Hey everyone,
I'm and SE PA guy who recently moved to norther SD county CA. Been a BBQ fan & enthusiast for a several years, still learning.
So many different styles and flavors. I had my first experience w/ Northern TX hill country BBQ yesterday. Saw an interview w/ owner and pit master of Oak & Anchor BBQ on the local morning SD news a couple days ago. He's a 22 yr disabled Navy vet who runs a fully mobile BBQ business. He had a great personality and obviously loves BBQ & BBQing. The interviewer opened his wood fired pit and got smoke in his eyes. Chris, the pit master said, "...it doesn't just get in you eyes, it gets into your soul". At that point I knew I needed to meet him.
Looked him up and found he has a circuit of pop ups he does around the county. My wife, a neighbor and I caught up w/ him yesterday near Encinitas. I picked his brain and watched him work. What a genuine, down to earth, warm and friendly person, and so were his wife and daughter. I have a new appreciation for mobile operations. One must learn to be very organized and efficient.
He kept things very simple. He does everything w/ his own rub, low & slow (225) over oak. His home made sauce on the side if you like, hot or sweet. His custom pit was very cool. Large fire box that he quite obviously had totally dialed in. I was there for two hours and I didn't see him touch the fire once.
The food:The ribs were my wife's favorite, like everything, they were tender enough but still had a good bite to them. I liked the hot sausage but I love pretty much all sausage. His brisket was subtally flavorful, beefy, moist & tender enough, but not as much as I am used to. I got a 1/4 of a chicken, dark meat. The smoke was there, but subtle, complex, and the rub and the smoke created an amazing color and bark. My wife never liked smoked chicken until yesterday. She now loves it. I've got some work to do learning how to smoke chicken like that.
If you are in or visit San Diego County, I highly recommend that you them them out.
All for now.
Best regards.
JD
I'm and SE PA guy who recently moved to norther SD county CA. Been a BBQ fan & enthusiast for a several years, still learning.
So many different styles and flavors. I had my first experience w/ Northern TX hill country BBQ yesterday. Saw an interview w/ owner and pit master of Oak & Anchor BBQ on the local morning SD news a couple days ago. He's a 22 yr disabled Navy vet who runs a fully mobile BBQ business. He had a great personality and obviously loves BBQ & BBQing. The interviewer opened his wood fired pit and got smoke in his eyes. Chris, the pit master said, "...it doesn't just get in you eyes, it gets into your soul". At that point I knew I needed to meet him.
Looked him up and found he has a circuit of pop ups he does around the county. My wife, a neighbor and I caught up w/ him yesterday near Encinitas. I picked his brain and watched him work. What a genuine, down to earth, warm and friendly person, and so were his wife and daughter. I have a new appreciation for mobile operations. One must learn to be very organized and efficient.
He kept things very simple. He does everything w/ his own rub, low & slow (225) over oak. His home made sauce on the side if you like, hot or sweet. His custom pit was very cool. Large fire box that he quite obviously had totally dialed in. I was there for two hours and I didn't see him touch the fire once.
The food:The ribs were my wife's favorite, like everything, they were tender enough but still had a good bite to them. I liked the hot sausage but I love pretty much all sausage. His brisket was subtally flavorful, beefy, moist & tender enough, but not as much as I am used to. I got a 1/4 of a chicken, dark meat. The smoke was there, but subtle, complex, and the rub and the smoke created an amazing color and bark. My wife never liked smoked chicken until yesterday. She now loves it. I've got some work to do learning how to smoke chicken like that.
If you are in or visit San Diego County, I highly recommend that you them them out.
All for now.
Best regards.
JD
