Santa Maria–style barbecue originated in the mid-19th century when local
Californio ranchers hosted Spanish-style feasts each spring for their
vaqueros. They barbecued meat over earthen
pits filled with hot coals of local coast live oak. The meal was served with
pinquitos, small pink beans that are considered indigenous to the Santa Maria Valley. In 1931, the Santa Maria Club started a "Stag Barbecue", which was held on the second Wednesday of every month, with up to 700 patrons attending each event. By the late 1950s, four local restaurants—The Far Western Tavern, The Valley Steakhouse, Hitching Post, and Jocko's—were on their way to becoming landmarks of this style of barbecue. The original cut was
top sirloin. Then, as today, the meat was rolled in a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic salt before being barbecued over the red oak coals, which contributes a smoky, hearty flavor. In the 1950s, local butcher Bob Schutz (Santa Maria Market) perfected the tri-tip, a triangular
bottom sirloin cut that quickly joined top sirloin as a staple of Santa Maria–style barbecue. President
Ronald Reagan was a fan of Santa Maria–style barbecue. Local barbecue chef Bob Herdman and his Los Compadres Barbecue Crew staged several barbecues for President Reagan, including five feasts on the South Lawn of the White House. == Beans==