The Granary 'Cue and Brew

1900's house

                                

8/8/14 11:06am - If this is the future of Texas BBQ, I only have one thing to say.....BRING IT!.  I don't care what they serve at night because they are serving some killer Texas BBQ for lunch.  The lunch and dinner menu are totally different.  A total food snob joint.  The chef is probably a shoe end for the Jimmy Beard award or something.  They have hand crafted beers, an eclectic dinner menu, and they doing some fun stuff with smoke like the pastrami short rib.  According to the chef, they "honor the past tradition of Texas BBQ with their lunch menu and look towards the future of Texas BBQ with their dinner menu".  Gee whiz thanks.

I scored The Granary 'Cue & Brew a 95 out of 100.  This is Grand Champion Texas BBQ.  Oh yeah, they made Texas Monthly top 50 for 2013 like that even matters.

Wood Fired

Oak

Smoke:  Oak.  Big stacks of oak in front of the wood fired Olyer pit are on proud display on the side of a quaint 1900's house. The house belong to a German family who worked at the Pearl Brewery.  That's cool. According to the chef they use smoke as a perfume.  Cute, the foodies will love you.  I can see how the Olyer is the tool of choice for these modernist pit masters.

The red stuff is Pastrami!

                                      

Brisket:  Excellent.  I have been suffering for weeks searching for a slice this good!  A 1/16 in smoke ring beneath well seasoned black bark.  A near perfect score on tenderness.  Every bite moist, silky and pull apart tender.  No knife needed.  The smoke, oh my the smoke.  Every bite of meat, bark or fat was under its spell.  I could smell it on my fingertips hours later and just smiled (the wife thought it was creepy). The whole slice ate like a tender juicy burnt end. No sauce needed at all.  It was almost the perfect slice but for the 1/16 inch smoke ring?!  Come on....gassers produce a bigger smoke ring.

Ribs:  Excellent.  I have not been wowed by a pork rib in weeks until now.  These cute little St Luis or baby backs were like meat candy.  Near perfect tender with soft bite and clean bone underneath a reddish bronze color.  They looked as good as they ate.  You could taste all the smoke, seasoning, and porkyness flavors. They had a subtle sweetness. One bite and you can't put them down.  No sauce needed.

Sausage:  Very Good and Unique.  Are they grinding up filet mignon to make beef sausage?  Seriously, this beef was as succulent and luxurious as a fine steak. A large course ground loose beef link with bold traditional spice and mild after taste.  The smoke was mild.  The casing was kinda tough but after first bite you get over it. I love the pink center.  They should ask you at what temp do you want your sausage served. I like medium rare please.  No sauce or steak sauce needed.  Warning: you will need a napkin.

Yellow smear is mustard for Pastrami!

                                   

Sauce:  Excellent.  A dark brown semi thick very tangy sauce.  Its strong apple cider vinegar flavor made it a stand out.  It has an over powering effect so use it sparingly.  Nothing here needs sauce but its fun to dip a bite or two.

PASTRAMI!!:  Grand Slam Home Run.  If you are lucky enough to be in San Antonio for lunch on a Friday, there is no other choice than The Granary.  This blows away all deli pastrami.  Don't decide between brisket or pastrami, just get them both.  A bright cherry red center from top to bottom from the brine process beneath a well seasoned black bark. Just as tender as the brisket.  Just as smokey as the brisket. And it tastes like barbecue pastrami!  How come nobody in Texas thought of this before?

Craft beers

The Pearl Connection