I had the most amazing BBQ last night. I heard the legends of the Salt Lick, but I had never ventured out there. The Discovering Austin Meetup group was having a get together there, so I jumped at the chance.

It’s about 40 minutes southwest of Austin, a journey I took through dark, rolling hills. The restaurant itself is sprawled across two ranch-like buildings and a large outdoor picnic area.

The Salt Lick is a BYOB establishment. Let that sink in for a moment. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and they told you to please bring all the beer you want? I came with a six-pack of Sam Adams. Jay, the Meetup organizer, had a better idea: a rolling cooler stuffed with beer.

Once we had a table, our group ordered ribs, sausage, brisket and turkey, accompanied by piles of potatoes, beans, slaw and bread. For about $10 a head. The meat was slow roasted for 8 hours, ascending into some higher state of being. It was delicious!