smitty's in lockhart

Spent another long week working in Austin. Friday after we finished our morning meetings, we had a bit of time (well, six hours to be precise) before our flight home. To kill a few hours, Susanne and I decided to take a little food adventure to a small town about 20 miles south of the airport called Lockhart.

Several internet sources said there is really great 'cue in Lockhart (referred to as the "BBQ Capitol of Texas") and the foodies online highly recommended a place called Smitty's. We followed our noses to some of the best barbecue we've ever tasted (and Susanne lives in North Carolina, so that's saying something).

First thing we saw in the parking lot was this smoke stack.

If it weren't for the sweltering Texas weather, we could have lingered outside and just smelled the other-worldly smoky goodness coming from that chimney and been satisfied. But we walked in, and just inside the door on the right was this:It was a balmy 104 outside, and dang was this fire screamin' hot. I don't know how these people survive this job.

Maybe the promise of unbelievably tasty bbq keeps them going in the sweltering heat. You order in the pit room and the meat is pulled out of the pits and carved on the spot. Our food was piled onto a stack of butcher paper, which we were informed was our "plate". We carried our big pile of meat in the paper with the edges crimped like a sling. We sat down in the adjacent eatin' room (dining room just doesn't fit this situation) and dug in (with our hands, of course). Doesn't that look delicious?

Well, it may not be glamorous but it was some of the best stuff I've ever eaten. Amazingly tender melt-in-your-mouth richness. We ordered ribs, sausage and brisket and it was all spectacular. The food was surely boosted by the unique ambiance, which is not to be missed if you are ever in Austin. I'll probably be back there at the end of August and I'm definitely making time to return to Smitty's.