Flores Barbecue in Whitney is one of the top barbecue destinations in the state, according to Texas Monthly, which named it to its “Top 50 Best Barbecue Joints in Texas” list. "I cook my food the way I like it and it seems like a lot of people like it that way," owner Michael Wyont said. "We do put a lot of work into it,” Wyont said. “We make all of our salads from scratch, we make our brisket it smokes from 12 to 14 hours.” The owner knows the secret isn’t in the sauce. Instead, he says, it’s the pickles. “They will come back and they'll say ‘your brisket was really good, but man those pickles were amazing.’”

If you're a real #meatman you know that sides are just as important as the food that these masters cook! Michael, who has been cooking barbecue since he was 11, said one of his major barbecue influences has been Roy Perez at Kreuz Market. His dad and uncle would mess around with a smoker on the weekends, but, Michael said, “I knew there was more to it than what they were doing.” A stint at the Texas Culinary Academy put him on track toward opening his own place where he smokes with the same wood Perez uses: post oak.

It provides a sweet kiss of smoke on the prime-grade briskets. The tender slices were peppery with just enough salt. And, despite the forty-degree temperatures and a slight breeze when I visited recently, the meat stayed juicy. The same can be said for the mound of pulled pork I ordered. Moist and pleasantly fatty, each strand had some smoky bark clinging to it. A dip in the sauce, a dead-ringer for the orange nectar from City Market in Luling, was unnecessary, but I couldn’t stop. Nor could I with the excellent housemade dill pickles.

Louie's BBQ is located on south Congress Ave in Austin, TX. You can find it just south of the 290 Highway in a sea of food trucks. This isn't his first location but Luis Vasquez has been getting a ton of acclaim since he opened. One of my favorite reviews is on his facebook page from a guy named Chris Higgins, "The brisket! Oh my, the brisket! It’s like eating cake. So good. And the Sleeper. The Sleeper will hurt you. You have got to get to Louie’s. By far the best brisket I’ve ever had. Highly recommended. Get there early because they sell out daily."

Like most BBQ in Austin you gotta get it early if you want to get any. Luis is humble about his skills and truly takes on the duty of a Texas pit master. He also has great shady seating where you can smell that delicious que cooking while you have yours. His sides are not to be missed as well. The mac and cheese is smooooth and his cole slaw has a little lime and cilantro that truly cuts all the heaviness of the meat on your plate. Good sides give your stomach a break from the grease so that you can eat even more.

His street corn is classic with a few of his own twists and not to be missed. Most importantly he has Topo Chico. Not just the regular kind but the twist of lime as well. I know I can't get too far into a plate of BBQ without a little Topo.

Both of these #meatmen were great guests on the show and I am grateful for all their hard work. They truly put in the time it takes to keep the BBQ scene alive. Sometimes when you're sitting in line or waiting for your lunch break to start you forget that these pit masters are slaving away, every day, to cook you great food. Thank them an extra time today. Write them a 5 star review and leave a comment reminding them that all the hard work is worth it. I'm thankful for BBQ. I'm not sure what I would do without it.