Santa Maria Style BBQ
Encyclopedia
Santa Maria Style Barbecue is a regional culinary tradition rooted in the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast of California
. This method of barbecuing dates back to the mid-19th century and is today regarded as a “mainstay of California’s culinary heritage.” The traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu was copyrighted by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce in 1978.
Santa Maria Style Barbecue requires a specific preparation. The favored cut of meat is tri-tip. Before cooking, the meat is seasoned with a special blend of salt, black pepper and granulated garlic salt
. The meat is then grilled over coals of red oak, a wood that is native to the region, giving the meat a hearty, smoky flavor. The traditional accompaniments are pinquito beans, fresh salsa
, tossed green salad and grilled French bread dipped in sweet melted butter.
Other items cooked in Santa Maria are chicken, other types of steaks, and ribs. Pork baby back ribs
are popular for barbecue in the Western region in comparison to the popular use of spare ribs
in the Southern United States. The barbecue sauce
used in this state is tomato-based, as with other western states.
. They barbecued meat over earthen pits
filled with hot coals of local red oak. The meal would be served with pinquitos, small pink beans that are considered indigenous to the Santa Maria Valley.
According to local barbecue historian R.H. Tesene, “The Santa Maria Barbecue grew out of this tradition and achieved its ‘style’ when local residents began to string cuts of beef on skewers or rods and cook the meat over the hot coals of a red oak fire.”
In 1931, the Santa Maria Club started a “Stag Barbecue,” which was held on the second Wednesday of every month, with up to 700 patrons attending each event. By the late 1950s, three local restaurants—The Far Western Tavern, Hitching Post and Jocko’s—were on their way to becoming landmarks of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
The original cut was top-block sirloin. Then, as today, the meat was rolled in a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic salt before being barbecued over the red oak coals, which contribute a smoky, hearty flavor. In the 1950s, a local butcher named Bob Schutz perfected the tri-tip, a triangular bottom sirloin cut that quickly joined top-block sirloin as a staple of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
President Ronald Reagan
was an avid fan of Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Local barbecue chef Bob Herdman and his “Los Compadres Barbecue Crew” staged several barbecues for President Reagan, including five feasts on the South Lawn of the White House.
Pinquito beans grow well in the fertile soil and mild climate of the Santa Maria Valley, which is the only place where pinquito beans are grown commercially.
A leading specialty purveyor of pinquito beans and other Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods is Susie Q’s Brand.
For generations the Righetti family has been a part of the Santa Maria culture, where they have made a living farming and raising cattle. The Minetti family has done the same and also operates the well-known Far Western Tavern in Guadalupe, California
. The Far Western Tavern was founded by the Minettis and Richard "Dicky" Maretti in 1958 as one of the first restaurants to serve the authentic Santa Maria Style Barbecue fare. The Far Western Tavern’s bacon-rich recipe of pinquito beans was developed in the Minetti family’s home kitchen.
In authentic Santa Maria Style Barbecue, the meat is seasoned with a blend of salt, pepper and garlic salt. A hint of parsley is also sometimes included.
The most common commercial blend for preparing the meat is Santa Maria Style Seasoning by Susie Q’s Brand. Susan Minetti-Righetti founded Susie Q’s Brand in 1981. The seasoning is simply sprinkled evenly across the meat prior to grilling. For larger cuts, the meat is rolled in the seasoning, covering the entire surface.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This method of barbecuing dates back to the mid-19th century and is today regarded as a “mainstay of California’s culinary heritage.” The traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu was copyrighted by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce in 1978.
Santa Maria Style Barbecue requires a specific preparation. The favored cut of meat is tri-tip. Before cooking, the meat is seasoned with a special blend of salt, black pepper and granulated garlic salt
Garlic salt
Garlic salt is a flavored salt used as food seasoning made of a mixture of dried ground garlic and table salt with an anti-caking agent...
. The meat is then grilled over coals of red oak, a wood that is native to the region, giving the meat a hearty, smoky flavor. The traditional accompaniments are pinquito beans, fresh salsa
Salsa (sauce)
Salsa may refer to any type of sauce. In American English, it usually refers to the spicy, often tomato based, hot sauces typical of Mexican and Central American cuisine, particularly those used as dips. In British English, the word typically refers to salsa cruda, which is common in Mexican ,...
, tossed green salad and grilled French bread dipped in sweet melted butter.
