Pitmaster's Specials: Our Daily Smokehouse Specials
October 26, 2026 – Haywood Smokehouse
You love your usual. You could order it with your eyes closed. But some days you sit down, look at the menu, and want something you have never had before, something you will be telling your friends about on the drive home.
That is exactly why our Pitmaster's Specials exist. Every day, our pitmasters put something new on the menu that you will not find anywhere else, built from the same slow-smoked meats we cook every day. And our customers rave about them.
What is a Pitmaster's Special?
It is our rotating daily special, straight from the pit. On our menu, it is the #8 Pitmaster's Special, and it changes from day to day. One day it is a sandwich stacked with slow-smoked brisket, the next it is a loaded potato or a plate of ribs.
Why do we have Pitmaster's Specials?
Because our pitmasters love to cook. The regular menu is built on the classics: Carolina chopped pork, Texas brisket, St. Louis style ribs, and slow-smoked turkey breast. The Pitmaster's Special is where they take those same meats somewhere new.
It also gives you a reason to come back. There is always something on the menu you have not tried yet.
What kinds of Pitmaster's Specials do you make?
Here are some of the specials that have come off our pits.
Sandwiches
- Brisket Reuben: slow-smoked brisket on rye with sauerkraut, Swiss, and Haywood's special sauce.
- Brisket Mushroom and Swiss: slow-smoked sliced brisket topped with grilled mushrooms and melted Swiss on a bun or toast.
- Slow-Smoked Brisket Pimento Sandwich: slow-smoked brisket with creamy pimento cheese on toast or a bun.
- Pork, Bacon and Slow-Smoked Pimento Sandwich: slow-smoked chopped pork topped with sliced bacon and slow-smoked pimento cheese, on a bun or toast.
- Slow-Smoked Chicken Philly: slow-smoked chicken piled with sautéed onions and peppers, smothered in white American cheese on a toasted hoagie roll.
- Slow-Smoked Prime Rib Philly: shaved slow-smoked prime rib piled high with grilled onions and peppers, topped with melted white American cheese on a toasted hoagie roll.
- Chopped Pork Jalapeño Cheese Sausage Sandwich: chopped pork and jalapeño cheese sausage with pepper jack cheese on ciabatta.
Tacos
- Slow-Smoked Chopped Pork Tacos: topped with chipotle coleslaw. We have done them with brisket, too.
Ribs, wings, and plates
- Baby Back Ribs Flash Fried in Tallow: baby back ribs, flash fried in pure beef tallow.
- Slow-Smoked Chicken Wings: slow-smoked over hickory and flash fried in tallow.
- Slow-Smoked Meatloaf Plate
What are your most famous Pitmaster's Specials?
Each of our locations has a special that has become a favorite.
- Waynesville, the Giant Beef Dino Rib: one massive slow-smoked beef rib, served with two sides. Our pitmasters only cook them from time to time, and every time they are a huge hit.
- Dillsboro, the Loaded Slow-Smoked Potato: a slow-smoked potato stuffed full of slow-smoked chopped pork, topped with chopped bacon, queso, sour cream, and green onion. Ask for it with brisket, too.
- Franklin, the Cowboy Cuban: slow-smoked chopped pork and sliced slow-smoked brisket with pepper jack cheese, pickles, and Chipotle Ranch on pressed Cuban bread.
And that is just a start. Over time, our pitmasters have also put up a Slow-Smoked Turkey Reuben, a Slow-Smoked Pulled Pork Melt, a Shaved Prime Rib Havarti Cheese Sandwich on a ciabatta roll, a Slow-Smoked Sirloin Hoagie, a Chopped Pork Sandwich with Bacon Jam, and plenty more.
Can a Pitmaster's Special make the regular menu?
It already has. Our Fried Ribs started out as a Pitmaster's Special: dry-rubbed St. Louis ribs, flash fried in pure beef tallow, with honey barbecue. Today, they are a regular menu item at Waynesville and Dillsboro.
Some specials run on a regular schedule, too. Our Smokehouse Potato, a giant slow-smoked potato, buttered, stuffed with cheese and slow-smoked chopped pork, is on the menu Tuesday through Friday at Franklin.
So the next time you order a special, you might be tasting the next menu favorite before anybody else.
Do the specials change every day?
Yes. The Pitmaster's Special rotates, so what is on the menu today may not be on it tomorrow. Specials can also differ from one location to the next.
How do I find out today's Pitmaster's Special?
We post the day's Pitmaster's Specials on our Facebook page every day, and you can also see them on our online To-Go menus. Go to your location's page and tap Order To-Go. Or just ask your server what today's is when you sit down.
Do Pitmaster's Specials come with a side?
Most of our sandwich specials are served with one side, and our bigger plates, like the Giant Beef Dino Rib, come with two. Pick from Burnt-End Baked Beans, Mac and Cheese, Collard Greens, Green Beans, Nana's Creamy Coleslaw, Potato Salad, French Fries, or the Side of the Day. Finish it with any of our house-made sauces.
Come see what is coming off the pit today
The special you are hearing about today might not come back around for a while. If it sounds good, do not wait on it. Come sit down with us, or order online for pickup.
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