Brown's BBQ - Austin

Brown's BBQ has been around Austin for a while.  The current trailer has been serving customers since 2011.  However, the buzz for Brown's just now appears to have reached an all-time high. 

Brown's had been on my "To Do List" for a while so I was pleased to finally make the trip on a Saturday at 11:30.

THE MEATS

I placed an order for Brisket, Pork Ribs and Beef Ribs.  The meats were sliced and served quickly.  All three meats looked the part with beautiful browns flanked on either side by a pink smoke ring.  However, all three meats missed the mark when it came to texture.  Something was off here.

The pork ribs presented were tough.  It was a battle to free the meat from the bone.  A sweet flavor was present in the unrelenting, almost caramelized crust.  The meat itself was dry but carried a decent flavor.  It was a workout for my jaw that was not worth the payoff.

While the pork ribs simply struggled with toughness, the beef ribs were massacred by it.  The spongy meat from the beef rib refused to yield to my teeth.  The plastic fork that came with the meal helped to pry some meat off but the rib was shortly written off as a lost cause.  The meat that was freed from the bone presented very little flavor.  This beef rib definitely needed more time.

The brisket was the highlight of the meal and presented an experience exactly opposite of the ribs.  This meat had spent plenty of time smoking, so much so that it was reduced to the consistency of butter.  The soft meat fell apart as pieces were shoveled into our mouths.  The brisket carried a simple salt & pepper rub which allowed the strong smoke flavor to be showcased.  This brisket was definitely not bad, but the potential was just so much higher! Unfortunately that potential fell to the table in clumps.

THE REST

The highlight of the meal actually came from a surprising side: Cabbage.  The cabbage, in fact, is one of the best sides I've ever encountered on my adventures.  The cabbage is soft but still contains a slight crunchiness.  The slight sweetness is complimented by small bits of bacon in the delicious concoction.

Brown's serves out of a trailer, pretty standard on the south side of Austin.  The trailer sits outside of Corner Bar The trailer has a few picnic tables outside or if you want to beat the heat, you can tote your meat into the bar.

THE VERDICT

I really wanted to like this place and I was truly looking forward to the brisket and ribs with all of the superlatives I have heard attached to them.  Unfortunately, this was poorly prepared BBQ.  The brisket carried good flavor for what it was.  The ribs fell flat.  I see plenty of promise with this joint, especially in that smokey brisket, and I am nearly positive that I caught them on a bad day.  They certainly have A+ Cabbage but today the BBQ was just a C+.

Address: 1901 South Lamar Dr, Austin, TX 78704
Phone: 512-517-8520
Hours: Tuesday - Wednesday: 11AM - 7PM; Thursday - Saturday: 11AM - 11PM
https://www.facebook.com/BrownsBarBQue