Occasionally you make a discovery that changes everything. A paradigm-shifting revelation that seems to render all other knowledge and experiences redundant. It was a bit like that the first time we tucked into food from Pitmaster, one of the next generation Rusholme eateries that has stepped up and helped to push things forward in terms of cuisine in and around the world famous Curry Mile. As the name suggests, this is more subtropical USA than subcontinental Asia, specialising in a BBQ menu that combines authentic charcoal cooking and contemporary ideas, with mouthwatering results.
The menu defines straight-up, and really doesn’t mess about. Centred around prime-cuts only, we were immediately drawn to the 16 Hour Smoked Brisket, which comes as sliced or pulled beef and has been prepped to perfection for an incredible, melt-in-mouth specialty. Order by the weight. Next up, the 8 Hour Slow Smoked Ribs, which you can opt for as a full rack or individual pieces. Either way, the meat
effortlessly falls away from the bone with even the slightest pressure, giving some idea as to how tender it is.
All of which brings us to another reason Pitmaster is on the map — the Brisket Burgers. Made from the aforementioned 16 hour slow cooked beef, cuts are layered on a brioche bun and combined with various added extras. Options range from the Smoked Brisket Melt (Monterey Jack cheese, hot nacho sauce, jalapeños, gherkins, Firecracker Mayo) to the Brisket Gravy Burger (with buttery sweetcorn, among other things) and Smoked Brisket Peppercorn (as it sounds, with a peppercorn sauce). Alternatively, opt for a more traditional Smokehouse Burger, where delicious fresh patties are adorned with yet more of those incredible toppings. A refreshingly reduced menu, suffice to say this is one of those places that understands the value of doing a few things exceptionally well.