwich after waiting that long for BBQ so he sliced me a piece of brisket which I was thankful. It was all excellent but next time I'm just going back for the brisket. It literally is a cut above any other brisket in the state, it bites you back and makes you pause for a minute. Mouth watering.