So the next stop was Smoke Stack Pit Bar-B-Que, on the south side of Hamilton. This place looked like the real deal from the outside, as you can see.
The inside was atmosphere as advertised by the exterior. I walked in and was immediately greeted by the counter, behind which was a brick pit where the magic happened. It almost felt like I was in someone's house, and the cautious glare from the elderly woman behind the counter seemed to echo that, like I walked into somewhere I shouldn't be. To my left was a sink, and to my right, down a hall-like area were some tables half full of locals who were also eying me with some skepticism. I gave Ma Smoke the standard test order, some pork ribs, some brisket, and some sausage, which I got to go because (a) I think the people in there hated me, and (b) I saw a picnic table in the empty lot next door which looked like a good place to eat while the dog ran around. No styrofoam here. She wrapped it in paper and then put it in a insulated bag for me. One thing I really liked about this place is she gave it to me and never mentioned sauce, a sign of a place that takes pride in their meat as is. I asked for it though and got a little cup of it, after I was warned that it wasn't free, and would run me a whopping sixty cents.
Let's start with the brisket. When she pulled it out of the pit, I could see it was for real, but was nervous when she started carving some of that beautiful black crust off of it. I'll be the first to admit I'm a pork guy, and I like my brisket with the bark, and fatty. Upon review, she had carved off only the bark which housed excess fat, and left a good amount of it, and I'm glad she did. This brisket was awesome. A great smoke flavored crust, and a lean but moist bit of beef with a perfect balance of beef and smoke flavoring. It didn't need the sauce, which I found to be adequate at best, this brisket held its own. The ribs shared a similar crust, but I didn't get the impression that people came here for the ribs. The texture made it seem like they'd been sitting for a while, and while the smoke and pork flavors were good, the texture varied from chewy to mealy, and it seemed to do a bit better with a little moisture from some added sauce. The sausage was unique. Served as a whole link about the size of a bratwurst, it was bright red on the outside, and a uniformed color fine grind inside. The initial bite had a great snap, but didn't taste too much different than a processed 100% beef hot dog, though it did have a little residual burn which would be cayenne powder if I had to guess. Not terrible, but not great, as I'm a big fan of the coarser grind with visible fat, and even more so the links that you can tell are hand packed.
Yeah, you might be asking where's the brisket. There's a small piece of a slice between the rib and sausage. After my first bite I got aggressive and forgot I hadn't taken a picture. Sorry, next time.
This place is definitely worth stopping at, but stick to the brisket, as it outshines the rest by a lot. Also, keep in mind that the next stop makes this place worth skipping if you are only going to make one stop. Hit it up once for sure though, and a few more times if you're in the area often.
Summary
Atmosphere: old school small town bbq joint
Food: barbecue, stick to the brisket
Dog Friendly: when you get it to go, yes
Crowd: locals, leery of outsiders
What to Order for the First Timer: brisket, and don't worry about paying extra for sauce
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