Peters BBQ in Ellinger is the kind of place you drive past on your way to a more famous barbecue joint.

I’ve passed it dozens of times heading into Austin on Highway 71 – my alternative “back way” into the city and a direct shot to heralded joints such as La Barbecue and Franklin Barbecue.

More than once, standing in line at Franklin or La Barbecue, I’ve thought about Peters BBQ. Its parking lot was often full – proof of a steady stream of loyal customers – but it never seemed to have the fanfare or the wait times that define its big-city counterparts.

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GUIDE: Houston's best barbecue joints

This past October, on the way to Austin without a barbecue itinerary, I finally stopped into Peters for lunch.

It is the epitome of a rural, old-school, mom-and-pop smokehouse. The clientele is mostly local, with a few curious travelers like myself – wayfarers in search of an honest meal before rolling into Austin.

This isn’t "craft........

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