AUSTIN - Texans take their barbecue seriously. How seriously? Here’s a quote from last month’s Texas Monthly magazine:

“Eighteen hungry reviewers. 14,773 miles driven/flown. 341 joints visited. Countless bites of brisket, sausage, chicken, pork, white bread, potato salad, and slaw—and vats of sauce—ingested. There are only fifty slots on our quinquennial list of the best places to eat barbecue in Texas. Only five of those got high honors.”

Fortunately for me, number five on the list, Louie Muller Barbecue, is located in Taylor, just a 30-minute drive from Austin.

The place is a barbecue joint in every sense of the word. Fading photos and business cards adorn the textured walls and light beams in from dirty glass panes, creating an ambiance that can’t be faked by chain restaurants.

While standing in line, you’ll be offered some brisket to chew on to pass the time. For me, it sealed the deal. I added a homemade sausage link, beans, potato salad, bread and a cold Shiner Bock beer to wash it all down.

Just for good measure, I hovered over my dining companion’s pork ribs hoping for a nibble. Ah, carnivore heaven.

Louie Muller Barbecue also ended up as one of my top five barbecue spots. If I had liked the watery sauce better, it might have taken the top spot.

But the quest for the world’s best barbecue continues. Like they say, it’s the journey not the destination.

All photos by Charles Williams/P-D