B.T.'s Smokehouse

B.T.'s Smokehouse is a restaurant that specializes in dry-rubbed and slow-smoked barbecue and is located in the downtown section of Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The restaurant smokes about 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of meat per week, with brisket being 2,000 pounds (910 kg) to 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) of that total. On a typical weekend, the smokehouse will serve between 1,200 to 1,500 people in their 38-seat location.[1][2]

B.T.'s Smokehouse
Restaurant information
EstablishedApril 1, 2007 (2007-04-01)
Owner(s)Brian Treitman
Food typeBarbecue
Dress codeCasual
Street address392 Main Street
CitySturbridge
CountyWorcester
StateMassachusetts
Postal/ZIP Code01566
CountryUnited States
Coordinates42.111259°N 72.094723°W / 42.111259; -72.094723
Seating capacity38
ReservationsNo
Websitebtsmokehouse.com

The restaurant uses a J&R Oyler Pit, named "Black Betty", salvaged from a KC Masterpiece restaurant. The smoker can cook 1,400 pounds of meat at a time, using a mix of apple, hickory, and black cherry wood.[3]

B.T.'s Smokehouse pick-up counter in April 2019.

Introduction

B.T.'s Smokehouse is a barbeque restaurant in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The restaurant was founded by Brian Treitman in April 2007 in a 18 feet (5 m) roadside trailer[4] next to the Brimfield Antiques Fair. After achieving initial success, B.T.’s was later expanded to occupy the 40-seat establishment that serves as the current location in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.[5] B.T.'s has been credited in The Boston Globe as one of the “10 places to bask in barbecue”.[6]

B.T.’s started offering catering services for weddings and events in 2008.[7]

Management

Brian Treitman graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York[8] and had his internship with Ming Tsai's restaurant, Blue Ginger, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Later he worked as a chef in various Napa County, California restaurants[7] for more than 10 years.[5] Treitman also worked as a chef in Ken Oringer’s KO Prime in Boston before starting B.T.'s.[3]

Treitman lists Jacques Pépin and Julia Child as the chefs who were his primary influencers.[9]

Treitman was selected by the Worcester Business Journal as one of their "40 Under Forty" young business professionals for 2016.[10]

Focusing on Southern-style cuisine,[11] the menu offers natural grass-fed beef, chicken, pork, and other meats that have been dry rubbed and slow smoked for up to 14 hours with local apple and hickory woods. Treitman makes his own sauces as well as his own ketchup from scratch.[5]

In addition to standard barbecue fare, the restaurant also offers more unusual entrees such as smoked salmon, chili made with brisket meat, and smoked turkey[12] and chicken.

Awards and accolades

B.T.'s Smokehouse has earned numerous awards and prizes since 2007.[13]

Food awards
  • Best Of Mass BBQ - First Place, 2018[14]
  • Food & Wine Magazine "The Best BBQ in Every State - Massachusetts", 2018[9]
  • Three Awards - Best Chef, Best Barbecue, and Best Ribs from Worcester Magazine - Best of Worcester 2018[15]
  • Second place in the 2018 Worcester’s Best Chef Competition, Judges’ Choice Award.[16]
  • In January 2018, B.T.’s Brisket Reuben was voted one of the top 12 comfort foods in New England by Yankee.[17][18]
  • Finalist - Best Boss in Central Massachusetts 2017 (Small Business), Brian Treitman[19]
  • First Place - Best Place To Grab Lunch During Work[20]
  • The Chamber of Central Massachusetts South Business of the Year for 2016[21]
  • Voted Telegram & Gazette 2016 Best of Central Mass for BBQ[22]
  • Editors Choice - Best BBQ by Yankee Magazine, May/June 2016[23] and Top Ten in New England, 2017[24]
  • Ranked the 20th best in “The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America” by Johnny Fugitt.
    • B.T.'s is also listed in the Awards section of the book in the category “America’s 10 Best Barbecue Sandwiches.”[25]
  • Worcester'sBestChef.com's 2011 People's Choice Award (runners up), 2011[26]
  • Top Ten Barbecue Restaurants in New England, 2009[27]
  • New England Regional Chili Cookoff, 2007[12]

In the fall of 2015, the British chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay stopped by the smokehouse for a brisket sandwich. Ramsay said he had heard about the restaurant while filming an episode of Hotel Hell in nearby Southbridge, Massachusetts and it was recommended he stop by for a visit. Ramsay said the brisket was "perfect".[28][29]

