Since getting a Santa Maria Grill a few months back, I've gone down a Santa Maria BBQ rabbit hole, and my journey unearthed a question: what is the appropriate wood to use for Santa Maria BBQ? Is it Red Oak? Or is it Coast Live Oak? The former, Red Oak, is the most common answer, but several purists insist that true Santa Maria BBQ is cooked over Coast Live Oak, a species native to California's Central Coast. Complicating matters more, Coast Live Oak is in the Red Oak family; it's just not the kind you typically get when you buy Red Oak from a wood supplier. After being thoroughly confused, I decided I'd reach out to one of the torchbearers of Santa Maria BBQ to get some clarity, so I sent an email over to The Hitching Post and asked which they use, Red Oak or Coast Live Oak. They wrote me back saying they use Red Oak. So there you have it. It may be that Santa Maria BBQ began with Coast Live Oak, but over the years, the tradition has shifted and now the standard bearers seem to be using Red Oak. By the way, I've tried both and prefer Red Oak. I find it sweeter and more pronounced.
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Santa Maria BBQ - Red Oak or Coast Live Oak?
- Thread starter bicktrav
- Start date
tom b
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Location
- Temecula, CA
I'll use what ever I can get my hands on, that is normally red oak locally. Once on a trip to the central coast I scored some live oak it was awesome but not worth a special trip to get.
Viticulture
Knows what a fatty is.
Living here on the Central Coast I can honestly tell you that people will use whatever they can get their hands on whether it be Red, White, or Coastal; just doesn't seem to matter. Once the food is cooked I couldn't tell the difference as far as taste goes.
Yeah, I’m sure that’s true. It’s fun to geek out on this kind of stuff, but from a practical perspective the differences are marginal. That said, I do lean toward red oak.
Stlsportster
Babbling Farker
All wood is fine as long as it’s cherry.
JAKs Q & brew
is one Smokin' Farker
I honestly can't tell a difference. I take a trip once a year to Buelton and pick up some Costal while i'm there. Otherwise i use Red (which i just learned my local wood guy gets from Mexico).
Recently I've been mixing 50/50 with almond when i first light a stack and then putting Red logs on as needed.
I feel like a get more heat out of the coals when there is almond mixed in.
Recently I've been mixing 50/50 with almond when i first light a stack and then putting Red logs on as needed.
I feel like a get more heat out of the coals when there is almond mixed in.
Who's your local wood guy in LA? There's a place in Chatsworth called California Firewood Sales that has Coast Live Oak (they also have Red Oak). That's where I get mine. I find the Red Oak is more flavorful. I've also got almond, which is fantastic. Definitely seems to burn hotter.
tom b
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Location
- Temecula, CA
cherry in the offset, oak on the SM
JAKs Q & brew
is one Smokin' Farker
I usually go to Witts woodyard in west la. It's pretty good stuff but also pretty expensive. It's on my way home from work, so hard to beat that.
Mike in Roseville
Babbling Farker
Just use what you can find. My old neighbor who has a large Santa Maria catering rig would use oak when he was on the coast and almond in the Central Valley.
Tioga
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2016
- Location
- Western Sierra foothills
I learned from some research that Santa Maria Red Oak IS coastal live oak (Quercus agrifolia). Red oak is just a local name for Quercus agrifolia which in the botany books is called by the common name "Coast live Oak" which is in the red oak family. Kinda confusing but on the central California coast the names Red Oak and Live Oak are just two different names for the same tree.
Yeah, I found that too. Still, for people who don’t live in the region, red oak isn’t the same as it is on the Central Coast. I also find it interesting that, when asked about which they use, coast live or red oak, The Hitching Post answered definitively: red oak. It could be that the availability of coast live is simply to narrow (not to mention costly) to supply major restaurants, so they just get generic red oak, which grows all over the state and is much more abundant.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2010
- Location
- Culver City, CA
I'll hit Whitt's in a pinch 'cause it's defnitely convenient, but also definitely West L.A. prices. Better deals to be had at California Charcoal and Firewood in Commerce (only open during regular business hours) or Firewood of My Ranch in Compton - (open on Saturdays). Those spots aren't nearly as convenient, but if you can save about $10/bag of wood. Plus Cal Char has Royal Oak Chef Select for sale at a good price.
I go to those spots when I can, but I'm glad Whitt's is there for the "oh chit I need some wood" moments. The guys there are pretty cool, too. And Chef's Toys is nearby, so there's that.
Yeah, I've been to Whitt's several times. They're too expensive, but they're super convenient, and they sell quality stuff. I've been meaning to try California Charcoal and Firewood but haven't had a chance to get out there. Never heard of Firewood of My Ranch, but I'll check that out, too.
