MONEY IN THE MEAT

Making it big in Austin BBQ

By Sebastian Villlalobos, Content Editor

Austin is known for its barbecue which attracts food enthusiasts from all over the world to savor the smokey, juicy, and flavorful meats that are cooked to perfection. Behind the scenes, however, lies the hard work, challenges, and dedication of pitmasters who have honed their craft to create some of the best barbecue in the Lone Star State.

Thomas Micklethwait, pitmaster and owner of Micklethwait Craft Meats, explained he was responsible for every aspect of the operation.

“It is a lot of work just doing barbecue, starting it was me doing all the work,” Micklethwait said. “Cooking all the meat and doing all the sides so I was working a lot. I was washing the dishes, throwing away the trash.”

Over the years, he learned that barbecue is not just about cooking meat, but also about managing var- ious tasks simultaneously, from preparation to cleaning. “I have found a good team that helps me do all the chores that need to be taken care of and lets me focus on the quality and quantity of the meat I am cooking and giving out to my customers,” Micklethwait said. have to overcome, Micklethwait said one of his main challenges was realizing that he could not do everything by himself. “The thing that helped us stand out early on, and still helps us, is our meat being quality-focused and making eberything from scratch ourselves,” Micklethwait said.

A good barbecue team can propel a restaurant forward and help to reach the next level of achievement.

“The key to success is to always make sure you have a helpful and cherishing squad that lets you focus on the meat you are cooking every day for your customers,” El Ghayesh said

Marcus McNac, owner of Crimson Creek Smokehouse, is known around the Austin area for his unique approach to barbecue which has allowed him to succeed. McNac incorporates a wide range of spices to elevate the flavors of his meat. “True texas is known for just salt, pepper, and garlic,” McNac said. McNac has experimented with these spices starting when he was at a young age, this lesson draws back to his hometown of Oklahoma which is widely known for integrating lots of spices. McNac has taken the lessons learned in his hometown and taken them here in Austin which has let his restaurant positively flourish.

The thing that helped us stand out early on, and still help us, is our meat being quality-focused and Making everything from scratch ourselves.

“My barbecue is nothing out of the ordinary but quality and quantity is always what does it,” Micklethwait said.

Kareem El Ghayesh, owner of a rising popular food truck, KG BBQ, also knows the importance of building a restaurant around a strong taste or type of food. El Ghayesh has success- fully integrated his Egyptian heritage into traditional Texas barbecue. He has made hybrid dishes that contain both Egyptian ingredients and Texan ingredients, instead, he has put on a unique menu that includes dishes such as brisket rice bowl and pomegranate glazed pork ribs.

“People ask what is the Egyptian part, definitely the spices, so we have a pretty big spice rack inside [the food truck],” El Ghayesh said.

Building a signature style can really fortify barbecue and that is what El Ghayesh has done, he has taken his culture and blended it with what people are already familiar with, which is the original three spices, and has mixed it with strong spices he cultivates and uses to his liking.

“Instead of just the three basic ingredients, I have integrated 15 to 20 different spices in my meat, since I want the most amount of flavor I can get from a piece of meat,” McNac said.

“In traditional barbecue you have your sides which consist of mac and cheese which are rich and heavy. But for us here we have pomegranate seeds and nuts with rice and a fresh salad with vinegar and cumin and everything we are trying to make is to make our flavors stand out,” El Ghayesh said.

The success of different pitmasters in Austin can be attributed to their hard work, dedication, and unique approaches to their barbecue. From experimenting with flavors, to overcoming quality and quantity challenges, and building a solid team, pitmasters put in efforts to create outstanding barbecue that keep everyone coming back for more.

Central Texas BBQ

Signature Style:

Meats seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic

Heavy use of oak, pecan and mesquite wood. Sauces served on the side.

Meat Specialties: BEEF BRISKET

Where to taste: Franklin’s BBQ in Austin, Texas

South Texas

Signature Style:

Heavy Mexican influence, especially barbacoa. Use of sweet tomato and molasses based sauces. A lot of pit cooking.

Meat Specialties: BARBACOA

Where to taste: Vera’s Backyard BBQ in Brownsville, Texas