How to plan your own Texas BBQ Tour

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How to plan your own Texas BBQ Tour

The posse samples meats during our first trip to Franklin BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/The Texas BBQ Posse)

When it comes to Texas BBQ tours, the Posse has a few tips to share with our readers.

We've had 12 BBQ tours since 2009, covering around 5,000 miles. Our last trip, the Best of Texas BBQ Tour, covered 700 miles and 10 top Texas BBQ joints over 48 hours.

Tip no. 1: Do your research and planning, have an agenda. Check out website's like Daniel Vaughn's Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog. Daniel has been to every BBQ joint in Texas and he can save you a trip to a pretender. In fact, his book The Prophets of Smoked Meat will be released in mid-May

Tip no. 2: Pace yourself, don't over eat at any spot, IE: judge but nibble. If it's not any good, stop eating the save room for the good joint down the road. (Think wine tasting.) Try to have some down time between stops.

Tip no. 3: No sides if going to a bunch of joints in one day, we learned that on our first tour four years ago. It just takes up room when you need to be enjoying great smoked meats.

Tip no. 4: Be on the look out for surprises along the way, follow the smoke. A great BBQ surprise is worth the trip itself.

Danny Starr

12 years ago

Great advice here, particularly around the subject of no over-eating and not eating sides. I also advise people to, rather obviously, avoid the sandwiches and stick to half pound or quarter pound orders of meat, max, per person.

Don O.

12 years ago

Another tip. Make room for a cooler and get some of the good stuff to go. Good brisket and sausage warms up great from the fridge or freezer. Ribs, not so much.

Chris Wilkins

12 years ago

Good one Don, we never leave home without a cooler. That cooler has occasionally been known to have some adult beverages inside to enjoy at our stops along the way too! The family & friends are very happy when you get back home with a cooler full of meat, to say the least....

Jacob

12 years ago

Great tips. I have planned a seven stop central Texas trip this Saturday for my Brothers bachelor party. The cooler and agenda ideas have been helpful. This will be my second seven stop trip, but my last one was poorly planned out and ended with feeling sick. I'm excited because this one will hit up the Texas monthly top 5, plus Franklin's and Giddings City Meat Market.