Austin Lindy Hop
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Austin Lindy Hop
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House Park Barbecue"Need no teef to eat my beef" Texas Barbecue is rich in tradition and style. Texans primarily barbecue beef, as opposed to the emphasis on pork East of the Mississippi. Because a whole steer contains more meat than a single frontier family could eat before it went bad back in the day, barbecuing a Longhorn steer resulted in an invitation to everyone in town (and neighboring towns), thereby increasing the "stakes" (so to speak) such that everyone REALLY wanted the food to be good. Competition brought the best out of these cooks. Texans also mastered the art of the "slow cook:" smoking a slab of meat for at least 10-12 hours at lower temperatures over a wood fire. The meat ends up so flavorful and moist that it is often considered an insult to put barbecue sauce on it. There ain't no sauce at all at some of the most famous barbecue joints in Texas. They won't even let you bring your own. Unfortunately, that tradition carries the burden of many "wanna-be" chains and restaurants taking advantage of it by slapping planks of weathered wood on the side of pre-fab buildings so they "look" like a shack, and serving up "barbecue sauce" (an oxymoron in some parts of Texas) that tastes like Open Pit. Not so, here. House Park Barbecue bucks the trend on all those tourist-trap barbecue joints that have glitzed up the experience. It is very low on ambiance, which ironically gives it part of its appeal. It is dark, dank, and old. The smoke from 30 years ago still clings to the ceiling and crevices. The only "salad" you can get here is filled with mayonaise and potatoes. It also is the most affordable barbecue in town, with regular beef plate specials under $6. Perhaps because it is only open for lunch, House Park Barbecue does not have the following that other well-marketed Austin BBQ joints enjoy. The slogan (above) on the sign outside of House Park Barbecue is about as famous as the food. Of all the barbecue shops in Austin, the "Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook" features only four Austin joints: the Salt Lick, Stubbs, Sam's, and House Park Barbecue. House Park is also the most centrally-located BBQ joint to the two main Lindy Hop venues in Austin (The Fed and The Legion).
House Park Barbecue 900 West 12th Street (512) 472-9621
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