Who Do I Have to Hog Tie to Get a BBQ Sandwich Around Here??

One of my favorite things about Texas is the abundance of good, mediocre and downright bad barbecue. When you just need a simple fix, head on down the corner to that shady place run by the woman with her mullet tucked neatly behind her Nascar shirt. Actually, you may even be able to buy gas here. For something a little better, travel a bit further to that local restaurant where the manager leans on the counter and discusses sports or church politics (but never religion or real politics) with the customers. Chances are you'll run into someone from high school or see a familiar face from another hotspot. Drive home and enjoy your brisket, pickles and flavorful sauce.

If you really want to class things up, you gather a few of your best friends or closest family members and head to some of the meccas of bbq strung throughout Texas. My favorites are Dieter Bros. in Lindsay, Salt Lick in Driftwood, and that place in Sherman.

Oregon lacks this pleasantry. While Eugene has the equivalent situation in Vegetarian restaurants, it offers little and frequently failing barbecue happiness.

Today I drove by THREE places in search of a simple sandwich. One was closed, one should have been opened but was closed, and the last one had some sort of malfunction that would "hopefully be fixed soon." Driven by frustration, determination and my hunger I decided to make my own barbecue sandwich!

And boy oh boy am I glad I did. I made a pulled chicken barbecue sandwich with Stubb's (in Austin) spicy sauce. It was soooooo good. I even ate another one for dinner, and there's enough left from that chicken breast to have one tomorrow for lunch.

I guess that quest this afternoon was not in vain. It led me to a higher calling:

barbecuing.