Since 1967, the Robert's family have owned and operated The Salt Lick Barbeque on their family ranch in Driftwood, Texas, using a recipe handed down from generation to generation since the Civil War. I recently got a chance to enjoy a family style dinner at The Salt Lick as we celebrated the rehearsal dinner for friends getting married in Austin.
Very good barbeque is both an art and science; skill in the application of heat and smoke, showmanship in how your wares are displayed to waiting guests. After all, we do eat with our eyes as much as anything else. From buildings built of limestone quarried from the family ranch, long wooden tables and benches to accommodate family style meals and the stone holding pit within eyeshot of a framed picture of the owners daughters and Bobby Flay, the atmosphere of the restaurant is well executed and welcoming.
The staff was very friendly and allowed me to check out the holding pit, which is the centerpiece of the restaurant, and the smokers which are hidden from view and the dining areas. Both were impressive in their design and evidence of day in and day out usage, but it was the holding pit that captured my attention. The limestone theme is continued with the pits construction, which is laid out in a horseshoe shape. The pit was a source of great pride folks tending to its fire, and they welcomed all my questions with a smile. Flanked by stacks of seasoned hickory wood, the fire in the pit is fed slowly all day, adding a last dose of flavor to the beef brisket, pork ribs, chicken and smoked sausage hung from above.
Where the pit is the art and showmanship, the science and skill is evident in the outstanding meats The Salt Lick prepares. Slow cooked to perfection with ample evidence of smoke ring, the Salt Lick is a perfect example of what is commonly thought of as Texas barbeque - dry rubbed and slow cooked. This is not to do a disservice to the different barbeque styles found across Texas, which actually consist of at least four main regional styles, all with different flavors, cooking methods, ingredients, and cultural origins. It is only to say that when people discuss the barbeque of the United States, The Salt Lick is what people are referencing when they compare Texas to Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City or North Carolina.
Whole chickens, racks of ribs and beef brisket are rubbed with house seasoning and cooked slow and low to perfection, leaving the aforementioned smoke ring and interiors that are among the most moist I've ever had the chance to sample. Meats are mopped with a version of The Salt Lick's barbeque sauce as they smoke, but for the most part are left to reflect the unadulterated balance of spice and smoke that can only come after hours and hours over slow and low heat.
The family style dinner at The Salt Lick includes cornbread, a platter or smoked beef brisket, pork ribs, chicken and smoked sausage, baked beans, potatoes, cole slaw, sweet tea, and a cobbler for desert. All the sides were tasty, but did not steal the spotlight from the barbeque. A sauce that has a hint of Hawaiian flare in the background is provided on the table for those wishing to smother their barbeque. While the house barbeque sauce complements everything well, I found it unnecessary.
The Salt Lick does not serve alcohol, but our hosts provided coolers filled to the brim with ice and Shiner Bock, which is available here in St. Louis, but for me has never tasted as good as it did that night, with its intended pairing - Texas barbeque.
Opinion: Recommended
18001 FM 1826
Driftwood, Texas 78619
512-858-4959
