Texas
I'm an Aussie who spent 7 hours in line to try some of the best barbecue in Texas. The wait was well worth it.
- I waited for seven hours to try Franklin Barbecue, considered the best barbecue in Texas by many.
- In line, I met other tourists and was even interviewed by a local paper.
- Despite the long wait, the food was amazing, and we made a day out of the experience.
Texas is renowned for its barbecue. One of the most famous places to get it is Franklin Barbecue in Austin, where people wait in line for hours to order.
Established in 2009, Franklin Barbecue has made quite a name for itself in the past few years. It’s regularly recommended in Michelin Guides, and publications from Texas Monthly to Bon Appetit have listed it among the best barbecue in Texas (and even the country).
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain even called the restaurant’s brisket the “best” and “finest” he’s ever had in 2012.
As someone who loves Texan barbecue, I’d always wanted to try it.
Eventually, I got a group together to see if this spot was really worth the hype. We arrived at about 7 a.m. on a Saturday, and there was already a queue of about 80 people.
We got to know the others waiting in line
The restaurant is in a pretty unassuming turquoise-and-white building, but we immediately noticed the crowds outside of it.
Most people in the queue came prepared with chairs and coolers full of drinks. Although we didn’t have chairs, we did bring some beer.
However, 7 a.m. felt a little too early to start drinking, so I had coffee first.
We started chatting with others in the line and discovered that most were not from Austin and had traveled from other states. We even spoke to a few international visitors.
Overall, the atmosphere was very friendly, and it felt like we were tailgating before a big sports game.
The back of the line was told there may not be enough food for them
After a couple of hours, when the queue had grown to a few hundred, a staff member came out to take orders.
These were not official orders, but the staff member wanted to try to check if there’d be enough of each order to cater to everyone in the queue.
Since there was a chance of demand exceeding supply, they advised people at the end of the queue to go home and not risk wasting their time. Thankfully, we were well within the cutoff limit and didn’t need to worry about the food running out before we ordered.
The samples we received left me wanting more
We could smell the delicious meat since the smokers were very close to the line, which made us even more eager to eat.
Around 10:30 a.m., another employee came to hand out some small samples.
Although the portion sizes were smaller than a bite, the piece I tried had me salivating. My stomach was rumbling, but I knew we still had a few hours left of waiting.
At one point, a local reporter started asking a few of us why we were in line.
A reporter from the University of Texas paper came to ask some tourists why they were there. As an Australian, I was one of the people interviewed. I joked I’d flown from Down Under for lunch just to fly home after eating — and they seemed to believe me.
At this point, I was getting delirious from the hunger.
The doors finally opened at 11 a.m., and the queue began to move very slowly. Time moved even slower as I watched satisfied customers exit the restaurant.
I became impatient as we inched forward. Finally, around 1 p.m., we entered the restaurant and soon got to place our orders.
At last, we received our food after almost seven hours of waiting
Once we made it inside, I was so hungry that I wanted to order several pounds of food, but I contained myself.
Finally, after almost seven hours, we sat down with plates full of meat and sides like coleslaw and pickles. The brisket melted in my mouth and no knife was required for the tender meat.
I felt like I was in food heaven.
The long wait was worth it
After finishing our meal, we saw the owner and pitmaster, Aaron Franklin, emerge from the kitchen. We complimented him on his food and staff and told him that the experience was well worth the long wait.
I’ve tried many barbecue places in Texas, but this was the best I’ve had.
Customers can order Franklin Barbecue online to avoid this wait, but you must do so days in advance during a specific window and order at least 5 pounds.
Still, I think everyone should try the queue experience once since it makes for a fun day and an interesting story — plus, you get delicious barbecue at the end of the wait.
Texas
Texas basketball: Longhorns open final stretch of non-conference play with a blowout win
Texas women’s basketball nonconference schedule
Texas women’s basketball nonconference schedule
Back at Moody Center for just the second time this month, No. 6 Texas crushed La Salle in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.
Senior forward Taylor Jones recorded her third double-double performance of the season, and Kyla Oldacre and Justice Carlton respectively scored 18 and 17 points in a 111-49 victory. With two games left until its Southeastern Conference opener, Texas is now 11-1.
The Longhorns will next host South Dakota State (10-2) on Sunday afternoon.
“We’ve got a monster on Sunday. South Dakota State is really good and well-coached. They’re always an NCAA tournament team. They win their league every year. So we’ve got to sharpen up a little bit and be ready on Sunday,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “My concern on Sunday is that my kids are going to have one foot out the door ready for Christmas break, and sometimes you can do that against the three-name directional school. You (can’t) get away with that on Sunday.”