Other items cooked in Santa Maria are chicken, other types of steaks, and ribs. Pork baby back ribs
Pork ribs
Pork ribs are a cut of pork popular in North American and Asian cuisines. The ribcage of a domestic pig, meat and bones together, is cut into usable pieces, prepared by smoking, grilling, or baking – usually with a sauce, often barbecue – and then served....
are popular for barbecue in the Western region in comparison to the popular use of spare ribs
Spare ribs
Spare ribs are a variety of pork ribs and beef ribs, cooked and eaten in various cuisines around the world. They are the most inexpensive cut of pork and beef ribs. They are a long cut from the lower portion of the pig or cattle, specifically the belly and breastbone, behind the shoulder, and...
in the Southern United States. The barbecue sauce
Barbecue sauce
Barbecue sauce is a flavoring sauce or condiment ranging from watery to very thick consistency. As the name implies, it was created as an accompaniment to barbecued foods. While it can be applied to any food, it usually tops meat after cooking or during barbecuing, grilling, or baking...
used in this state is tomato-based, as with other western states.
History
Santa Maria Style Barbecue originated in the mid-19th century when local ranchers would host Spanish-style feasts each spring for their vaqueroesCowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
. They barbecued meat over earthen pits
Pit barbecue
A pit barbecue is a method and constructed item for barbecue cooking meat and root vegetables buried below the surface of the earth. Indigenous peoples around the world used earth ovens for tens of thousands of years. In modern times the term and activity is often associated with the Eastern...
filled with hot coals of local red oak. The meal would be served with pinquitos, small pink beans that are considered indigenous to the Santa Maria Valley.
According to local barbecue historian R.H. Tesene, “The Santa Maria Barbecue grew out of this tradition and achieved its ‘style’ when local residents began to string cuts of beef on skewers or rods and cook the meat over the hot coals of a red oak fire.”
In 1931, the Santa Maria Club started a “Stag Barbecue,” which was held on the second Wednesday of every month, with up to 700 patrons attending each event. By the late 1950s, three local restaurants—The Far Western Tavern, Hitching Post and Jocko’s—were on their way to becoming landmarks of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
The original cut was top-block sirloin. Then, as today, the meat was rolled in a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic salt before being barbecued over the red oak coals, which contribute a smoky, hearty flavor. In the 1950s, a local butcher named Bob Schutz perfected the tri-tip, a triangular bottom sirloin cut that quickly joined top-block sirloin as a staple of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
was an avid fan of Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Local barbecue chef Bob Herdman and his “Los Compadres Barbecue Crew” staged several barbecues for President Reagan, including five feasts on the South Lawn of the White House.
Pinquito beans
Pinquito beans are an essential component of the traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu. Pinquito beans are a cross between a pink bean and a small white bean. How they came to be grown in the Santa Maria Valley remains a mystery. Some say the beans were given as a gift by a Mexican vaquero to one of the early Swiss-Italian settlers. Others contend that a lady brought several plants with her when she migrated to the area from Europe.Pinquito beans grow well in the fertile soil and mild climate of the Santa Maria Valley, which is the only place where pinquito beans are grown commercially.
A leading specialty purveyor of pinquito beans and other Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods is Susie Q’s Brand.
For generations the Righetti family has been a part of the Santa Maria culture, where they have made a living farming and raising cattle. The Minetti family has done the same and also operates the well-known Far Western Tavern in Guadalupe, California
Guadalupe, California
Guadalupe is a small city located in Santa Barbara County, California. According to the U.S. Census of 2010, the city has a population of 7,080. It was incorporated as a city on May 19, 1946...
. The Far Western Tavern was founded by the Minettis and Richard "Dicky" Maretti in 1958 as one of the first restaurants to serve the authentic Santa Maria Style Barbecue fare. The Far Western Tavern’s bacon-rich recipe of pinquito beans was developed in the Minetti family’s home kitchen.
Seasoning
See reference in Regional variations of barbecueRegional variations of barbecue
Barbecue varies by the type of meat used, the sauce, rub, or other flavorings used, when they are added, the role smoke plays, the equipment and fuel used, cooking temperature, and cooking time....
In authentic Santa Maria Style Barbecue, the meat is seasoned with a blend of salt, pepper and garlic salt. A hint of parsley is also sometimes included.
The most common commercial blend for preparing the meat is Santa Maria Style Seasoning by Susie Q’s Brand. Susan Minetti-Righetti founded Susie Q’s Brand in 1981. The seasoning is simply sprinkled evenly across the meat prior to grilling. For larger cuts, the meat is rolled in the seasoning, covering the entire surface.
See also
- BarbecueBarbecueBarbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
- Cuisine of CaliforniaCuisine of CaliforniaThe cuisine of California is the local cuisine of the U.S. state of California.- Local ingredients :A highly varied range of micro-climates, dominated by a mild Mediterranean climate, and popular health-conscious diets and lifestyles in California promote the production, use and consumption of...
- Pit barbecuePit barbecueA pit barbecue is a method and constructed item for barbecue cooking meat and root vegetables buried below the surface of the earth. Indigenous peoples around the world used earth ovens for tens of thousands of years. In modern times the term and activity is often associated with the Eastern...
- Santa Maria, CaliforniaSanta Maria, CaliforniaSanta Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
- Tri-tipTri-tipThe tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin primal cut. It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. per side of beef....