When Smoke Meets Melt: The Butcher Shop’s Brisket Masterpiece
Guy Fieri said, ”It’s a cross between a barbecue sandwich and a French dip,” while explaining why the Brisket Melt at The Butcher Shop is so special. It is the kind of dish that is hard to describe, and that is exactly what they want.
The Butcher Shop is a son-dad partnership that artistically intertwines a fully functional butcher shop with a restaurant and beer garden. As Guy said, “The moment you enter the shop, you are already in a great mood before you test the food.” However, once you get a taste of the food, then the fun really kicks off, and this is where the place stands out.
Building the Brisket From Scratch
This is far from an ordinary smoked brisket. The fun starts with what Guy called “a gigantic brisket.” This huge cut of meat gets a rub down with a very special spice mix. This includes brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and paprika along with some black pepper, celery seed, pink salt (to keep that color), and with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. The fun just starts there. This brisket is rested overnight and then spends a full 16 hours in the smoker before finishing off in the oven for an hour and a half.
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The result is brisket that Guy labeled “really good smoke on that” and pulls apart beautifully. The unique aspect of the sandwich is that the brisket is pulled, which is not customary. Guy mentions, “The brisket, which you don’t find in this style very often, it’s either sliced or chopped. This gives it a ton of texture.”
The House-Made Barbecue Sauce
Nothing is phoned in on this dish. They make their barbecue sauce in-house with a blend of tomato paste, tamarind paste, apple cider vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, dried mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, celery seed, and pineapple juice. The sauce is then left to simmer for 35 minutes to blend all the flavors. Just like many restaurants featured in the Meatloaf Sandwich dish, The Butcher Shop does not cut corners. a Meatloaf Sandwich
Assembling the Melt
The sandwich is finished on Texas toast with butter, garlic, and parmesan. The pulled brisket is topped with two pieces of cheese and the braising liquid, which is packed with all the concentrated flavors. To round out the dish, the smoke from the caramelized onions and the salt works perfectly with the sweetness.
Guy’s reaction was super enthusiastic: “I love the smoke. But not too much smoke to where you say this is only a barbecue sandwich.” He loves the balance. Sweetness, smokiness, and saltiness. When a customer at the table said “I’m a big cheese guy” and added that he loves caramelized onions, he said, “They hit all my points.”
Tips From The Butcher Shop Kitchen
Don’t skip the overnight rest! That spice rub needs time to penetrate the meat before it hits the smoker.
Low and slow, then finish hot means 16 hours of smoking followed by about 30 minutes in the oven to create that ideal texture, tender enough to pull but with enough structure to hold up in a sandwich.
The sauce is tamarind and pineapple juice. This will add a level of complexity you won’t find in store-bought options. Just like the bold flavors in a “BIG Flavor” Meatball Sub in Montana, the house made touches are what take it up a notch. a “BIG Flavor” Meatball Sub in Montana
Guy tried some brisket pierogies too and said they were “the best pierogi ever.” What else did he think of The Butcher Shop? “You’re as detailed and decorated as a Christmas tree.”
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