The kids went to Franklins...

IF only.. Places like franklins could get their sides right.. I have heard many stories.. the BBQ is excellent while the sides were just "alright"... Guess you can't be a genius at everything lol

I don't even worry about sides when I go to places like that. Just like I avoid the salad bar at Texas De Brazil at all cost LOL. All those sides are just filler.

sjb67 said:

I don't even worry about sides when I go to places like that. Just like I avoid the salad bar at Texas De Brazil at all cost LOL. All those sides are just filler.

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I understand this but I don't understand why places like Franklin's don't concentrate more on their sides. Perfect bbq is hard. Great sides are easy. I made several sides out of his book and to be honest they were not good at all. That being said Franklin is my favorite BBQ guy hands down, and his book is my favorite food book of all time too.

He's right on the money with each category. :thumb: Especially what he said about the brisket, ribs and my lord that turkey. :hungry: Epic time in Austin especially with the brethren.

Between the beer and the meats who the hell has room for sides anyway? :laugh:



And he's class act

Thanks for the report. Heading there in May for the first time, along with many other places.

I’ve Never been - Probally never go - don’t like driving 4hrs to stand in line 5 more hours......
I’d like to try it but not willing to invest the time...........

SmittyJonz said:

I’ve Never been - Probally never go - don’t like driving 4hrs to stand in line 5 more hours......
I’d like to try it but not willing to invest the time...........

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Don't know about the drive but the line is half the fun bro. Tons of great bbq people in the line you chat with, drink beer and pass the time. Plus the doors open about 8:30 to go inside, check it out, use the restrooms, buy merch and beer. Goes by really fast and next thing you know you're eating.

Maybe we should hit it up this year a day before the Fall Texas bash.:wink:

I'm thinking about making the trek in my way home from Fort Worth in April. I'll be driving home that Wednesday and thought I could add it to the drive and crowds shouldn't be bad. Your kids are lucky!

they should look at outsourcing the sides.

blazinfire said:

IF only.. Places like franklins could get their sides right.. I have heard many stories.. the BBQ is excellent while the sides were just "alright"... Guess you can't be a genius at everything lol

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On the other hand, sides may be even more of a personal taste than than the BBQ itself. I'm sure we could all agree on what a good brisket is, but consensus on potato salad may be even harder to achieve.

I hope to do a Texas BBQ tour this year or next. I want to see what “OMG” brisket is to gauge my own skill at it. I’ve turned out some that I just couldn’t imagine how they can be improved upon but I’m betting they could.

For those of us who have been there, their meat products are sold by the pound and the majority of it is not even eaten on premises. Yes they have seating for eat-in and they do offer sandwiches and sides. While the sides may be good, or as others have said, "average", they only comprise a very small fraction of the total sales. Contrary to popular belief, the brisket at $25.00 per pound, is not the first meat product to sell out on a daily basis.

Who wouldn't want to make the sales numbers listed below in 6 days of business? Keep in mind the sales end when they sell out after being open only a few hours. The numbers below are probably why they focus on great meat, it is responsible for the majority of their income.

Brisket: 10,662.00 pounds per week - average 1777 pounds per day $25.00 @lb
Ribs: 1,823.30 pounds per week - average 304 pounds per day $22.00 @lb
Sausage: 1,200 pounds per week - average about 200 pounds per day 4 links(almost a pound) @$19.00
Beans: 600 pounds per week - average 100 pounds per day
Potato salad: 750 pounds per week - average 125 pounds per day


Other notables

Most Popular Sandwich: Tipsy Texan
Most Popular Dessert: bourbon banana pudding pie

https://austin.eater.com/2016/6/15/11944024/austin-barbecue-statistics


I plan on going back again in late May or early June when I go to visit my Daughter and GrandDaughter just South of Fort Worth. While waiting in the line can be difficult, it's only what you make it. Everyone is eager to engage in conversation about BBQ, Other Local Foods, Family, and everyday chit chat. Everyone I have met in line has been extremely friendly.



When they walk down the line asking how much you intend to order, they are looking for the cut-off point where there is nothing left to sell. This prevents you from waiting all day only to find that they are our of food to sell.

I haaaaate lines. Despise them with a passion. I've driven with expired plates for months, because I didn't want to sit in the DMV. I've walked out of grocery stores leaving a full car that took an hour to fill, because the checkouts were too slow.

The Franklin line was so much fun. The guys behind us had a cooler of beer and started sharing with us. We were eating breakfast tacos from Rudys, and drinking beer by 8am (well, Coors light, so not really beer) There was music, lots of fun chatting.

It is basically an early morning get-together, which culminated in the most amazing brisket I've ever had. I still can't wrap my head around how good it was. And the leftovers the next day were still better than any brisket I've had before or since. Don't go alone, and don't plan on being anti-social, and then the 'line' isn't like waiting for a roller coaster-it's part of the event.

I like the sides at franklins. Obviously the meats are the stars of the show but I feel like the sides fit the bill of being true to central Texas bbq history.

sudsandswine said:

I’ve turned out some that I just couldn’t imagine how they can be improved upon but I’m betting they could.

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They could alright. And that's an understatement. Not kidding. Hopefully you can add the bash in the mix.

Just pickles for sides for me.

If lines are really the problem then order ahead of time. There's a limited availability and you have a minimum order requirement. But I also found waiting with strangers sharing beer and swapping stories to be a hoot. I waited 4 hours (admittedly NOT in the Texas sun) and the food was worth it - my new line-friends insisted I eat while the food was fresh. They had waited all that time just to have lunch. Bring lawn chairs and a cooler/umbrella though when I went there was a guy across the street renting such - all hail American entrepreneurs!

sjb67 said:

I don't even worry about sides when I go to places like that. Just like I avoid the salad bar at Texas De Brazil at all cost LOL. All those sides are just filler.

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THIS!!!!


Crazy when people are judging the sides and sauce at a BBQ joint. It's usually tourists from out of state anyways. I actually like the sides at Franklin. Simple, good, nothing fancy. I don't care because I don't go there for the sides or the sauce. I ate at one "top" Texas place and the potato salad was so terrible I had to throw it in the trash. Who cares, I did not go there for the potato salad, their BBQ was top notch and more than made up for it.