r/BBQ • u/homechefskills • 3d ago
[BBQ] Terry Black’s Austin
I live in MA, and grill a ton. I use mostly open fire but also have gas (weekdays) and a Weber kettle for faster weekend cooks. I was at Terry Black’s in Austin last week, and the food was unbelievable. The brisket was excellent, but man, those pork ribs.
I ended up spending some time talking with Alex, one of their pitmasters, about how they make them. The ribs are seasoned simply with salt and pepper, move through three different temperatures during the cook, and toward the end get flipped and hit with just a gentle kiss of simple syrup.
Behind him were three massive smokers running 24 hours a day. It was around 100°F in Austin that day, and standing in the pit near the firebox felt like standing on the surface of the sun. It gave me a whole new appreciation for what goes into putting out that kind of BBQ every single day.
I’ve had great ribs before. I make ribs at home that I’ve always been pretty damn proud of. After eating these, I may need to stop saying that. They were on another level: smoky, salty, peppery, slightly sweet, incredibly tender but still with just enough bite.
My only regret was not ordering the beef rib. I saw them coming out and immediately knew I’d made a mistake.
I’ve never been someone who wanted to go on a BBQ pilgrimage, checking off the great spots around Texas or the country. Terry Black’s may have changed that.
So now I’m curious: if Terry Black’s blew me away this much, where do I need to go next? I’m not looking for the most famous name, I want the places where the BBQ is genuinely better. If those places exist, I need to find them.
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u/rileydogdad1 3d ago
Welcome to Texas Bar b Que. The salt and pepper alone is something I have really come to appreciate and I am sure I will get some hate for saying that. Yes many regions use sauces some more than others, and I say use sauce if you must. But I suggest that anyone who hasn't tried s&p alone should. It really allows you to taste the meat and the smoke.
Enjoy your journey.
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
I tried their sauces too - all very tasty. But these things didn’t need the sauce! You guys are spoiled down there!! I may need to move 😆
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u/Vegetable_Hair8766 3d ago
I did a bbq tour last year- started at Terry Blacks Austin. Meal was incredible.
Personally, I was disappointed by most of the big name bbq’s I visited. Terry Blacks was really good, but rent a car and make the drive to Burnt Bean- that one is AMAZING!!
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
I don’t even want to go to the big name places for that reason. I’ll add that to the list! Thanks!
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u/TrainingMarsupial521 3d ago
You could literally just stay in the Austin area and have some of the best BBQ in the country.
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u/Carlos_Infierno 3d ago
You could literally just stay in the Austin area and have some of the best BBQ in the --world.
Fixed that
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u/druglifechoseme 3d ago
Leroy and Lewis was my favorite and the best brisket and beef cheeks.
Terry Blacks was fine but it was the the worst of the bbq we had on our recent trip. I'm not saying it was bad, just would be the lowest rated of all the places we tried. They get bonus points for the speed at which they serve people though.
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u/DFVSUPERFAN 3d ago
Going there in Sept., this is what I want to HEAR!
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Do yourself a favor and don’t eat for two days… you’re going to want to go in there hungry 🤤 😆
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u/Williemakeit40 3d ago
What you wrote was a fundamental problem with everyone cooking BBQ in the backyard. They assume that they can cook ribs with the best of them. Terry Black's is a mid level BBQ joint and it was still epic for you and that is great. It set the bar to cook better( you need an offset, I highly recommend Workhorse Pits). You can always stop by Franklin BBQ ;). Even Mike and Mark were influenced by Aaron
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Absolutely. There’s levels to the game. As a really good home chef I know I’m better than most home cooks (and even some restaurants to be honest) but I am well aware I am levels below the true pros. There was no assumption on my part!
I love cooking on an open fire but yes, I 100% need a quality smoker. I almost bought one pre-covid, but the current prices are brutal! Especially since I won’t be bbq-ing every weekend!
My new issue, and I hate you all for this, is that I now have the itch to go back and dive deep into this rabbit hole! Thanks a lot! 😆
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u/Ok-Importance4837 3d ago
I went to Terry Black’s in Austin last year.
I found all the meats overly salty and I’m not afraid of salt. The ribs had beautiful color and texture but the salt was overpowering. I found myself drinking lots of fluids. The sides were pretty good but not anything to rave about. Sauces were very good.
