Good ol‘ Santa Maria-style barbecue is so famous and finger-licking good, it’s been to the White House! Santa Maria has even been called the “Barbecue Capital of the World.”
What’s the secret, you ask? Jim Glines, community leader and barbecue expert, tells us it boils down to the cut, quality, aging, and cooking of the meat. The Santa Maria-style barbecue and its tradition began in the 19th century when local rancheros would host Spanish-style feasts. The barbecues of the time consisted of an earthen pit, iron rods to hang meat, and red oak coals.
By the ’20s, the Santa Maria Elks Lodge played a key role in maintaining the barbecuing tradition by holding “Stag Barbecues” and serving up to 700 guests per event. By the ’50s, restaurants began serving Santa Maria-style barbecue and became local and historical landmarks.
According to Glines, the original cut for Santa Maria-style barbecue was bone-in ribeye. But by the 1940s, the prices for meat increased, and tradition slowly began to accept the sirloin as the choice cut for Santa Maria-style barbecue. By the 1960s, this changed yet again, and the tri-tip became more commonly associated with the Santa Maria-style barbecue.
Come check out R.H. Tesene’s brand collection and learn more about Santa Maria-style barbecue and its history in the community room at the Discovery Museum!
Alexandra Cazares, program coordinator at the Discovery Museum, wrote this with the invaluable knowledge of Jim Glines, president and CEO of Community Bank. Discovery Corner is a weekly column in the Sun, highlighting events, science activities, and more for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum at 705 S. McClelland in Santa Maria. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 16-23, 2012.