For barbecue restaurants, serving a crowd-pleasing cut like brisket for just one day is uncommon, but the folks at Smokehouse Tailgate Grill don’t mind doing something to break the mold. Every Wednesday at both locations (Mamaroneck and New Rochelle), the popular barbecue, burgers, and beers joint unleashes a trio of beefy brisket specials that’ll satisfy any carnivore.
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I stopped by Smokehouse Tailgate Grill’s Mamaroneck location to find out what’s so special about Brisket Wednesdays, and it’s not that complicated, but according to Executive Chef Anum Bandele, extra care goes into putting out a good slab of meat. The brisket is rubbed with a spice blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and some of the restaurant’s secret rib rub. They start smoking the brisket on Tuesday for 8-9 hours using oak wood, and it’s rested overnight so the natural beef juices stay in. “We do it one day per week so the product doesn’t suffer,” Bandele said. “We pay a lot of attention to it during the entire process.”
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The result of all that “attention” was evident when I tried it one of the three ways you can order it, the most classic way, platter style. The not too thin, but not too thick slices of brisket are so juicy that they glisten, the smoke ring is noticeable, and the spice rub isn’t too aggressive as to take anything away from the meat itself. It’s tender too, and I didn’t have to saw away with my knife to cut pieces off. If you’re a platter guy or gal, and a barbecue purist, this, along with a hunk of cornbread and a side, is right up your alley.
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If you’re looking for something to eat with two hands, get The Melt. Here, the tender brisket is piled a few slices high with grilled onions, a drizzle of sweet/smoky barbecue sauce, and gooey mozzarella on thick-cut, buttered and griddled Texas toast that they get from the nearby Sonny Orza Bread Factory. This is a satisfying barbecue sandwich kept relatively simple, and they nailed the fillings to bread ratio.
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Your third and final way to get brisket comes in the form of what’s arguably the most sought after piece of meat in any barbecue restaurant…burnt ends. SH’s ends are great just on their own; they’re tender, fatty, and the blackened effect is perfect, but these delectable nuggets are served on top of a pile of hand-cut fries with melted cheddar and Jack cheeses, and barbecue sauce. It’s gluttony at its finest, and the perfect hump day happy hour remedy, with a beer, of course.
Enough chatter, but remember, this is Wednesdays only, and get there ASAP because they’ve been known to sell out after that first or second dinner wave. You’ve already drooled here, now eat there.
Smokehouse Tailgate Grill
Mamaroneck and New Rochelle
www.smokehousechili.com
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