Black Betty and THE TRUTH that Comes Out of Her

Barbeque is good.  Great barbeque is righteous.  World Class barbeque is THE TRUTH.  “Black Betty” and her sister (the J & R Oyler Pits used to smoke meat) are used by  BT’s Smokehouse owner Brian Treitman to crank out THE TRUTH on the regular.

Our quest for World Class barbeque sent us trekking around the country in search of burnt ends.  A favorite has been Sticky Fingers in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  In 2016, we visiting Dreamland Barbeque in Tuscaloosa, AL and Big Bob Gibson’s Barbeque in Decatur, AL.  We journeyed to Texas in 2017;  from Lum’s Barbeque in Junction, Texas to Black’s Barbeque in Lockhart, Texas and on to La Barbeque and Terry Black’s in Austin.  Sadly, Franklin Barbeque was in the middle of a remodel while we were in Texas, but rest assured the Sherpas will return to summit that BBQ mountain.  2018 sees a Sturbridge, MA name added to the All-Star Who’s Who list of barbeque joints, likely very near the top of the list.  That name is BT’s Smokehouse and owner Brian Treitman is bringing THE TRUTH every day of the week except Monday (they are closed on Mondays).

To the Brew Sherpette, barbeque is dry-rubbed St. Louis style ribs and BT’s Smokehouse did NOT disappoint!  A thick, salty, dark bark covered these fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth smokey pork ribs.  Add to that some cornbread, amazing collard greens, sexy grits, potato salad and a Julius from nearby Tree House Brewing and you have some sort of organoleptic vivication.

To the Brew Sherpa, barbeque is brisket and BT’s met every definition of that with a thick-sliced, spicy/salty, smokey, crunchy exterior bark and a juicy, well lubricated, appropriately fatty interior meat that melts in your mouth. Stack some dirty rice, cornbread and a cup of the real-deal authentic ‘Nawlins gumbo on that and you have a full-blown religious experience. 

Another 5,000 words still wouldn’t come close to conveying just how good the food is at BT’s Smokehouse and we simply cannot imagine a better pairing than anything and everything brewed at nearby Tree House Brewing (bring your cans with you, BT’s Smokehouse encourages you to B.Y.O.B.).  So if your travels have you anywhere near I-84 in Massachusetts — or even if they don’t, you might want to consider changing your plans — do yourself a favor and check out BT’s Smokehouse for THE TRUTH.