City Preview - Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Where It All Begins. Obviously With Brisket.

Every road trip needs a starting gun, and ours fires in Dallas, Texas — a city that takes its BBQ as seriously as it takes its football, its belt buckles, and its personal space.

We touch down at DFW on the 30th of May, bleary-eyed from the flight from Sydney, and immediately do what any sensible group of Australians would do upon arriving in America: locate the nearest BBQ joint. That honour goes to Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington — a place that has been quietly making people very happy with its beef ribs, brisket and creative sides. First night, first smoke. Al's face will reportedly resemble a child on Christmas morning.

Day two takes us on a road trip south to Waco — yes, that Waco — for lunch with friends from Austin, at Terry Black's Barbecue, one of the most respected names in Texas BBQ. The Black family have been doing this for generations, and their brisket is the kind that makes you question every life decision that led you to eating anything else. We'll make the drive back to Dallas in the afternoon in time for happy hour at OAK'D Handcrafted BBQ in Addison, where the smoke meets craft beer and everyone is very pleased with themselves.

Texas BBQ is its own religion — all about the beef, the post oak smoke, and the patience to do it right. We're starting the trip in its cathedral.

What Al is most excited about: Hurtado's beef ribs. They're the size of a small child.

What Ro is most excited about: Finding out if Texas cocktails live up to Texas everything-else. What Liddy is most excited about: Having a GPS that speaks to her in kilometres.

What Mikey is most excited about: Calculating how many beef ribs constitute a statistically significant sample size.

Watch this space for the full Day 1 and Day 2 reports — coming 30 and 31 May.