Sitting at a picnic table inside The Salt Lick – the famous barbecue restaurant just outside of Austin, Texas – I briefly put down my fork and declared to my friends, “I am so happy right now.” Then I started piling up my plate with more brisket, ribs, potato salad and pickles. We wisely brought our own light beer to wash it all down.

Texas is justifiably famous for its barbecue, but sometimes it’s simply yanked from the smoker, slapped on a sheet of butcher paper and then you’re on your own. No forks, no sauce. That’s not the case at the Salt Lick, whose interior resembles a wilderness camp lodge, and it would surely be the greatest camp ever. Sure, you can peruse the menu, but I prefer the sampler plate. It’s less than $20 (cash only) and they bring you as much as you can possibly eat. As delicious as it is, you’ll eat more than you ever thought possible. My favorite is the brisket slices, which I slather in sauce and smash in a roll. The ribs are succulent and the sausage chunks ooze flavor. One of my friends ordered the chicken and picked it clean. Most of us saved room for dessert, and I would recommend the half-hour drive from Austin just for the warm, generous serving of peach cobbler with ice cream.

Whenever I visit a barbecue restaurant in Texas, I am always struck by the number of families sharing a table – old and young, large and small – and the diversity among the meat-eaters. Barbecue and music are a way of life there. (Indeed, there was a duo singing country songs when we arrived.) It’s a lovely way to spend a lazy afternoon, stuffing yourself, then driving back to Austin for a much-needed nap.

Ribs are the first thing I order at any barbecue restaurant, and the ones at Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue in Kansas City are delectable. I’ll order them next time, too, but on my next trip, I’ll arrive as hungry as possible, because I’m also a big fan of the burnt ends. These are one of the Jack Stack house specialties – small chunks of meat that are tender in the middle, but seared to be crispy on the outside. I could have eaten a bowlful like cereal.

Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ is now 50 years old, still family-owned and has four locations in the Kansas City area. The restaurant’s atmosphere is clubby but comfortable, and I can’t imagine any meat-eater going hungry at this establishment. I struggled to decide what to order, because of the overwhelming menu, so I just went with my waiter’s recommendation – ribs and burnt ends. The table service was terrific but don’t expect white linens. In fact, the napkins on my visit were burgundy-colored, just like the robust barbecue sauce. Next time I’ll order hickory pit beans (and skip the fries), and maybe savor a glass of red wine from their extensive list. The moist, homemade carrot cake will put you over the top, but it’s worth it.

The most eye-popping photo in their mail-order catalog is the meal titled “18th & Vine Legend,” inspired by Kansas City’s once-bustling jazz district. The package includes pork spare ribs, sliced brisket, two signature sides, sauces and an all-purpose rub – the only thing missing is a big box of beef burnt ends. The catalog also features chopped pork, chopped beef, hickory-roasted whole chicken, sausage and lamb, not to mention the ultimate dessert, cheesecake. That ought to make you think twice about sticking to your ribs.