My Franklin BBq Pilgrimage - Los Angeles to Austin Tx in 24 hrs - A Day In Pictures

DirtyMingusMcGee

Wow. Awesome trip and write up. Thanks. I was given Aaron's book at xmas and it is great. More of an every page reader than a cookbook. It is clear that is a pilgrimage I must make! 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

buzd504 said:

So what's the story on "Cooper's"?  I've never heard of that one.

coopers is a strange recommendation from Franklin but I like it. There are 4-5 of them around and they are all a franchise of the original but still owned by people in the Cooper family (at least that's the way it has been in the past). You order right off the pit and they chop off whatever you want right there, then you take it inside and they weigh it. It's a Medieval feast. The Q is decent but not anywhere near Franklins/Valentina's/LaBarbecue and many others around here. It's an experience but they cook on gassers for the masses at most of the locations. I think the original in Llano (an hour outside of Austin) still runs wood pits. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

you order off these big brick pits outside then go in to pay and get sides etc. It's hard not to overbuy when you see it all lined up like this:

buzd504

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

buzd504 said:

So what's the story on "Cooper's"?  I've never heard of that one.

coopers is a strange recommendation from Franklin but I like it. There are 4-5 of them around and they are all a franchise of the original but still owned by people in the Cooper family (at least that's the way it has been in the past). You order right off the pit and they chop off whatever you want right there, then you take it inside and they weigh it. It's a Medieval feast. The Q is decent but not anywhere near Franklins/Valentina's/LaBarbecue and many others around here. It's an experience but they cook on gassers for the masses at most of the locations. I think the original in Llano (an hour outside of Austin) still runs wood pits. 

Interesting, thanks.

Hook_emHornsfan_74

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

you order off these big brick pits outside then go in to pay and get sides etc. It's hard not to overbuy when you see it all lined up like this:

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of Coopers.  Its just blah compared to Valentina's and Franklin's.  Sometimes when driving back to Midland from Austin, we stop and get some Coopers for home and every time I do it swear its my last time.  La-barbecue is next on my list to try.  Will be in Austin in May, we should try to meet up and feast on some good Q.  SWMBO's daughter just built a condo on Cooper Lane in south Austin.   Its like 10 mins from Valentina's.  Couldn't be happier.   I have only had their breakfast tacos.  They Holyfield is amazing as well as the brisket/avcacado taco.  Can't wait to try the rest.  

GATraveller

Looks like LaBarbeque will be opening in Los Angeles soon.  That bodes well for ya Tim!

Legume

I think I recall that Coopers is W’s favorite BBQ.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

you order off these big brick pits outside then go in to pay and get sides etc. It's hard not to overbuy when you see it all lined up like this:

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of Coopers.  Its just blah compared to Valentina's and Franklin's.  Sometimes when driving back to Midland from Austin, we stop and get some Coopers for home and every time I do it swear its my last time.  La-barbecue is next on my list to try.  Will be in Austin in May, we should try to meet up and feast on some good Q.  SWMBO's daughter just built a condo on Cooper Lane in south Austin.   Its like 10 mins from Valentina's.  Couldn't be happier.   I have only had their breakfast tacos.  They Holyfield is amazing as well as the brisket/avcacado taco.  Can't wait to try the rest.  

let's do it. I bet we could get a pretty big crew together for a day like that. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

GATraveller said:

Looks like LaBarbeque will be opening in Los Angeles soon.  That bodes well for ya Tim!

that's right! They moved one of their trailers out there when they opened the brick and mortar. They should be really close. 

lkapigian

Thank for sharing @SoCalTim

SoCalTim

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

you order off these big brick pits outside then go in to pay and get sides etc. It's hard not to overbuy when you see it all lined up like this:

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of Coopers.  Its just blah compared to Valentina's and Franklin's.  Sometimes when driving back to Midland from Austin, we stop and get some Coopers for home and every time I do it swear its my last time.  La-barbecue is next on my list to try.  Will be in Austin in May, we should try to meet up and feast on some good Q.  SWMBO's daughter just built a condo on Cooper Lane in south Austin.   Its like 10 mins from Valentina's.  Couldn't be happier.   I have only had their breakfast tacos.  They Holyfield is amazing as well as the brisket/avcacado taco.  Can't wait to try the rest.  

let's do it. I bet we could get a pretty big crew together for a day like that. 

Ya know, i might be available for that! Keep me in mind!

lkapigian

@SoCalTim I did not see any sausage on your plate, did you get to try any?

Legume

Haha - I just noticed the Big Red.  Did someone talk you into that?

SoCalTim

@lkapigian - we went turkey over sausage, dunno why, should have ordered it too. @Legume - saw a review that said it was a Tx classic that went perfect with Franklin bbq, it was excellent.

Legume

SoCalTim said:

@lkapigian - we went turkey over sausage, dunno why, should have ordered it too. @Legume - saw a review that said it was a Tx classic that went perfect with Franklin bbq, it was excellent.

See, I didn’t even notice it the first time I looked, seemed normal.

Eoin

Looks like a great trip, well done on the early start and line position.

saluki2007

Thanks for sharing Tim.  Hope to one day make the journey.

mEGG_My_Day

Appreciate the write up Tim - sounds like y'all had a great time.

thetrim

I went to Coopers back in '97.   Very cool spot and some solid Q back then.  Looks like some of the new guys are doing better stuff now.  I wish I lived close to Austin now.  

YukonRon

Outstanding post, and thank you for sharing. Very nicely done.

R2Egg2Q

Great post Tim. Definitely moves up on my bucket list. Thx!

JMCXL

Someday I will make the trip, it’s top of the bucket list

Hans61

I like it you wore a BGE hoodie for this experience!

Carolina Q

Hans61 said:

I like it you wore a BGE hoodie for this experience!

And he printed it himself!

SoCalTim

The Cen-Tex Smoker  - I see Stubb's has 3 restaurants in Austin, have you ever eaten at any of them??

Legume

@socaltim I’ve never eaten at the original, but the one on 5th and the one labeled Graceland Grocery both serve food from the original.  They’re sort of bar-embedded places - bbq sandwiches, sliders and nachos kind of stuff.  Good, but not remarkable is how I hear it described by most people.  And nothing to do with Stubbs sauces, that name was sold off long ago and is why the Graceland Grocery is in the name of that location - they got sued over it.

Legume

Are you starting a hit list for your next visit?

SoCalTim

Legume said:

Are you starting a hit list for your next visit?

Hey, it's never too early .. lol. Actually I was talking to a guy in line & he told next time I gotta hit the food trucks, said they were incredible. I'd like to go back early summer.

Foghorn

SoCalTim said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker  - I see Stubb's has 3 restaurants in Austin, have you ever eaten at any of them??

I've been to the one that is downtown and has a Sunday Gospel Brunch.  It's a fun experience mixing some rock n' roll gospel music with a BBQ buffet on a Sunday morning.  The food is decent but by itself it is nothing to write home about.  

gonepostal

Austin is on the bucket list. Hopefully 2019. The plan is to take 2 weeks off and hit as many places as possible. Thanks for posting!