Posts filed under ‘Santa Maria Style BBQ’
Tip of The (Cowboy) Hat to Santa Maria BBQ
As Santa Maria Style Barbecue fanatics, we’re always thrilled to discover someone who smells the red oak and sees the light when it comes to “Santa Maria style.”
So needless to say, we were delighted to stumble upon this recent post by Food Blogga (a.k.a. Susan Russo), who shares her path to barbecue enlightenment.
She first comes clean with the admission that, “Having grown up in Rhode Island I always thought a ‘barbecue’ referred to an outdoor cookout featuring grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.”
She then pays her penance: “It wasn’t until we moved to North Carolina that we discovered ‘barbecue’ had nothing to do with hot dogs and hamburgers and everything to do with slowly cooking a whole hog over some flames.”
Finally, Food Blogga finds the truth: “Now that we live in Southern California, I’ve fallen for Santa Maria-style barbecue made from tri-tip, a flavorful, triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin.”
Her story continues with a wonderfully detailed recipe for Santa Maria Style Barbecue by Joe at SteakPerfection. Food Blogga wraps with this tip: “And just in case you’re wondering, tri-tip tastes better if it you eat it while wearing a cowboy hat.”
Keep the faith Food Blogga!
Santa Maria BBQ Flies High in US Airways Magazine
Santa Maria Style Barbecue is in the bright spotlight once again as US Airways Magazine showcases our regional culinary tradition in a four-page feature story titled “The Other Barbecue.”
In the words of contributing writer Larry Olmstead, “Although every U.S. city offers barbecue in some form, you’ll expecially find one or more of the four well-known regional styles: Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City and Texas…If you’re a fan of any of these barbecues, expand your palate with an up-and-coming taste–a fifth style that’s edging into the carnivore stable. Santa Maria barbecue may be a newcomer, but it has a long and storied history.”
We couldn’t have said it any better!
In the story, Olmstead elaborates on the history and ingredients of Santa Maria Style Barbecue and raves about the food and wines at the Hitching Post II, and also recommends dining at the original Hitching Post in Casmalia, the Far Western Tavern and Shaw’s Steakhouse & Tavern. He also kindly turns readers onto this blog!
Olmstead concludes, “As more visitors discover this local staple, word about Santa Maria barbecue is sure to spread.
A quote in the story sums it up: “Between the unique regional food and the wines, you get a flavor that is entirely and authentically local. People are actively seeking regional authenticity in their food today, and you’ll find it here in California’s barbecue capital.”
Thanks to US Airways Magazine and writer Larry Olmstead for spreading the sizzling good news about Santa Maria Barbecue!
Santa Maria BBQ Makes the Cut in Forbes’ Top 10
In a cool story on regional American cuisine, Forbes.com recommends Santa Maria Style Barbecue as one of the top 10 culinary traditions for its readers to experience in 2012.
The Forbes piece pursues the premise that while many regional culinary styles have become popular nationwide, there are still foods that are best eaten in their place of origin.
Contributing writer Larry Olmsted notes, “While it (Santa Maria style barbecue) has been around for a century and a half, it has never made national inroads like the other styles, and remains limited to California’s Central Coast, namely the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Barbara County, but here it is ubiquitous, found in restaurants every day, and on weekends at outdoor charity fundraising barbecues.”
Olmsted does a fine job of explaining the difference between Santa Maria Style Barbecue and its more recognized cousins , such as the barbecue styles of the Carolinas, Memphis, Kansas City and Texas. “Unlike the other regional styles,” Olmsted says, “Santa Maria barbecue is always cooked over an open flame, not in a closed smoker, always burning locally native California red oak.”
He goes on to praise the The Hitching Post restaurant with a nod to the local wine country. Thanks to Larry Olmstead and Forbes.com for naming Santa Maria BBQ as one of the nation’s top regional food experiences!
P.S. In no particular order, following is a list of the top 10 regional cuisines mentioned in the Forbes piece. Santa Maria Valley is delighted to be in such company!
-New Orleans: Muffeletta Sandwich
-Salt Lake City: Crown Burger
-Kansas City: Burnt Ends
-St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Pizza
-Coastal South Carolina: Shrimp & Grits
-Rhode Island: Clam Cakes
-Iowa: Loose Meat Sandwich
-Santa Maria, CA: Santa Maria Style Barbecue (Hear, hear!)
-Miami Beach: Stone Crab Claws -Chesapeake Bay: Blue Crabs
SeriousEats.com Savors Santa Maria BBQ
We are always delighted to discover new stories and travelogues that turn the spotlight on Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and the latest is a post by James Boo on SeriousEats.com.
Writes Mr. Boo, “Santa Maria’s claim to culinary fame is a type of open-flame grilling that dates back to the 19th century. Despite its association with colonial Spain’s vaquero culture, this approach was not too different from most American barbecue of the time—a process with three general steps: ‘Dig hole. Light coals. Apply carcass.’”
