Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t resist good barbecue — or any barbecue for that matter. It’s my Achilles Heel, my downfall. So when I had the opportunity to attend the 10th annual BBQ Crash Course at Austin’s South By Southwest Festival (SXSW), I leapt at the chance.

A little context: I’m a Los Angeles native, and while I often smoke my own barbecue, I’ve never had authentic Texas BBQ before. I had no idea what I was in for.