The 62-point win was the second-most lopsided victory of UT’s season, but the game was competitive in the first quarter. La Salle (6-6) even led twice before the first media timeout was called.
During that first quarter, Texas leaned on the depth it has often boasted about but not always used this season. Eleven Longhorns played in the first quarter, and Schaefer made his first substitutions less than three minutes into the game.
Reserve guard Jordana Codio, who had not played in a first half this season, gave UT a lead it wouldn’t relinquish when she sank a 3-pointer with 5:38 left in the frame. A junior, Codio finished with seven points over a career-high 17 minutes.
“That was the game plan,” Schaefer said. “Jordana’s had four really good days, she’s earned it. … She’s doing what Shay had to do her first few years. She’s over there on the men’s practice team, and she dominated our team. So she deserved the opportunity. She came in and did exactly what we needed, which was give us some juice.”
Texas exited the first half with a 19-12 advantage and then outscored La Salle by a 38-9 margin in the second quarter. The Longhorns’ lead swelled to as many as 67 points in the second half.
While playing just 14 minutes, Jones scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the undersized Explorers. Jones and fellow post players Oldacre and Carlton led Texas to a 70-14 advantage in paint points. The Longhorns also got a combined 21 points and 11 assists from point guards Rori Harmon and Bryanna Preston while All-American forward Madison Booker had 10 points and six rebounds.
Aryss Macktoon and Ivy Fox each scored seven points to lead La Salle.
Before Tuesday’s game, members of the UT basketball team received rings to celebrate the championship they won at last season’s Big 12 tournament. Nine players remain from that team.
Texas
Texas electors cast ballots for Trump, Vance on Tuesday
Members of the Texas Electoral College met at the state capitol building in Austin on Tuesday to cast their 40 electoral votes for president.
The office of Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson reported all 40 electoral votes were cast for President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
The vote, the secretary’s office said, reflects “the will of the Texas voters in the 2024 General Election.”
Nelson presided over the proceedings in the Texas House Chamber. In an address to the electors, Nelson emphasized the historical significance of their duty.
“Today, you join a distinguished line of Texans who have served as electors—a role vital to the strength of our democracy,” Nelson said. “This event marks the culmination of months of effort to ensure free, fair, and secure elections.”
The event was broadcast live through Texas House media and can be watched here.
Texas
Newly filed bill could make recreational marijuana legal in Texas — with these limitations
Americans vote on abortion, immigration, marijuana and voting rights
Abortion, immigration, marijuana and voting rights are key issues on ballots across the United States.
Texas may join several states in legalizing recreational marijuana if a bill is passed in the next legislative session.
If passed, the bill would let adults ages 21 and older possess, use and transport marijuana for personal use, up to 2.5 ounces. Up to ten ounces of marijuana could be possessed legally if stored in a secure location.
It would also require cannabis products to be clearly labeled and have child-resistant packaging, WFAA reports.
State Rep. Jessica Gonzalez (D-Dallas) filed the bill in November, to be considered during the next legislative session. The next session runs from Jan. 5 to June 2, 2025. If the bill passes, it will go into effect Sept. 1, 2025.
The bill would have limitations. Smoking marijuana in public would remain illegal, as would smoking in a vehicle on a public road.
Texas would join 24 other states in legalizing recreational marijuana. The Lone Star State established a medical marijuana program through the Compassionate Use Program in 2015 and is among the 38 states that allow it for medical use.
However, it’s unlikely that the new bill will be passed as Texas officials continue to tighten regulations on marijuana issues statewide.
Recreational marijuana bill filed after Texas AG files lawsuit against Dallas
Around the time Rep. Gonzalez filed the bill, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton added Dallas to the list of cities he is suing for the decriminalization of cannabis. The lawsuit came shortly after 67% of Dallas voters approved Proposition R, also known as the “Dallas Freedom Act.” The law amends the city’s charter and prevents police from arresting or citing individuals for possessing up to 4 ounces of cannabis, except in cases involving felony investigations tied to violence or narcotics.
The measure also prohibits officers from using the smell of cannabis as probable cause for searches or seizures and restricts city funds and resources from being used to test cannabis-related substances to determine whether they meet the legal definition of cannabis.
Before the vote, Dallas had been one of the largest U.S. cities that had not decriminalized cannabis possession.
Texas Lt. Gov. moves to ban sale of all THC products
Just weeks ago, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick launched an effort to pass Senate Bill 3, which would ban all forms of consumable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from being sold, according to a news release from his office. As president of the Senate, Patrick has a strong influence over which legislation is heard. The bill’s low number suggests it will be among the first to be debated in the next legislative session.
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