It’s a shame that so many barbecue books featuring St. Louis have already been published. Any list is incomplete without the inclusion of BEAST Butcher & Block in The Grove, pitmaster David Sandusky’s second location.
A mural depicting a beastly skull flanked by the St. Louis skyline looms over the indoor hall. The Butchery sells fresh meat, seasonal produce, and local dairy, eggs, and baked goods. The Skullery, Sandusky’s playground, is an event space for pairing dinners, collaborative events, and cooking classes. The room’s focal points are two Argentine-style live-fire grills.
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One thing that could be assumed even before BEAST opened, this summer, was that Sandusky would continue to produce the exceptional level of barbecue that brought his Illinois restaurant, BEAST Craft BBQ, recognition. He uses only Compart Duroc hogs—which yield meat known for its tenderness, rosy hue, and superior marbling, the result of an exacting breeding program and a low-stress lifestyle—for his pork offerings. BEAST also offers both Double R brisket and Wagyu. The price difference is significant, but it’s hard to say no to the Wagyu, which doesn’t disappoint. The Double R brisket is also phenomenal. Go for the thick slices of fatty cut for smoked beef, with a gorgeous tender but meaty chew and marbling like liquid gold.
A platter of riblets or rib tips over fries is as elegant and refined as pressed duck. Spare ribs, rather than baby back, are the cut of choice. The meat’s juicy and wonderfully tender but not so overcooked that it slips off the bone. It’s finished with a dry rub so good, you might forgo the four dipping sauces. The menu also includes hefty sandwiches, masterfully smoked pulled pork, pork belly, pork steak that can be cut with the side of your fork, excellent dry-rubbed wings, and turkey breast.
The snoots are the menu’s crowning jewel. Although often given a lackluster preparation elsewhere, these snoots reflect what may be the best parts of a hog: the skin, fat, and collagen. Scored like the fatty side of a duck breast and cooked, they’re crispy but retain pockets of glistening melted fat. One bite of BEAST snoot brushed with a bit of sweet, smoky sauce is heaven. “I’m the only man in the world making heritage snoots,” Sandusky claims. “That’s why mine are so damn good.” Once the jowl and tendons have been removed—labor-intensive work—the snoots go into the pits with a consistent thickness.
Sides include such standards as slaw, Brussels sprouts with pork belly, and bacon mac and cheese. The pit beans have the soft resistance that comes of starting with dry, not canned, beans and are imbued with smoke.
St. Louisans debate which pitmaster should hold the title King of Barbecue. Sandusky can now be included in that conversation—and BEAST Butcher & Block’s story is just getting started.
