Rusty Can Byfield

Rusty Can in Byfield is situated just before Newburyport at exit 55, and it's about a 30 min drive from home, but good grief does Rte 95 become tedious after the split. The blackboard specials are announced on their FB page daily. There are usually some interesting dishes on the blackboard. Don't miss it!

The Rusty Can started out with one tiny smoker in the shed. Now they have two gigantic smokers inside and a large one outside.

Big parking lot with outside seating added on during the pandemic. They quickly switched to takeout only but are now back to indoor and outdoor dining. The large outdoor seating area is now just a memory.
There is a bike club next door that really doesn't announce itself much.

It's a BBQ place, so you have to try the BBQ that they are famous for. My pick was the 2 meat Combo (26). "Plates Come With White Bread, Cornbread & Honey Butter, Pickles & Onions And Choice Of Two Sides." I picked Collard Greens and Mac & Cheese for my sides. The Collard Greens was the real deal, cooked well with a vinegary tang. The M&C was creamy and seasoned well, and you get shells that hold the sauce. The cornbread was tasty and really light with excellent honey butter. The onions had been rinsed off, and that shows that the kitchen cares. The serving size of ribs has gotten significantly smaller since my first visit. The ribs had a nice rub and a good smoke ring but were fall-off the bone. Still very tasty. The excellent sliced brisket was so tender that I cut it with the fork. Ask for the brisket to be sliced from the fatty end.

Who can pass up Smoked Wings ($12)? I picked the Cajun that comes with either Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch. Since I don't like ranch, the choice was easy. The Blue Cheese dressing was good but didn't really go with the Cajun Wings. They certainly give you enough blue cheese dressing. The wings were smokey and juicy with a really excellent rub that had a hint of heat. While the skin wasn't crisp, neither was it flabby.

The Smoked meatloaf sandwich ($12) was on the specials board today. "W/ Spicy Mayo, Pickled Onion & Cheese." I like meatloaf and was intrigued by this sandwich. The meatloaf was tasty, and I really liked the spicy mayo and the onions. However, looking at the amount of meat in the Brisket Bomb ($12), this should have been an $8 sandwich.

Chili Cheese Tater Tots ($7). It looks like a mess, and it was, but it was a delicious mess. They needed salt since the chili was on the sweet side. The tots and the pastrami alone would have been enough for a lunch meal.

The bottom right is the 1/4 Lbs of sliced Brisket ($8) from the fatty end. The left side was dry, the rest was OK. Above that, we have 1/4 Lbs Smoked Porkbelly that was excellent. On the left, we have another special from the blackboard, the 1/4 Lbs of smoked Pastrami. This was excellent and the dish of the day. Really tender and super well seasoned. The pastrami could be cut with a fork. Could not say the same for the brisket this time.

This is Da Bomb! The Brisket Bomb ($12) is on the specials board Thursdays, and I have wanted to try it. First of all, it's heavy. Secondly, it's delicious. Not sure how it compares to a traditional steak bomb. I'm not much of a sandwich guy since I didn't grow up where sandwiches are ubiquitous. The brisket is always excellent here, and I have no idea what the rest of the ingredient was, but something was slightly spicy. Da Bomb was loaded with flavors. The cheese was mixed in with the rest of the fillings. I had lunch by picking into the filling and not touching the bread at all. The rest will be dinner. Seems it's on the specials board most days now.

The Nachos are also available on Thursdays, and it is a fully loaded tray. Add on meat, and it will feed four.

The 1lb Smoked Prime Rib with one side (26) is usually only available after 4PM, but I haven't seen it lately. Update. Just saw it again, but now it's $36. Ouch! If you see it available, GO! Best Prime Rib ever. Tender and smokey, it doesn't get much better than this.

Address: 6 Fruit Street Byfield, MA 01922 Phone: (978) 462-1204

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