Our first Posse wedding and our first taste of John Lewis' pitmaster magic at La Barbecue in Austin

Texas BBQ Posse / People / Our first Posse wedding and our first taste of John Lewis' pitmaster magic at La Barbecue in Austin

Our first Posse wedding and our first taste of John Lewis' pitmaster magic at La Barbecue in Austin

Ali cuts Easter brisket at La Barbecue "Cuisine Texicana" in Austin. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Over a three-day period recently, Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins and I each ate at La Barbecue "Cuisine Texicana" the trailer start-up in Austin featuring pitmaster John Lewis -- and free beer.

Comparing notes later, we agreed that La Barbecue would have fared well in our recent Best of Texas Tour.

We didn't include it because the joint opened last November and has been operating only a few months. Longevity is a consideration.

On this trip, we went to Austin for the wedding of Posse members Libby Jacobson, my daughter, and Mike Gagne. It was the first wedding in the four-year history of the Posse.

Libby and Mike, who met before they began touring with us, are both good cooks and food fanatics. Libby, in fact, is the one who "discovered" the delightful jalapeno cheese sausage at Kreuz Market in Lockhart on our very first barbecue tour in 2009. The rest of us had ordered the regular sausage.

On Good Friday, the day before the wedding, about a dozen wedding-goers, including Mike and his groomsmen, arrived at La Barbecue about noon. Sixty people were already in line.

Posse members Libby and Mike Gagne say their vows at their Hill Country wedding. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins)

When our turn came, we ordered brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, sausage, turkey, a couple of beef ribs and some sides. Everyone agreed it was exceptional. And, of course, we told Chris about it when we saw him later at some of the pre-wedding festivities.

When Chris arrived at La Barbecue at noon on Easter Sunday, the day after the wedding, about 20 people were in line.

"The brisket was sensational and the homemade sausage may be the best I've ever had," Chris reported. John Lewis told him the sausage was all beef, made of brisket, liver and heart. Chris also got a beef rib and a side of potato salad.

Lewis is an accomplished competition cook. He helped Aaron Franklin launch Franklin Barbecue in 2009 and remained there until moving to La Barbecue, which was the home of JMueller BBQ until pitmaster John Mueller was forced out by his sister, LeAnn.

The name of the joint and the pit boss may have changed, but it's clear that La Barbecue is in good hands. We'll be back.

La Barbecue "Cuisine Texicana", 1502 S. 1st St, Austin, TX, 512-605-9696. Open Wed-Sun 11 am-til the meat runs out.