https://www.sunset.com/travel/california/santa-maria-bbq
(if you get the paywall popup, there should be a little microscopic “continue without whitelisting” line at the lower left of the pop)
I got into southern BBQ about ten years ago. I started with a $45 ECB (El Cheapo Brinkman). I followed the advice of Meathead at https://amazingribs.com/.
It ruined me. I can no longer order ribs at Chili’s Texas Roadhouse, etc. They serve flavorless, soggy steamed pork slathered with sugar sauce.
I’m a coastal urbanite and BBQ is more foreign to me than sushi (the real kind) and ethnic/non-American foods LoL.
I have so far only tried Texas...really want to try the Carolinas’ offerings...and Kansas City apparently?
I moved a month ago, and finally got the BGE moved to the new place today. There were only a couple of showings of the old place with it on the patio, lol.
It’s mostly reassembled, and I feel like I should pick up a pork shoulder and do a cook. I have a Thermoworks Bellows, so can set it at 225F and it maintains it for as long as reasonable. Love it, game changer for the BGE.
Black men make the best BBQ. The best I ever had was Robert’s BBQ in Coweta, OK in the 80’s. His daughter tried to make a go but failed.
This guy was something special.
I’ve been enjoying ribs and brisket on our three year oldTraeger from Costco. Been experimenting with a wide variety of binders, rubs, wrapped in foil vs no wrap, different spritzes, cook temps (slow and long at 225 F / 5-6;hours vs fast and hot at 300F / 3 hours), different sauces, different tack-up times and different wood pellets. SO MANY variables. Last weekend I did baby back ribs with a simple “SPG” (salt, pepper, and garlic) rub. So good!
Great fun and great reward at the end!
Don’t know if it’s still there but the Central Texan in Castroville was great ~’90s.
Another quality post from nickcarraway. Thanks!
I thought barbecue was Western not Southern.
The BBQ in Central Texas is legendary and the BBQ family feuds are even more legendary. Those dudes are serious.
There’s good BBQ here in Arizona, though I much prefer Hickory smoked over Mesquite, which dominates around here.
“The Top 10 Best Places for BBQ in the South”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuqfSrlsAGI
Courtesy Matt Mitchell of “It’s a Southern Thing, Y’all.”
Nothing turns a population into snobby sneering critical regional Karens faster than a dead animal on a grill.