Smokehouse Specialties, home of the Super Sausage Sandwichr

At the 2010 Nugget Rib Cook-off, held over Labor Day weekend in Sparks, Nevada, there were 25 cooking teams competing for the grand cash prize, and the title of "Best in the West Ribs." Every team seemed to find a niche to set them apart from the competition, as some seemed to emphasize their barbecue sauce, or their rib, some used nothing but mesquite coals for cooking, and one team placed cut up onions overt their mesquite coals to suppress flare-ups and to add extra flavor. Smokehouse Specialties seemed to distance themselves from the competition by having a couple of unique items on their menu, in addition to their award-winning ribs: Smoked turkey wings, turkey drumsticks, and the best sausage sandwich that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

Photo: The Nugget Rib Cook-off is crowded on this early Sunday afternoon, with pretty much standing room only. That's the Nugget Hotel/Casino rising up behind the Smokehouse Specialties sign.

Smokehouse Specialties must have special connections with the organizers of the cook-off, as their restaurant occupies a premium spot at the extreme west end of the event, just inside the fence, near the corner of Victorian Ave. and Victorian Place. They're the second restaurant inside the event, so they're easy to spot from the street, and they're right across the way from the stage, so there's live entertainment most of the time. Like everybody else, their booth has a huge false front with their various awards and accomplishments proudly painted on it, for all the "foodies" to see, and the items that they sell are painted all over the front as well - rib protocol precludes a concise menu, such as found in a diner. Sure, they have ribs - this is a rib cook-off - but what drew me to them was the fact that they sell smokehouse sausage and turkey drumsticks. Don't get me wrong, as I LOVE rigs, but I love smoked sausage even more than ribs.

Photo: These two guys are busy dishing out smoked turkey legs, which appears to be the de facto standard dish of the house. I was going to order one, but I got distracted....

Photo: The busy kitchen and the cashier's station, where you can purchase house-bran rubs and bottled barbecue sauce. Despite the fact that they were very busy, these folks were very cordial and friendly, and seemed eager to please.

Photo: Pitmaster "Marshall" holds up a perfectly cooked turkey drumstick for me to photograph. Note the smoker in the rear of the photo with the door open; it's packed with smoking turkey legs. The drumsticks are first smoked, then finished off on the grill.

Ribs, turkey drumsticks, smoked sausage, what more could a guy ask for in life? Well, maybe a cold glass of beer, and the love of a good woman...

Smoke coming from their grill drew me away from the order counter, and over to the grill. Behind the grill, they have a couple of large vertical smokers, and I watched one of their staff members open the door, and I took note the smoker was packed with turkey wings and drumsticks. They have two large grills, fired by mesquite charcoal, and there was a large pile of smoked/grilled turkey drumsticks on the larger of the two grills. One of the staff members was lovingly tending the trill, and after I made a comment about the drumsticks, he grabbed a pair of tongs and held one of them up for me to photograph. Next to the grill was a griddle, with a pan of peppers, a pan of onions, and a large wok-like bowl with gravy, slowly simmering. I asked him what the gravy was for, and he told me it was for the Super Sausage Sandwich - which also comes with grilled pepper slices and onions - and I knew that I just HAD to have one. Yes, I had planned on ordering a turkey drumstick, or a regular Smokehouse Sausage Sandwich, but the sight of the large pan of gravy simmering completely changed my mind. I told the pitmaster my intentions, and he grinned and said that he'd have one ready for me when I came back. I made haste to the line that formed in front of the order windows...

Photo: I asked Marshall what the cooked veggies and the gravy was all about, and when he told me about the Super Sausage Sandwich, my ambitions of a turkey leg melted.

Photo: I'm waiting in line to place my order, and the posted signs give a pretty good idea of what Smokehouse Specialties offers. I only had the sausage, but I bet all menu choices are good!

Photo: Cute Bayley points out what I'm about to order for my lunch. Fifteen years from now, this girl will be a super star actress or model.

As I was waiting in line to place my order, I watched a mom and daughter in front of me. The little girl was probably about three years old, and like most young girls, she was fidgety and didn't particularly relish waiting in line. The little girl started smiling at me, so I whipped out my every-present camera and took a few photos of her. I even got the little girl, who's name was Bayley, to point to the sign advertising the Super Sausage Sandwich that I was about to order. I introduced myself to her mom, Heather, and offered to email her a few of the photos I'd taken of Bayley, which she readily accepted. She didn't have her email handy, but her husband was tending bar at nearby Burg's Victorian Bar, so after the fact I looked him up and we exchanged email addresses. (Later, after I got back to the hotel room, I emailed the photos to my newfound friends.) I told Heather in about 15 years Bayley would probably be either a model or an actress, as she certainly seemed to posses the charm, looks and poise to succeed in that profession.

Photo: Here's another view of the busy cashier's station, with menu offerings posted on the front of the stand, which is the norm at the rib cook-off.

Photo: Marshall selects a giant sausage for my lunch.

I handed over $10.00 to the friendly girl behind the counter for my Super Sausage Sandwich, and received plastic utensils, a napkin, and a styrafoam box with a large "S" scrawled on it from a wide marking pen. I was told to take it to the nearby pitmaster and he'd fix me up with my sandwich. So I handed my box over to the pitmaster, and as she dished up my sausage, and spooned gravy, onions and peppers over the sandwich, he chanted, "Super"... "Super"... "Super..."

I gook the short hike over to Berg's Victorian Bar, grabbed another $2.00 Rolling Rock beer from Briana, who was tending the outdoor bar, and sat down under a shady tree to enjoy my feast.

Photo: He placed a giant hot dog bun on a styrafoam container, put the sausage on top of the bun, then spooned gravy on top of everything, and last, but not least, he adds grilled peppers and onions. Ohhhh baby!!!

Photo: Marshall displays my Super Sausage Sandwich. This thing is huge, and should satisfy any appetite.

You'd almost have to be Paul Bunyan to be able to pick this thing up and eat it, as the sandwich is a monster, and it makes a sloppy joe look sloppy neat. The Texas-size sausage, which was mildly spicy, but not hot at all, was placed in a large dinner roll, smothered in gravy, and laced with grilled bell peppers and onions. I couldn't hold it, so I made good use of my knife and fork, and a spoon to scoop up any leftover gravy from the box. The smoked sausage nearly melted in my mouth, and the roll was fresh and chewy, just the way I like it. And the gravy... oh the gravy! ... it reminded me of the type of gravy placed on a Coney Island style hot dog. What a winning combination - this was, perhaps, the best sausage sandwich that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

Photo: What could be better? ... a Super Sausage Sandwich, and a $2.00 Rolling Rock beer, purchased from the friendly folks at Burg's Victorian Bar. Lunch is good!!!!

During this visit to the cook-off, on Sunday, September 5, 2010, I never did get the opportunity to enjoy a smoked turkey drumstick, but the delicious Super Sausage Sandwich more than made up for it. I'll even pass up ribs for this sandwich, as it's that good! If you're interest in the best smoked sausage sandwich on the planet, head over to Smokehouse Specialties.