Another epic trip across the Southern States for our team. This year 16 of the team travelled from Manchester all the way over to Austin, Texas to explore the finest smokin’ BBQ in the Southern States.

Across the Atlantic...

11 hours later and the travelling was done, the conversations the whole journey were that of excitement. We were desperate to get there to start feastin’.

Home for the next few days… Arrive Hotel. Quick freshen up and back out for our first Margarita in the hotel bar then off to check out our first BBQ joint of the trip Loro Asian Smokehouse. Who knew there were 2 in Austin? Certainly not us, as half the team headed to the other side of town…to the ‘wrong’ one. Ooops!

Finally back together and it was worth the wait!  Our incredible server Finny welcomed us with open arms. She’d been working there for the last 6 years & showed us our first glimpse of true Southern hospitality. We got a taste of the BBQ & Asian fusion they’re famous for. We tried Caesar salad (with a smoked Caesar dressing, this one was just epic). Queso cheese dip & chips, brisket (of course), pork belly, chicken lettuce wraps, steak, coconut rice and creamed corn.

Our chefs got a tour of their kitchen from pitmaster Emalie. Taking a good look at their smokers & how they prepare their brisket! 12 hours at 120 degrees (now that’s low 'n' slow)!

5 BBQ Joints in 1 Day- Easy!

Day 2 kicked off with search for coffee before the tour bus arrival, we needed all the caffeine for this action packed day!

First stop had to be Stiles Switch. We were greeted by old friends, Dwayne, Shane (the owner) & Jose! We got in line for barbecue and were welcomed in by a crowd of state troopers enjoying their own BBQ feasts. Trays were loaded with; brisket, double smoked brisket sausages, spare ribs, pork belly burnt ends & smoked picanha with chimmichuri. For the sides, potato salad, slaw, tater tots, corn casserole &  braised brussel sprouts. We’d have gone back for seconds if we could’ve!

Time for a smoker tour. Re-acquainted with their smokers after 12 months. All named & the one we were shown was Pancho. Absolutely packed with juicy slow smoked brisket. A first hand glimpse at the dedication, care & art that goes into smoking meats. Incredible to hear!

Sam (our head chef from Wilmslow) got to try his hand at trimming the brisket. All the trimmings go into their double smoked sausages & we’d already tried how tasty they were. We said our goodbyes and the road trip continued.

Next Stop Lockhart...

Time for a palette cleanser with a pit stop at H tea O. More than 20 flavours of sweet & unsweet iced tea to choose from before we headed  to Terry Blacks.

We once again loaded up our trays with a barbecue feast Terry Black himself would be proud of. We grabbed a seat in their outdoor courtyard with a selection of authentic sodas & American beers to match our barbecue. Stars of the show at this place were the smoked turkey, apple slaw & the creamed corn. We’re still dreaming of this one months later!

Next stop was right in the heart of Lockhart where they were setting up for the annual Barbecue Festival a couple of days later. This place has been the heart of Texas BBQ culture for over 100 years. We headed straight to Smitty’s Market where we were shown around by Charlie and even met the owner Nina Schmidt! This place is old school with old brick pits and open fires, so different to how we do it back home. Their BBQ is served on peach paper and there’s a strict no knife & fork policy. So you have to get messy with your fingers!

Quick stop to have our picture taken with the Lockhart Mural and we needed to cool down. This day was hot, hot, hot, so naturally we cooled off with a couple of cold beers & a couple of games of shuffle board at Old Pal Texas!

Blacks Barbecue...

A quick look around and then on to Blacks Barbecue. Of course we had to take a photo with the famous 8 days a week sign.

Here we met Kent Black the owner & 5^th generation pitmaster.  He gave us an incredible look around & tour of the smokers and we got to taste the incredible smoked BBQ including the epic beef rib. This place is on our ‘to visit’ list every year and we can hand on heart say that these guys welcome us back every year with open arms and make us feel like family.

Last BBQ stop of the day & we headed over to Kreuz Market (home of the famous Roy Perez). This place is vast & we’ve never seen so many smokers or smoked wood ever before. Another taste of everything for the team and it did not disappoint. The sides here were epic and got us thinking about our own side game!

Rainey Street…

It’s a Hickory’s tradition to venture to the heart of Austin and party on Rainey Street! Think bungalows that are now bars & restaurants with food trucks lining the street. This night was Halloween so the décor and costumes were next level. Almost every bar had live music, so of course there was lots of dancing (& a Margarita or two)!

Hook Em Horns…

Up early & time to Tailgate! We headed over to 18^th Street to the Hornball Tailgaters Tailgate Party. Think unlimited Bloody Mary’s, breakfast taco’s, yard games  and a DJ that started at 8am! The Longhorn fans know how to get ready for game day. A short walk up Bevo Boulevard with the 102,000 other Longhorn fans off to the game at the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium to see Longhorns vs. Vanderbilt!

We cannot begin to describe the atmosphere here… if you know, you know! We saw an explosive start with the return of Arch Manning and Texas taking control early. Leading by 24-10 at half time. Before Vanderbilt made a comeback bid with Diego Pavia pulling a late field goal. The game was incredible & finished 34 – 31 with the Longhorns taking the win despite Vanderbilt scoring 21 points in the 4^th quarter!

We were reeling from the win & wanted to continue the celebrations, heading over to the LBJ Lawn to catch the Beach Boys perform their hits. (Yes, the real Beach Boys! We know right!!)

Day 4 & Home Time (Not before some Sightseeing)…

The next morning before we headed to the airport, we had a few hours of exploring. We headed to Ranch 616 for some brunch research & to try the world famous Ranch Water cocktail (Tequila, lime & sparkling water). The team split and we headed around Texas for some sightseeing, stopping at Murals, the Texas Capitol Building and we just had to make a stop at Congress Avenue to see Allens Boots. The absolute best when it comes to cowboy boots!

Last stop, Taco Time. One last taste of Texas for lunch at Veracruz for their tacos and Agua Frescas! We sampled their tacos, loaded with everything from shrimp, spicy chicken to steak & pulled pork!

What a way to finish the Hickory's Road Trip.

We absorbed so much culture, authenticity and Southern hospitality. A genuine welcome in every place we visited. It was so great to bump into old friends, make new ones and experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Austin & Lockhart! Thanks Texas- see you next time!

Here’s to the next year & the Hickory Road Trip. Until then, let’s see what ideas will make it onto our menus & into our restaurants.