He adds, “Santa Maria barbecue, like Maryland Pit Beef, doesn’t adhere to contemporary rules but after spending a day at the region’s taverns and steakhouses, I could taste about a century of tradition distilled into the craft of seriously delicious wood-smoke grilling.”
Hear, hear! He also makes a cool cultural observation: “When I pulled up to the steakhouses of Santa Maria, California, I found pickup trucks next to pickup trucks. That’s what you get for a farmtown near the Central Coast.”
Along the way, Mr. Boo specifically praises the food at two local Santa Maria BBQ landmarks: The Hitching Post and Shaw’s Steakhouse. If you’d like to follow in his footsteps, a great place to start is our roundup of Santa Maria Valley barbecue specialists.
Thanks to James Boo and SeriousEats.com for sharing the good news about Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
Santa Maria BBQ…or Santa Maria Grilling?
The barbecue world is known for its culinary passion, fierce opinions and regional competitiveness. So, not surprisingly, Santa Maria Style Barbecue sometimes comes under fire from those who claim that it’s not really barbecue at all, but actually grilling.
Indeed, traditional barbecue uses indirect heat or low-level heat to cook tougher meats, and it can take all day, or even days, to finish the job. Santa Maria Style Barbecue, however, consists of more tender meats prepared over the higher heat of red oak coals, and accordingly takes less time to cook. And while the meat is raised up and away from the coals after the initial searing, that’s not enough to satisfy some barbecue purists.
One of our favorite responses to the doubters comes courtesy of Chef John of Food Wishes, who was met with this comment on his piece about Santa Maria Style Barbecue:
It puzzles me that good chefs who are otherwise precise with their terminology and technique, throw that to the wind when it comes to cooking outside the kitchen…I’m sure this is a very nice grilled tri-tip – but it’s whole different technique, and a different product from a barbecued tri-tip.
Chef John replied:
This style has been called “barbecue” on California’s Central Coast since the early settlers. The common denominator being a wood fire…if they were cooking the legs or head it would be long and slow, however if they were cooking a slab of top sirloin or rib steak (the original Santa Maria BBQ), they did it more quickly over the hottest part of the fire…because it was better that way. Regardless of which cut, or how long it took, this was all just called barbecue.
Besides, “barbacoa” from which you get your barbecue term is technically steaming anyway. The animal was wrapped in wet leaves and steamed over the fire. So, if wet leaves aren’t used is it still barbecue? For these reasons, my personal definition (and that’s all it is, and to each his own), is “anything cooked over or near a wood fire is barbecue.” Every summer when millions of American’s are shopping, and they grab a package of chicken legs and say “hey, let’s barbecue!” you can say they are technically wrong, but you can’t say they are wrong.
Well played, Chef John!
Of course, the cooking method isn’t the only thing that puts Santa Maria BBQ in the culinary crossfire. The fact that that Santa Maria BBQ is prepared with dry rub ingredients is also a point of puzzlement for those who associate barbecue with slatherings of sauce (something we previously addressed in this blog post).
The bottom line is that it’s always been called Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and it always will be, so the naysayers might as well just do what the rest of us do in the Santa Maria Valley and across the Central Coast: light the red oak, grab the dry rub and simply enjoy the flavorful ride.
A New Look Back at Old Santa Maria
We are excited to share the good news about a new book that showcases the rich history of the Santa Maria Valley, including a generous helping of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Images of America: Santa Maria Valley by Carina Monica Montoya and the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society is a beautifully presented softcover book loaded with magnificent photos and historic insights into the valley from the Mexican to modern period.
In its Community Spirit chapter, the book features Santa Maria BBB with four classic photos, from the cooking of meat over earthen pits in the early 1900s to the epic barbecues of the local Elks Lodge in the 1960s. The book notes, “The traditional Santa Maria barbecue has its roots dating back to Spanish California, when family, friends and neighbors would gather at a rancho to feast on meat cooked over local red oak coals.”
The book also details the Santa Maria Valley’s rich history in agriculture, aeronautics, athletics and more.
Along with R.H. Tesene’s legendary book Santa Maria Style Barbecue, this book belongs on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the historic roots of the Santa Maria Valley.
It’s Turkey Time…Santa Maria Style!
Tired of the same old turkey, with the same old flavors, every Thanksgiving? Then spice up your holiday table by adding a Santa Maria-style twist to your culinary festivities.
Indeed, barbecuing your bird is a great way to energize the traditional Thanksgiving menu, particularly if you do it with two staples of Santa Maria Style Barbecue: red oak and Santa Maria seasoning. The red oak imparts an amazingly smooth and distinctive smokiness to the flavor profile, while the seasoning further enchants the palate
If you’ve never done it before, you have to be a little adventurous to put your bird on the barbecue. After all, no one wants to mess up their holiday meal right before the guests arrive. But it’s really not that difficult if you do a little research. You may want to start with this basic overview of how to do it. The key is to not scorch the outside of the turkey while making sure it gets fully cooked on the inside.
