Santa Maria BBQ

One of the very few things we can honestly say we value even more than spices are our wonderful and creative customers. Reading customer comments and feedback on our products is part of our daily meeting every morning, and no matter how critical they might be, it’s something we appreciate and take seriously. One of these comments is how our Santa Maria Seasoning was born, as we had a request from a west coast customer who was looking for a blend they could put on tri-tip steak to make it “Santa Maria-Style”- a dish that up until this point was completely foreign to us. Chef Jeff spent several days researching all he could about this region’s barbecue tradition, and developed our blend to try and closely mimic the smoky taste of the signature red oak wood that’s the hallmark of Santa Maria BBQ pits. This discovery spurred us to find a supplier for us to hunt down a cold-pressed, small batch oak flake salt that’s smoked for hours and imparts the same signature oak-y flavor.

A few important things to note about grilling a steak like tri-tip: First of all, if you have trouble tracking it down, you’re not the only one. It took us close to a week to be able to find a good butcher that was able to get us this cut of meat- despite its popularity in California, central Pennsylvania has yet to fully climb onto the tri-tip bandwagon. If you are looking for alternatives, Jeff recommends trying “Sirloin Tip Roast,” “Top Sirloin,” “Bottom Sirloin,” or a “Skirt Steak.” Another extremely important key for slicing any meat, particularly a cut that can be a little on the leaner side, is to cut AGAINST the grain. When slicing against the grain you’re shortening the length of the fibers on each side, leaving you with a far less chewy bite (which spells succulence).

In typical Santa Maria Style, we served our tri-tip with a fresh pico de gallo style salsa, grilled bread, and pinquinto beans. If you did go to the trouble of hunting down the elusive tri-tip steak, don’t be tempted to smother it in A1 sauce like you might be used to- try taking a page out of the California way and letting the savory garlic and delicate smoke flavor contrast bright and fresh vegetables.