http://www.texasbarbecuefestival.com/ Foodquest: October 9, 2005 Foodies: Slowdog, Ping Photography: Slowdog Narration: Slowdog

October in Austin is a time when the weather begins to drop below triple digits and a certain smokiness begins to fill the air.  Some call it the smell of Autumn.  Others simply call it the smell of good Barbecue.  The cooler weather is a perfect time to indulge in slow smoked Brisket, Sausage and Ribs.  Perfect timing for the First Annual Texas Barbecue Festival.   

It is almost unbelievable to me that this year marks the first year for the Texas Barbecue Festival.  After all, don't we live in the world famous Central Texas Barbecue Belt?  You'd think that in a city with Hot Sauce Festivals and Food and Wine Festivals that a Fest dedicated to the art of properly smoked meats would be at the forefront, but I digress... 

The theme of the first iteration of the Festival is the wide variety of Sausage available in the Central Texas area.  Held on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Austin's Historic Farmers' Market, the festival not only features the famous Sausage makers from around the region, but also several famous Austin area Barbeque vendors.  In addition, the famous Pies by the Royer family is present to be sampled by the attendees.  While not nearly as crowded as the Hot Sauce Festival, it is clear that the turn out for this initial run of the Festival is significantly higher than expected when cars are parked lawns and curbs for miles around.  Unfortunately, this also means that some vendors also run out of food early in the Festival.  We are not able to sample the fares from Gonzalez Food Market and Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que.  Since the emphasis this year is on Sausage, this means that we are only able to visit four out of the six headliners of 'Sausage Alley.' 

Meyer's

http://www.meyerselginsausage.com/

We begin our visit with Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse.  Varieties available to the attendees are Original, Garlic and Mexican with Japapeno.  These pork sausages feature a natural
casing and hickory smoking to accentuate the blend of spices with the meat.  The sausages are served on Tortillas with a hearty dollop of sauce. 

The pitmaster from Meyer's works a multi-tiered smoker of sausages to meet the seamingly endless demand for the smoky goodness at his fingertips.

The original sausage are savory and moist with a nice accent of garlic.  The skin is somewhat thick and yields only to a firm bite.  Served hot out of the smoker, the sausages make their presence known with their intense heat through the tortilla and wax paper.  

Meyer's Mexican sausage blends the spices from their original recipe with the firm kick of Jalapeno.  Spicy, yet not overpoweringly strong, the flavor of the Jalapeno works to enhance the overall flavor of the sausage.   

Smokey Denmark

http://www.smokeydenmark.com/

Our second stop of the day is at the Smokey Denmark stand.  Based in Austin and serving up sausages and brisket for the past thirty five years, Smokey Denmark is a relatively new entrant when compared to some of their century-old compatriots.

As the crowds line up on Sausage Alley, the pitman from Smokey Denmark rushes a fresh supply of sausages back to their stand. 

The sausage from Smokey Denmark is served without adornment.  Nothing is added except the tortilla.  No sauce, perhaps, to allow for a true taste of the seasoning and spices.  The sausage is mildly seasoned with a light smoky flavor.  The meat filling is so finely ground that it makes the texture completely uniform.  Due to the uniformity, the taste is mild and consistent throughout.

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