Vegetarians: please avert your eyes

Our crazy Californio Butchers have a different way of carving up the old beefy animal. Maybe they carve the same but they give them other names. One popular cut of meat here is the tri-tip cut. It is a lovely cut and is the best on the BBQ. I think there is a California statue preventing you from roasting it in the oven.

There is a California tradition; the Santa Maria BBQ. In this sleepy little central California town they take their outdoor BBQ seriously. On Saturdays BBQs are set up on street corners all over the town, most are used as fund-raisers, but it seems like everyone has a grill going. Some of the best are the little "mom & pop" stands. There is something so basically yummy about cooking over a wood fire.

The tri-tops are sliced thin and usually served on French rolls and no BBQ sauce, just fresh salsa. They also make this yummy little bean called the pinquito, a small pinto slow cooked and so flavorful. I drool at the thought. The entire town smells of smoke but in that fun way, not that California-brush-fire, oh my god, the-hills- are-ablaze, way.

The Gypsy Caravan will be here this weekend and I've loaded the freezer with tri-tip, an all time fav of Doodles and Mr Doodles, and we will BBQ to their hearts content. My prep is easy. A good rub either purchased or make your own. Mine has:

• Chili powder
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Spanish smoked paprika
• Ground Cumin
• Just a bit of brown sugar
• Ground Fennel
  
• Salt and Pepper

Rub down the tri tip liberally and cover and refrigerate 24 hours. I cook mine on the grill slowly in between two burners. There is a bit of fat and I don't want it to burn just slowly baste the roast. As with all meats, let it rest before slicing, Slice across the grain. Now slop on some salsa and dig in.

If you get to the Central Coast of California, Santa Maria is about an hour north of Santa Barbara, make sure it's on a weekend because there is nothing like classic Santa Maria Style BBQ.