These two San Antonio BBQ joints are insanely good (plus top BBQ news & events)
While visiting San Antonio for the PAX South gaming conference two weekends ago, I naturally also had to stop in for a few bites at San Antonio’s top two barbecue joints.
While San Antonio is one of the most populous cities in Texas, its barbecue scene does not have the cachet of those found in Austin, Houston, or Dallas. But it is growing and evolving quickly. Only two barbecue joints from SA are on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list — The Granary and 2M Smokehouse — so those were the two I prioritized for my trip.
My first stop after getting into town was for a late lunch at The Granary ‘Cue & Brew, which seamlessly blends traditional barbecue and fine dining concepts. The restaurant has been open six years and is a staple of the Pearl complex in San Antonio. I tried the brisket, house-made sausage, pulled pork, crispy smoked chicken wings, and burnt end baked beans. The flavorful pulled pork and smoky brisket were the items that turned my head the most. (See them above.)
Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Granary is that lunch time offers a traditional market-style barbecue experience, while dinner is about taking barbecue to new places. At dinner, you’ll find wild items like brisket ramen and smoked duck leg confit. I sadly didn’t get to experience dinner but will try it the next time I visit.
The second joint I was able to sneak in during my short trip was 2M Smokehouse, the buzziest of SA’s BBQ restaurants. I arrived right when the joint opened at 11 a.m. on Sunday, but already there was a substantial line out the door. (If you go, show up an hour before open if you can.)
I was able to try the brisket, pork spare ribs, turkey, baked beans, and “chicaroni macaroni,” with pork chicharróns sprinkled on top of mac ‘n’ cheese. (See above for my tray.) All of the items were great but the brisket and ribs were the standouts. If I would have arrived 15 minutes earlier to the line, I would have been able to try the acclaimed pork serrano and Oaxaca cheese sausage link, which sold out quickly. Next time.
Both The Granary and 2M Smokehouse showed me that San Antonio has a lot interesting things happening. They are experimenting with the form and pushing the boundaries of American barbecue.
I wish I would have had more time to visit other joints in town, but will be sure to try more on my next trip there. I simply can’t wait to go back. And if you know a better joint in San Antonio than either of these, please drop us a line!
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid writes about how tacos are deliciously invading the menus at barbecue joints. These tacos from The Pit Room look great. (Photo by J.C. Reid)
According to the Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid, “as the fusion of craft barbecue with Tex-Mex traditions is becoming even more prominent” tacos are an increasingly popular item in Houston-area barbecue joints.
Acclaimed pitmaster and Volunteer Fire Chief Sam Jones was recently called to fight a fire at his own restaurant. The pithouse at the Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina recently caught fire, melting the vinyl siding. The incident has not disrupted service at the restaurant.
Flores BBQ, a Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint, is moving north from the small town of Whitney to Fort Worth. The restaurant will remain open until February 3rd and owner Michael Wyont plans on serving barbecue in Fort Worth sometime in April.
Several barbecue restaurants appear in Hoodline’s list of the five best southern spots in Fort Worth.
Last weekend, The Shed Barbeque & Blues Joint hosted the first annual “Barbeque Steak Showdown” in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The Shed fully intends to make it an annual event and plan to bring it back next year.
Seattle Magazine highlights the restaurant Central Smoke, which opened in July, for combining Texas-style barbecue with Vietnamese flavors. The magazine says the smoked pork spareribs are “some of the best ribs in the city.”
Newly-rebranded restaurant AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q offers a wide selection of smoked meats in Denver, including beef ribs, Wagyu pastrami and brisket, pulled pork, dry-rub ribs, smoked turkey, sausage, and chicken.
Sauced BBQ & Spirits is soon bringing its smoky meats to San Jose, California — it’ll be the mini chain’s fifth location following Livermore, Petaluma, Walnut Creek, and Sacramento.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Sisters Mary and Deborah Jones of Jones Bar-B-Q in Kansas City are among the top women barbecue pitmasters in the industry, and they are featured in this week's video.
Watch: Women on Fire: The Best Female Pitmasters of the South
Meet nine ladies, from pitmasters and cooks to entrepreneurs and teachers, lighting a new spark in Southern barbecue culture. They're responsible for some of the best barbecue across the South — baby back ribs, steaks, pork butt, rib tips, and sausage. Hear the Women of BBQ discuss the advantages they hold over men who cook BBQ. They share where they learned to cook, as well as the first thing they ever barbecued, and more. This video from Southern Living accompanies the slideshow on women in barbecue that we included in last week’s issue of The Smoke Sheet. Watch it here.
