Santa Maria BBQ Myth.

Santa Maria BBQ - a tradition that continues. Known as the "Capital of the World Barbecue" Santa Maria, California definitely lives up to its title. As you will see when you visit this area or rather, as you can smell the wonderful aroma of barbecue wafting through this coastal valley will lead to any number of barbecue. Follow the smoke and you will soon enjoy a fantastic meal with grilled beef, which is a feast fit for kings.

The story of Santa Maria BBQ The traditional barbecue was started when the calf branding was a neighbor helping neighbor tradition. All the local ranchers would help each other when the spring came and it was time to brand the new calves. When the branding was done as a thank you to the cowboys for their help, ranch owners would have a huge barbecue. The grilled beef was produced during a traditional fire made ​​of red oak was the main course. It was accompanied by Pinquito beans, salsa, bread and desserts, which had been prepared beforehand. Almost like a feast, the food is the highlight of the day. This tradition began in the 19th century. Although they can not do the calf branding as they did then, have BBQ remained a practice that is enjoyed on both private and public functions. Their BBQ has become so famous that many people from all parts of the world visit the Santa Maria Valley for a taste of this delicious cuisine. Simple yet rich. The basic barbecue, Santa Maria style, consisting of grilled sirloin, Pinquito beans, salsa, salad and French bread. The simplicity of the meal starts with sirloin. A piece of top sirloin, with a thickness of approximately three inches is cooked over the embers of a bonfire built with red oak.The only used spices are garlic, salt, pepper and regular salt. It is perhaps the simplicity of the meal combined with the spicy smoke from the red oak that has served Santa Maria BBQ the reputation it now enjoys. The Pinquito beans is a mystery. Today they are grown as a commercial crop only in Santa Maria. But the story goes they were either brought from Europe by a lady who comes to live in this area or they were a gift from the Swiss-Italians who moved to the area. How is Santa Maria BBQ Made?

Cutting and the type of meat used to grill Santa Maria is one of the reasons for its wonderful taste. Of course, the smoke of red oak is not bad. The cut of meat goes back to 1960 when in an attempt to reduce costs and waste reduction in rib steaks, led to the passage called lock-up at the top. When Santa Maria BBQ tradition started many years ago, was no doubt that farmers saw cut of beef. The tri-tip is used primarily for grilling or fund-raising functions because they are smaller than the upper fillet cuts. The typical size of this reduction is about half to two pounds. This part of the meat cut from the bottom of the thread. It is shaped like a triangle, hence the name. When scrap of meat, the fat is removed from the tri-tip, it ends up being more expensive than the wire. You will be hard to find a function that does not include Santa Maria BBQ present as part of the festivities. Just made ​​of oak with a trunk or chips soaked in water the meat is cooked, after rubbing the mixture of garlic, salt, pepper and salt regularly. This is the secret behind the whole process - simplicity. There are no secret ingredients passed down from generation to generation. If you have the opportunity to visit Santa Maria Valley, you can not miss the opportunity to be treated with a taste of Santa Maria BBQ incredibly simple, so come prepared. The number of people who come every year to enjoy the taste of this time-honored traditional meal numbers in the thousands. So come hungry as it is guaranteed not to go that way.