Above: Mikeska's

Barbecue in Taylor

Taylor calls itself "The Barbecue Capital of the World." With its central location and its position as home of two heavy-hitting names in the barbecue world, Taylor would have to be considered the rodeo-sized belt buckle in the Texas barbecue belt. To reach the pinnacle of pits, head north from Austin on I-35 to Round Rock. Turn east on US 79 and then continue for 17 miles.

Two of Texas's top barbecue spots are neighbors in downtown Taylor. Louis Mueller Barbecue and Rudy Mikeska's Barbecue are separated only by a parking lot and small road at their locations on Second Street.

Louis Mueller's is housed in one of the most authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door, smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot summer day. Smoke streaks the walls, the ceiling two stories above, the free calendars hanging around the place, and the corkboard full of business cards (they're so coated with smoke they look like they were all made from brown grocery sacks).

Not one to waste money on fancy gimmicks like plates, Mueller's serves up meat on a piece of white butcher paper. And don't look for fancy menus here either. There's a moveable letter board on one wall with the offerings. (A few letters are missing, but everyone knows what Louis Mueller's has.) You can pick from brisket, served regular or extra lean, sausage, pork ribs, chopped beef, or steak. Grab a tray, step up to the counter, and the cook will carve off a slice of meat to satisfy your own proportions.

Next door, Rudy Mikeska's serves its equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters. If there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and his barbecue meats were there. In Texas the Mikeska name is still synonymous with barbecue, thanks not only to Rudy but also to his brothers, Maurice, Clem, Jerry, Mike, and Louis. Each man founded his own barbecue restaurant, spread throughout the state. "We're a very close family," explains CEO Tim Mikeska, "but we all do things a little different." You may visit all the locations, but don't expect to see identical menus or taste identical food.

Rudy died in 1989, but he left a legacy of legendary barbecue that his children Tim and Mopsie continue. Step inside the bright red building in downtown Taylor and have a look around at the dozens of pictures of Rudy Mikeska and the wheelers and dealers of Texas. You'll find photos of politicians here, posing beside Mikeska at various events he catered. In the cafeteria line, you can order a plate of lamb ribs but the most popular are brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. The sausage, thin links full of peppery fire, is made using Mikeska's own recipe. Most diners cool the burn with a traditional barbecue restaurant dessert: banana pudding, chock full of banana slices and vanilla wafers.

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