Listen: Kevin’s BBQ Joints - 10 Minutes with Leonard Botella IV - Truth BBQ
In this episode, Kevin talks with Truth BBQ’s Leonard Botello IV about opening up his restaurant’s second location in Houston, Texas. The interview was conducted about a week or so before the official opening on January 19th of this year. It is an interesting view into the difficulties of opening up a BBQ joint in a big city as well as a look into his vision for the new location. Listen to it here.
Read: The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South - by Michael Twitty
In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes readers to the white-hot center of the fight over who “owns” Southern food, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. From the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields, Twitty tells his family story through the foods that enabled his ancestors’ survival across three centuries. Order it here.
February 16: Whole Hog Barbecue Summit - Kinston, North Carolina
Barbecue cooks, judges, and festival organizers are invited to join in the fun for a day of learning, fellowship, and whole hog barbecue. Current and prospective judges get the chance for a refresher or to get on the path to being a sanctioned judge. Cooks have the opportunity to get clarifications on the rules and learn exactly what the judges are looking for. Festival organizers are able to meet one another and learn more about current rules and information. More info here.
February 21-23: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Bar-B-Que Contest - Houston, Texas
More than 250 teams, led by barbecue aficionados, compete in the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. While most team tents are invitation-only, visitors can enjoy several public venues, including The Garden, Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, and the Chuck Wagon. Activities include live music, rides, games, and more and visitors will receive a complimentary sliced brisket plate with chips and beans. More info here.
February 23: Rock The Block - Charleston, South Carolina
The second annual Rock The Block BBQ party is hosted by Home Team BBQ and will raise money for Hogs for the Cause, a non-profit that helps alleviate the emotional and financial strain experienced by children and their families during the fight against pediatric cancer. Guests will enjoy a full day of barbecue, brews, live entertainment, and more, all for a good cause. Fox Bros. Bar & Bar-B-Q, Taqueria del Sol, and Sam Jones BBQ will be joining in the festivities. More info here.
March 6-10: Charleston Food and Wine Festival - Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston Wine + Food infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, and food enthusiasts from around the globe for a five-day event that spans the first full weekend each March. More info here.
March 29-30: Hogs for the Cause - New Orleans, Louisiana
Hogs for the Cause returns as the largest, tastiest BBQ festival in New Orleans. The city welcomes 85 local and regional BBQ masters and the best backyard chefs to compete in seven categories: Whole Hog, Ribs, Pork Butt/Shoulder, Porkpourri, Sauce, Fan Favorite, and Fundraising Champion. The barbecue festival is a two-day event full of music, local beer, and fundraising. More info here.
April 3-6: National Barbecue & Grilling Association Annual Conference - Kansas City, Missouri
The National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA) Annual Conference will be held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Whether you are a product owner, run a restaurant, sell, buy or simply enjoy BBQ, there are boundless opportunities to network, learn, and grow at the conference. Events include bus tours, education sessions, and the BBQ bash, with presentations, demonstrations, and cookoffs. More info here.
April 14: Houston BBQ Festival - Humble, Texas
The 7th Annual Houston BBQ Festival will take place on Sunday, April 14th from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Humble Civic Center Arena Complex. The festival will feature Houston’s best barbecue joints all in one place. Tickets include entry into the event and unlimited sample portions from each participating Houston barbecue joint. More info here.
April 26-28: Austin Food and Wine Festival - Austin, Texas
The Austin Food + Wine Festival returns April 26-28 to spoil your palate with a handful of global and nationally renowned talent. This 3-day weekend in the culinary capital is the epitome of high spirits, with a packed schedule of hands-on grilling demos, up-close tastings with top chefs and sommeliers, and more interactive demos and panels. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on January 24. More info here.
May 4: Red Dirt BBQ Festival - Tyler, Texas
For five years, the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival has been one of the most unique food and music experiences in Texas. The sixth annual event returns to the brick streets of downtown Tyler, Texas. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Central on February 1. More info here.
Smoked Caribbean Chicken Wings
This week, we include the perfect recipe to make for a Super Bowl party. Greg Mrvich from Ballistic BBQ makes a unique recipe for Smoked Caribbean Chicken Wings by marinating the wings in black spiced rum and pineapple juice, adding unique spices. Later, Mrvich smokes the wings on a Pit Barrel Cooker using some all-purpose rub before tossing them in a coconut/pineapple/lime mixture to add exotic and fresh flavors to the wings. The recipe results in a delicious dish that can be served as appetizers or a main dish at your next party or gathering. View the recipe here.
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