My Salt Lick Chalenge


 
T

Tom Chips

TVWBB All-Star
I finally was able to try Texas' famous Salt Lick BBQ while visiting my brother in Austin over the holidays. Needless to say, it was an amazing experience for a relative newbie to BBQ. The smell of the smoke filled the entire area. The wait was over an hour if we stayed so I opted to take it home, and was out of there in 5 minutes, with several pounds of everything they make.

My own attempts at brisket have been dismal at best, so it serves no function in comparison to Salt Licks. There is a local place here in Central California, oddly enough named Austins' Barbeque. I have tried there brisket many times, and after trying Salt Licks, its no comparison. Salt Lick blows it out of the water.

I supprised my brother with a Weber Smokey Mountain the day before, and we turned out some great pork butt. Up to this time I have been working without my own WSM, but finally took the dive and ordered my own when I got home. Now Im counting the days till it gets here, cause now I have a great example of brisket to aim for. If I could get my brisket half as good as theirs, I'd be happy.

Now I guess I need to find some Pecan wood. With a good bottle of Rum nearby, and maybe some homebrew, mixed with alot of patience, I hope to start learning. Wish me luck.
 
If you get a full packer brisket that's USDA choice or Angus beef, keep your temps at or below 235, foil it after 185 degrees or when you can easily slide a fork into it and pull it back out, leave it in foil for an hour with a little low-sodium beef broth (optional) you will have a brisket that will rival Salt Lick's. I have frequented when I used to live in Texas and although it is outstanding I think my brisket is better, and yours could be too. There is a wealth of great advice on this forum that should steer you in the right direction, good luck.
 
Don't get hung up on just using pecan wood on the brisket. Most places here in Texas use oak as the main smoking wood. Some even swear by mesquite, but it's a wood that is easy to over smoke and get bitter. But some of the best steaks I've ever eaten were done over a hot mesquite fire.
 
Thanks! Yeah I'm out of oak, but will probably stock up on smoking woods when I head up north. I'm counting the days till my WSM gets here. And I'm already stocked up to put it to work. I heard of a great meat and sausage market near San Jose, and ended up leaving the store with nearly $200 worth of meat and sausage,both fresh and smoked.
 
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