Santa Maria style bbq, despite not being as popular as Kansas City or Texas style bbq, is just as delicious. Santa Maria style bbq consists of 5 things typically: tri-tip, salad, beans, bread, and strawberries. Let’s break them down.
- Tri-tip- The tri-tip is a part of the cow where three muscles meet, forming a tender, large cut of meat, that was originally discovered in Santa Maria. The tri-tip is cooked low and slow, over red oak, native to the central coast, and is eventually pulled, and cut against the grain. Tri-tip is easily one of my favorite cuts of beef, and at 6 dollars a pound, is affordable and easy to cook.
- Salad- The salad is the light, the bright cut through the proteins and carbs. Typically consisting of local greens, tossed with a basque style dressing, consisting of an emulsification of eggs and oil, mixed with garlic, vinegar, and various other seasonings. Salad is typically slept on, however, I believe salad is a vital part of any protein based meal, and provides a much needed relief.
- Beans- The beans typically consist of pinquito (a style of bean created in the Santa Maria valley) beans, prepared similarly to that of vaqueros, Mexican cowboys who are often credited with the creation of the Santa Maria style bbq. Personally, I can’t stand beans, but everyone I know seems to love them.
- Bread- The bread is typically warmed and toasted over the coals of the red oak, then dipped in melted butter. It’s simple, but adds a nice carb to the meal, and overall provides an extra twang that elevates the whole meal.
- Strawberries- Last, but certainly not least, is strawberries. Served as dessert, picked locally, nothing beats the sweet cut of strawberries to cut through the smoke. And best of all, in case no one has ever tried them, nothing in this world beats strawberries picked that day. Strawberries are the metaphorical cherry on top, and add an amazing conclusion to an already amazing combination.
I discovered Santa Maria on a sunny day in July, and quickly came to love it. Despite not being nearly as popular as most forms of BBQ, Santa Maria style BBQ is hands down the greatest style of BBQ in the U.S, if not the whole world.