This Underrated Central California Coast BBQ Style Deserves A Spot On Your Grill This Weekend

The word barbecue conjures up a number of varied images, depending on where you live in the U.S. When you want to grill like a master, you may reach for one of your favorite regional barbecue sauces or learn how to smoke it just right. But this is a regional style of barbecue that doesn't even use a sauce or a smoker. Santa Maria-style barbecue is a 150-year-old tradition that came from local ranching in the Santa Maria Valley region of the Central California coast.

To explain this underappreciated style of barbecue, we reached out to an expert on the subject for a Chowhound exclusive. Everett Walcott is the executive chef for Ironhorse Restaurant & Bar at the Cambria Hotel Templeton–Paso Robles. Walcott says, "Santa Maria–style barbecue is a California original defined by its open-fire grilling rather than smoking. The meat is cooked on a Santa Maria grill, a live-fire setup with a hand-cranked grate that can be raised or lowered over hot coals for precise heat control."

Santa Maria barbecue is traditionally cooked over local red oak wood, which gives the meat a milder, sweeter flavor than hickory or mesquite. "Many people equate barbecue with low-and-slow smoking, but Santa Maria–style barbecue takes a different approach: live-fire grilling," he says. "The meat is rarely coated in sauce, since its flavor comes from red oak smoke and simple seasoning rather than heavy marinades."

Everett Walcott tells us a good Santa Maria barbecue starts with tri-tip, an affordable cut that's perfect for the grill. "When grilled over red oak or Avila white oak," he explains, "tri-tip develops a beautifully charred crust while staying juicy and tender inside, thanks to its balanced marbling. It's the ideal cut for this method. It's lean enough to cook fairly quickly yet rich enough to retain deep, beefy flavor." To get that good crust, you need a proper rub, but Walcott recommends keeping it simple — just salt, pepper, and garlic, although you can expand those flavors with some cayenne powder and paprika or even a little mustard.

If you don't have a crank grill, Santa Maria barbecue can be cooked at home by adjusting the heat on your grill, instead of moving the grate up and down. "Start with a hot grill to sear the tri-tip," says Walcott, "then lower the heat to finish cooking and build that beautiful bark." Start between 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for the sear, then lower the temp. Alternately, cook over direct heat for the sear and then move to indirect heat to finish. Walcott also suggests sous vide at 125 degrees Fahrenheit for about four hours so the tri-tip cooks through, then simply sear it to get a good crust.

"Let it rest, and slice carefully," he says. "You can switch your cutting angle when the grain changes, for the most tender bites. Traditionally, it's served with salsa, but chimichurri or your favorite BBQ sauce works great, too."