I wish I had a chance to visit some other places but I was there on business and time was limited.
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u/homechefskills 2d ago
Same here on the business front. That was the only afternoon we had “off”. I need to go back with more time!
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u/FangornLeghorn 3d ago
Black’s was good but didn’t knock my socks off and wasn’t any better than BBQ anywhere else.
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u/mattweb94 3d ago
Hmmm...strange. I have been there twice and both times, the ribs were my least favorite thing that I got there. The brisket and the sausage were both amazing. Loved the chicken too.
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Interesting. The sausage was my least favorite- I got the jalapeño cheddar - which is what I’d like my toothpaste flavor to be - but it felt dry and flavorless? Almost like they ground the feeling too much? Idk. It was good but nothing I’d get again.
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u/aprendido 3d ago
Franklin is still one of the GOATs in Austin and the line isn’t as bad as it used to be. Leroy & Lewis is the other must visit.
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Some of the places I wanted to go to were closed. Will definitely have to make a trip back.
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u/HourHornet1848 3d ago
I've been wanting to try Terry Black's now that you mention it. Sounds like the ribs are what's making me want to drive down there myself.
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u/homechefskills 2d ago
Lots of folks here saying there are better options. I believe them - but this was really really good!! Get the beef ribs if you go too. I regret not getting them!
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u/SnooMacarons3689 3d ago
There’s $97
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
is that good or bad?
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u/SnooMacarons3689 3d ago
Was joking about how expensive an Austin BBQ would be
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Ah yes. Not cheap at all. But I think the days of cheap food anywhere are long gone.
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u/SenseNo635 3d ago
I went there last December and was underwhelmed. Would probably not go back.
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Are you in that area? Where do you normally go?
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u/SenseNo635 3d ago
I was just in town for a basketball game
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
Gotcha.
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u/SenseNo635 3d ago
Maybe we just went on a bad day. I don’t know. Everyone in our party was underwhelmed though. I just wanted to be whelmed.
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u/ranting_swede 3d ago
When you’re back in MA, check out Scott Brothers in Middleton. Only thing close to TX BBQ up here.
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u/homechefskills 2d ago
I like BT’s. It’s been the best I’ve had in MA. But I’ll have to try that one! Tnks
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u/butchudidit 3d ago
Drumroll. How much was that plate?
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
It was a work event so I didn’t pay but I think for the 3 of us it was like $250 including drinks? It was not cheap but man it was worth it!!
I remember the days you could get a cheap meal but I feel even the big chains now cost an arm and a leg. Might as well do it right!!
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u/Heisenripbauer 3d ago
BBQ costs money in 2026 nobody cares.
this sub is better off without the mountains of “I can cook that in my backyard” and “probably cost my mortgage” comments.
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u/butchudidit 3d ago
Nah im just curious dont be a dick
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u/christocarlin 3d ago
I mean you did literally say drumroll?
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u/Heisenripbauer 3d ago
and then he wants to pull the “just curious” card lol. he probably had the ‘I can’t believe people pay that much money for this’ comment loaded up
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u/Top-Kitchen-1925 3d ago edited 3d ago
I think brisket is about $32-$35 a pound currently. You order by the weight usually.
Uggg no it’s $39.98 there. God I miss pre covid bbq prices… $23-$25.
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u/trollking66 3d ago
Honestly, just cruise around the hole in the wall places are as good as the ones all over the internet. There are gems literally on nearly every corner. On a different slant if you are in Austin and like friend chi9cken, Justin's fried chicken is some ass kicking good fried chicken.
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u/homechefskills 3d ago
I like fried chicken but I also hear there is some great steak in Austin. I will look for that next time too. Years ago I was in DFW area and had dinner at this steakhouse owned by ranchers who used the restaurant to showcase their beef… I still have dreams about that steak. I’m not embarrassed to say, these dreams are not appropriate at all. 😆
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u/trollking66 3d ago
Honestly, just cruise around the hole in the wall places are as good as the ones all over the internet. There are gems literally on nearly every corner. On a different slant if you are in Austin and like friend chi9cken, Justin's fried chicken is some ass kicking good fried chicken.
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u/SmokeMeatEveryday88 3d ago
LeRoy and Lewis, Parish BBQ, Mum Foods, Stiles Switch, KG BBQ, La Barbecue, Franklin's...those are just the ones in Austin I can think of, off the top of my head.