Santa Maria Style BBQ with Food + Drink Journalist Jaime Lewis

Dear Food

What IS Santa Maria Style BBQ, anyway? It’s so much more than just a cut of meat and special seasoning. As the name implies, it’s a style of cooking that embodies the Ranchero lifestyle that's unique to the Central Coast of California. Food + Drink Journalist, Jaime Lewis, joins us this week to educate us about the not-so-little town of Santa Maria, and the food that put it squarely on the food map.

What’s in this episode:

• What exactly is Santa Maria Style BBQ
• How Santa Maria Style BBQ came to be
• The original cut of meat that defines the dish
• The ingredient you will NOT find on SM Style BBQ
• What a traditional fiesta looks like
• The three components of great BBQ
• What indigenous trees give this BBQ it’s special flavor
• The hole-in-the-wall spot that does this dish the best in the world
• The side dishes that must be served alongside top sirloin
• The reason Santa Maria is no longer a Tourist destination
• Details on a secret BBQ society, oh my!
• How spreading the message about food can preserve culture
• And much more!

Links from the show:

• Jaime's Website: https://jaimelewis.com/
• Jaime on Instagram: @JaimeCLewis
• ‘Consumed with Jaime Lewis’ Podcast - listen here

Be on the Show

Tell us your food stories! The first time you remember tasting food, your dream dinner, or just a food that you can’t stop thinking about. Call in to leave us a voicemail at 626-709-6551 or send your messages to [e-mail]

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share this episode with a friend! It makes a huge difference for us independent podcasters. Help a sister out!