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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Barbecue Guide
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