Dining Guide

Kerlin BBQ

Kerlin BBQ isn’t yet a year old, making it one of the youngest barbecue joints in Austin to be mentioned with the big names. Owner and pitmaster Bill Kerlin is also pretty new to the craft of smoking meat. “I never cooked a brisket until I moved to Texas.”

Nine months makes a big difference in Kerlin’s execution on the brisket. Instead of the tight slices that required a good set of molars, this version, using prime Angus, pulled apart like a meaty doily. The smokiness has been fortified by a change in wood.