Santa Maria-Style Barbecue

Originating from the Santa Maria Valley in California, this barbecue style isn't a dish or a technique, but a full-on feast. It consists of grilled beef that's served with beans, garlic bread, salad, macaroni salad, and chunky salsa. This huge meal is traditionally prepared for large groups of people at events such as family reunions, church suppers, and fundraisers. The key part of this meal is grilled beef – tri-tip or beef sirloin are rubbed with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before being grilled over local red oak. The meat is served with small pink pinquito beans, a chunky tomato salsa, garlic bread (used for soaking up the juices of other dishes), and a fresh salad that's dressed with vinaigrette, French dressing, or Blue Cheese dressing. And after all that food, a traditional Santa Maria barbecue is finished with coffee and a few scoops of ice cream for dessert. Interestingly, President Ronald Reagan was a huge fan of this barbecue style.