Environmentalism and sustainability

The restaurant obtains much of their produce from local area farms and the Pioneer Valley Growers Association. The smokehouse recycles all meat grease and vegetable oil used in the restaurant by sending the refuse to a local rendering plant. The grease from the meat is rendered into industrial soaps and cleaners and the vegetable oil is turned into bio-diesel fuel.[30] All of the take-out materials and cups, plates, and utensils are biodegradable. The cups are made from corn, most of the utensils are made from potato starch, and the take-out materials are made from bamboo rather than the foam material used in the majority of barbecue restaurants.[5][12]

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See also

References
  1. Maher, Kit (2018-11-06). "Best Of Mass BBQ: 'This fire really hasn't gone out in 10 years'; BBQ is religion at B.T.'s Smokehouse". MassLive. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  2. Hatic, Dana (2016-06-15). "Boston-Area Barbecue by the Numbers". Boston Eater. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
  3. Ramos, Nestor (2017-05-09). "Is this New England's best barbecue?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  4. Bellamy, Fran (2016-01-22). "Restaurant review: B.T.'s Smokehouse in Sturbridge". MassLive.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  5. LeRoux, Margaret (Summer 2011). "Summer's Road Trip In Search Of Local Food". edibleBoston. pp. 80–81. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
  6. Harris, Patricia; David Lyon (2009-09-13). "10 places to bask in barbecue". The Boston Globe. NY Times Co. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  7. Schwarzenbach, Bradley (Spring–Summer 2013). "BT's Smokehouse Upends Expectation". Foodies of New England. Mercury Media & Entertainment, LLC. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
  8. Houle, Barbara M. (2016-10-09). "Meet the chef: Brian Treitman/B.T.'s Smokehouse". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  9. Landsel, David (2018-07-24). "The Best BBQ in Every State". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  10. Kane, Brad (2016-08-26). "WBJ names 40 Under Forty winners of 2016". Worcester Business Journal. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  11. Williams, Zeke (2009-06-30). "BT's Smokehouse: Meat. It's what's for dinner". Worcester Magazine. Worcester Magazine.
  12. Canada, Renée (December 2008). "Brian Treitman: local chef has all the ingredients of a food celebrity" (PDF). The Sturbridge Times Magazine. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
  13. Albanese, Ellen (2014-11-18). "More than history in Sturbridge". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
  14. Maher, Kit; Parnicky, Alex (2018-11-28). "Best Of Mass BBQ: Winner, Top 10 ranking revealed for best barbecue in Massachusetts". MassLive. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  15. Staff, Writer (2018-04-19). "Best of Worcester". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  16. Houle, Barbara (2018-02-01). "Table Hoppin': Worcester Tech students to take over Flying Rhino for benefit". telegram.com. Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  17. Staff, Writer (2018-01-01). "Best Comfort Foods". Yankee.
  18. Houle, Barbara M. (2018-01-04). "www.telegram.com/entertainmentlife/20180104/table-hoppin-burger-rally-benefit-on-tap-at-brew-city". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  19. "Best Boss". GateHouse Media, LLC. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  20. "Best Place to Grab Lunch During Work". GateHouse Media, LLC. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  21. Staff, Writer (2017-01-01). "Chamber of Commerce to hold annual meeting, awards luncheon in Sturbridge". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  22. "Best of Central Mass Winners - Food & Drink". Telegram & Gazette. GateHouse Media, LLC. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  23. Staff, Writer (May–June 2016). "Best of New England". Yankee.
  24. Urban, Mike (2017-08-02). "Hog Wild / New England's Barbecue Scene". Yankee. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  25. Houle, Barbara M. (2015-06-11). "Table Hoppin': B.T.'s boosts region's barbecue reputation". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  26. "The Winners". Retrieved 2014-03-18.
  27. Tanguay, Christopher (2009-09-21). "B.T.'s Smokehouse is voted one of the region's best". Southbridge Evening News. Stonebridge Press & Villager Newspapers.
  28. Sullivan, Mark (2015-11-15). "TV chef Gordon Ramsay plugs Sturbridge BBQ spot: 'Loved the brisket'". The Telegram. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  29. Brisket quote sourced from an interview with the owner.
  30. Semon, Craig S. (2009-12-31). "Greening the grease". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
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