As for adding the Santa Maria-style components, it’s pretty easy. Just sprinkle some red oak chips onto the hot coals while the turkey cooks, and the resulting smoke will work its magic. As for the seasoning, add some to the baste, and then add more to your liking after you slice the meat. For even more Santa Maria-style flavor, enjoy your meal with a side of pinquito beans and a glass of Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley.
Happy Thanksgiving from California’s Barbecue Capital!
The Story of The Santa Maria BBQ Copyright
Santa Maria Style Barbecue is so distinctively delicious that the official menu is actually copyrighted to protect its authenticity and integrity.
Indeed, in 1978, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce requested a copyright to protect the name, concept and menu of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and the copyright was granted by the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress in March of that year.
Bob Seavers, the secretary-manager of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce at that time, was quoted as saying that the copyright was necessary “because restaurants and organizations in other communities were beginning to advertise and serve a fare represented as ‘Santa Maria Style Barbecue,’which, in reality, bore little resemblance to the true Santa Maria Style Barbecue. The copyright will help to preserve the tradition authentically, as the barbecue becomes more and more famous.”
It proved to be a prescient decision, because more than 30 years later, Santa Maria Style Barbecue continues to gain both fame and fans largely as a result of its inherent authenticity and regional roots.
As noted in the copyrighted menu: “In the early days of the huge ranchos, the rancheros, with their vaqueros, friends and neighbors, gathered frequently under the oaks of this serene little valley for Spanish barbecues. The present Santa Maria Barbecue grew out of this tradition and achieved its “style” some 50 years ago when local residents began to string their beef on skewers and cook it over the hot coals of a red oak fire…This tradition has been carried on throught the years by the many groups and organizations in the Santa Maria Valley who have made the barbecue a specialty of all major events. Visitors to the city having the good fortune to be exposed to this gourmet’s delight return again and again to enjoy a unique experience in eating.”
For this blog’s introduction to the official menu, click here. For tips on preparing genuine Santa Maria Style Barbecue, click here. Bon appetit!
Authentic Santa Maria BBQ…in Minutes!
Traditionally, Santa Maria Style Barbecue is an exercise in anticipation. First, you light the red oak and let it burn until the coals are very hot with little flame. Then, after initially searing the meat, you raise the grill and wait patiently for the meat to reach medium rare or so, which can take up to 20 minutes per inch of cut thickness. Of course, the wait is always worth it!
But let’s face it. In this fast-paced age, not everyone always has the time to cook, let alone stage a traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue. And that’s where the Santa Maria Valley’s BBQ2You comes in.
Established by the Ostini family, the owners of the famed Hitching Post restaurant, BBQ2You offers ready-to-heat authentic Santa Maria BBQ (and other meals) shipped right to your doorstep: “Bring a Santa Maria Style BBQ Steakhouse experience to your family’s kitchen table in just minutes! There’s no grilling necessary, and no thaw time. From freezer to plate in under 20 minutes. These are fully prepared meals, all you have to do is boil water, drop the boil-in-bag meal in, and dinner is served.”
If mail-order BBQ strikes you as questionable, consider that the Ostini family is renowned for the quality and authenticity of their food. In other words, they serve only the finest…even when it comes via FedEx!
Among the many meal options offered by BBQ2You is the Tri-Tip for $65 (pictured above), featuring three separate packages of 1.5 to 2.25 pound cuts that will “feed a small army,” all perfectly seasoned and grilled over red oak.
Visit the BBQ2You web site to check out their innovative line of convenient meals, and note that they are currently running a special for free shipping to California residents.
A Tribute to Santa Maria BBQ
In one of the more creative tributes to Santa Maria Style Barbecue we’ve encountered, veteran food and travel writer Laurel Miller recently posted a story on her self-described “(not a) blog” about our local culinary tradition, leading with her own personal account of experiencing another distinctive ranch-style offering: “prairie oysters.”
Indeed, it turns out that Laurel, when she was just ten years old, got rounded up to help with a spring cattle gathering here on the Central Coast, where she was not only introduced to Santa Maria BBQ, but also to this, ahem, more exotic delicacy.
In reflecting on that experience, she delves into the history and menu of classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Along the way, she features local landmark restaurants such as the Hitching Post and Far Western Tavern, as well as Susie Q’s Brand barbecue foods and Old Town Market in Orcutt.
You may recall that Laurel also penned a recent piece on Santa Maria BBQ for American Cowboy magazine. Our thanks go out to her for spreading the sizzling good word about Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
