Santa Maria Style BBQ

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MAY 1, 2016

SANTA MARIA TIMES

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SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016 |

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100 Years of History 1905-2005

SALLY CAPPON

n the 1970’s, the Chamber of Commerce began efforts to copyright the phrase “Santa Maria Style Barbecue” for the city’s classic and distinctive meal, which has been carried around the world. Santa Marians have barbecued since time immemorial. Barbecues may have originated when an unknown 18th century vaquero tossed a hunk of meat on a fire. With an abundance of beef and red oak for the fire, the tradition was honed as ranchers got together to help neighbors at roundups and brandings, polishing off their work with a neighborly feast. The tradition moved indoors when the Santa Maria Club opened in a former home at 800 South Broadway built in 1919 and a huge barbecue pit was built in the back yard, said R. H. Tesene in his book “ Santa Maria Style Barbecue.” That evolved into monthly stag barbecues at the club, the main course being slabs of aged beef seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic salt, and placed on rods and barbecued over the de rigeur red oak. Slices of beef were served alongside macaroni and cheese, pinquito beans (another Santa Maria Valley specialty), green salad , salsa and buttered slices of toasted, garlic French bread. Tesene, who moved to Santa Maria in 1949 to operate the Beacon Outpost restaurant – then in the boonies on South Broadway south of Betteravia Road – was invited by a friend to the club’s dinners. He was so impressed he started offering a similar menu at his restaurant, inviting locals to be “guest barbecuers.” Popularity of the dinners soared. In 1968 Santa Maria Elks Lodge No. 1538 moved to the new lodge building with extensive barbecue facilities. Specializing in top block, the Elks have helped publicize Santa Maria Style Barbecue, sending teams of chefs to other places to prepare for huge chow-downs while spread-

CONTRIBUTED

Community Bank of Santa Maria ing the gospel of barbecue. Many home chefs today use a cut of meat called tri-tip, a triangular cut of sirloin born on the Central Coast and cooked in the same manner. Today, tri-tips are usually cooked on a metal grill or screen that can be raised or lowered manually, replacing the old use of skewers. Driving down Broadway on any weekend, it’s almost impossible to resist the fragrant clouds of smoke wafting from mobile pits on wheels in various locations. The menu remains etched in granite: beef cooked over red oak, pinquito beans, tangy salsa, green salad and French bread slathered in butter and cooked on the grill. It may be Santa Maria’s most famous export. Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from the book “100 Years—Santa Maria Style,” by Sally Cappon. The book was published by the Santa Maria Times in 2005.

CONTRIBUTED

Harold English, Santa Maria Police Chief 1956-1968

See History, 2

Shaw’s Steakhouse

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