Second Helpings: Austin Barbecue

The weekly Chronicle feature "Second Helpings" offers readers the opportunity to sample tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week's entries were updated by Chronicle Cuisines Editor Virginia B. Wood from an original publication date of March 10, 2000 (when it was written by Greg Beets). When you need quick, reliable information about Austin eateries, check here.

Sam's BBQ

2000 E. 12th, 478-0378

Sun-Thu, 10am-2am; Fri-Sat, 10am-3am

This East Austin institution has long been an obligatory stop for hungry music fans after the clubs close. Sam's serves up wonderful slow-smoked brisket, chicken, mutton, and hot sausage (made on the premises) topped with a spicy, tomato-based barbecue sauce that makes the meat sing. Snackers can order a sandwich, but the real eaters will opt for a combination plate or meat by the pound.

Ruby's Barbeque

512 W. 29th, 477-1651

Daily, 11am-midnight

Nowhere will you find a better combination of Austin's latent hippiedom and Texans' lust for beef. Ruby's serves a perfectly smoked hormone-free brisket that goes quite nicely with their earthy greens and barbecue beans, hot enough to make you shed tears. Non-beef people can enjoy smoked turkey or chicken, and vegetarians can sate themselves on Ruby's generous (and inexpensive) black bean tacos.

County Line

5204 RR 2222, 346-3664

Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm, 5-10pm

Sun, 11am-3pm, 5-9pm

6500 Bee Caves Road, 327-1742

Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm, 5-9:30pm; Sat-Sun, 11:30am-9:30pm

If you've got the appetite, the all-you-can-eat platter service is the way to go at County Line. They will bring you a big platter of sweetly sauced beef ribs, tender brisket, and peppery sausage along with bowls of potato salad, coleslaw, and beans until you tell them to please stop. Lighter eaters (relatively speaking, of course) may opt for a rack of County Line's tasty baby back ribs or a half-pound prime rib sandwich.

Iron Works

100 Red River, 478-4855

Mon-Sat, 11am-9pm

Iron Works' historic building on the banks of Waller Creek is about as tranquil as our bustling central business district gets these days. Their huge beef ribs and super-tender brisket have both won accolades nationwide. Other to-go menu items include smoked chicken and spicy sausage. Perhaps the best testament to the goodness of Iron Works' barbecue is the number of diners in three-piece suits willing to risk making a mess of themselves during the lunch hour.

BBQ World Headquarters

6701 Burnet Road (in the Travis County Farmers Market) 323-9112

Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm

BBQ World Headquarters is the only certified Angus beef smokehouse in Austin. They serve a tasty sliced brisket sandwich with equal parts lean and marbled meat as well as sausage, smoked chicken, baby back ribs, and pork roast. Save some room for banana pudding and homemade brownies. If you can't get away to Lockhart, Taylor, or Llano, this is a worthy substitute.

Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q

11570 Research, 418-9898

Sun-Thu, 10:30am-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 10:30am-10:30pm

2451 Capital of Texas Hwy. S., 329-5554

Sun-Thu, 10:30am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 10:30am-10pm

2400 North I-35 (Round Rock), 244-2936

Sun-Thu, 10:30am-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 10:30am-10:30pm

Rudy's handy roadside locations and gas station/convenience store amenities hearken back to the days when most small Texas towns had a gas station with a reliable smoking pit out back. Good quality smoked meats (brisket, sausage, turkey breast, pork loin, baby back ribs, prime rib, chicken) are available by the plate and the pound with all the light bread, pickles, onions, and peppers you can eat. Hefty sandwiches and sausage wraps are also available, and side dishes such as potato salad, coleslaw, pinto beans, and creamed corn are already packed in individual or family style portions. Their popular fiery "Sause" can be purchased by the bottle.