September 8, 2012

The Salt Lick for "Bottomless" Brisket BBQ and More!


The Salt Lick is one of the best barbecue places to visit if you're near Austin, TX. It's located in Driftwood, TX which is about a 35 minutes outside of Austin, but between the amazing bbq and experience - it's worth the drive. They are always busy though, so my reco would be to go at an off hour. We went at around 4:30PM on a Sunday afternoon, and were seated right away. During normal meal hours, the waits can easily get up to over an hour.

If it's your first time, I strongly recommend ordering the all you can eat "Family Style" option for $19.95 as this is the best way to get to try the different meat options: beef brisket (lean, moist, burnt ends), sausage, and pork ribs. It also comes with potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, pickles, white bread, and optional jalapenos (careful - these are really spicy!). Don't discount the white bread - it's probably the softest, tenderest white, sandwich bread I've ever had. A hint of sweetness with texture that's probably most similar to Hawaiian bread. Add some whipped spread and enjoy :)

Get everything for your first plate just to see what you like. I normally like either lean or burnt ends, but found out after trying the options that "moist" for the brisket was my favorite. You get enough of the "char" and a little bit of crispy on the edges, without it being too tough (which the burnt ends ended up being). The moist beef brisket is so, so tasty! My 2nd favorite is the sausage, and last - the pork ribs. I've definitely had better pork ribs (I really like Texas Roadhouse), but the beef brisket and sausage are amazing. 

All the barbecue has 'sauce' already, but you can add more. They have their original and spicy available at the tables. While they call the spicy "Habanero", it really is not very spicy at all. I liked the original and don't think the extra spice added anything unique. The sauce here isn't tomato based and tastes really unique from other bbq sauces I've had. It's very yummy though and you can buy bottles of it to bring home.

The potato salad and cole slaw (neither of which have mayonnaise based sauces which I appreciate) both have a light vinegar taste. Along with the pickles, these work great with the bbq as it helps cut through the grease. They may not be the most attractive sides, but they are simple and good. I'm not a huge baked beans fan - but they're worth trying.

Last, I've heard their desserts - cobblers and pies - are delicious, but I had too much meat in my belly :( Maybe next time. I haven't tried the turkey either so I just might do that. Mmmm….can't wait till I get more brisket. The Salt Lick is worth visiting again and again, but I may have to sacrifice a visit the next time I'm in Austin to try 

Tips: The Salt Lick is BYOB and if you're really craving a fix, they do have a location at the airport. It's not as good - but it does the trick to get your last bite of barbecue in!

See more pictures here: http://on.fb.me/PcCICN

The BBQ Pit, A Smorgasbord!
The barbeque pit at the Salt Lick: sausage, turkey, brisket, ribs, and more
All You Can Eat "Family Style" - $19.95
Salt Lick Family Style Food
"Family Style": endless sausage, ribs, brisket, potatoes, cole slaw, beans, bread and pickles