A VERY Late BBQ Post!

Taylor, Texas is a great place to visit if you love barbecue.   There’s those venerable businesses, of course, including Louie Mueller BBQ, Vencil Mares Taylor Cafe and Davis Grocery, all worthy stops.  But every year, the amateurs head to Murphy Park for the Taylor Chamber of Commerce’s International BBQ Cook-Off.   This was the 36th year for the event, which actually happened a couple of weekends ago, but I’m just now catching up to my postings.   Among the contestants were an all-ladies’ team, Barbie Q Queens, from Thorndale, Texas.   They’re in the opening photo.    Beyond food, there was music, and Tom and Juanita Bolt of Pflugerville just loved dancing to slow music while briskets and ribs slowly smoked their way to perfection.   Judging, of course, is a big deal in the various categories that included beans, fish, chicken, goat, pork, ribs, brisket and “wild game.”   Nobody’s ever sure what’s been consumed in that category.   This year, Annie Warren, one of the wild game judges, was obviously not thrilled with a box she opened to find some sort of critter’s foot inside.  “Not much meat,” she explained.  No argument there.  Her and fellow judges thought the feet might’ve been originally attached to turkeys, but it was a mystery meat for sure!  Go to this fine event next August if you’re in the area.