Custom Santa Maria Style Wood Pit

[Wingman]

In the last year I have put allot of thought into expanding my web site and adding another style of cooking. I wanted to go with cooking over wood with the option of low and high heat cooking. I did the weber thing years ago and wanted something different. I seriously considered the Yoder charcoal cooker, It's a nice rig to say the least. I kept coming back to Santa Maria style cookers. The long range of adjustablility in the cooking grate is what always intrigued me.

Vermin99, didn't help things. He kept posting delicious looking cooks that came off his Santa Maria cooker. Kept saying great things about them until I couldn't take it any more.

I went on a hunt for what I thought was good solid US built cooker. I looked at many pits but kept coming back to Arizona BBQ Outfitters out of Ariziona. When I approached the Owner David Gonzales to see if he'd be interested in sponsoring my site with a cooker he was all over it. I get a cooker and he gets his cooker shown in my cooks so its a win win. I also will be helping him with some video work for his business. I was interested in the basic 24x48 Santa Maria style cooker. David countered with the idea to have me cook on a new flag ship model (also a 24 x 48) he was starting. This one has a hood and wind break that can be removed. The hood is great for our rainy weather as it will keep the cooker dry inside. When I need to cook just tilt the lid back and I have an open deck. I mentioned making it versitile to accept griddle plates as well as a plow disc. He is all over it. He has been on it the last week and should have it done by the end of next week to ship to my place. Here is what I have for pictures so far. It will also have the argentine style grates which channel fat away from the fire and into grease catches. It looks like it will be on sight end of 1st week in March. I will post more pics as I get them. Check out their web site. They have some nice stuff and reasonably priced for the build quality. Arizona BBQ Outfitters

I'm exceited to start cooking on the thing. It will display my logo and he put a Texas Longhorn in the wheel for me.












<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MvEpnrJeLUg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Update: 3/20/2013 8:16 PM - The Intro Video

<iframe width="700" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ijcwaiFJaIc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Update: 3/23/2013 12:07 AM - The burn in and Seasoning Video

<iframe width="700" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qBt8seDPlp4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Update: 3/26/2013 10:06 PM - Oak Wood Fire Cooked Pizza on the Scottsdale

<iframe width="700" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6QcTu-ICEAk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Update: 3-31-2013 1:15 AM - The Mushroom & Swiss Colossal Burger

<iframe width="700" height="394" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E7jNqb48t9o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[1Cavman]

Looks like they've got some nice rigs.. Can't wait to see what ya do with it.

[curious aardvark]

okay so:
1) what on earth is a santa maria style cooker ?
2) why does it have what looks like a set of vertical take off rails for the hood ?
3) how will you ever fit it on your balcony with the yoders ?
4) is it a smoker or grill or something else ?
5) you are a jammy bastard getting all these free smokers (more an observation than a question :-)

[kendoll]

Isn't Santa Maria the style of BBQing? Direct (dare i say grilling) and with the adjustable height?

Ken

[jwbtulsa]

Looks like a nice build. It seems like a Hasty Bake cooker, only in reverse. I'm sure you will enjoy it. I know I really like my HB.

[Richtee]

Man...that thing is built like a tank! Oh God...here come more tri-tip posts...I just KNOW it!

[barkonbutts]

That looks like a cool set up there!! I like it! Cant wait to see some cooks on it!! I am sure there will be quite a learning curve with it!!

[Smoke'n Dave]

That's some nice rigs

[Hambone1950]

Holy smokes! That thing is AMAZING! Can't wait to see some great meat sizzling on it.

[Checkered Past]

That is going to be 1 bad azzz pit

The idea of a Santa Maria pit is that you are cooking directly over wood coals, preferably red oak, and you have an adjustable grate that you raise or lower the meat with .... this is the first covered unit I've seen

[sweet_magnolia]

You go, Rob!

[3montes]

Very awesome! A Santa Maria has been in my sights for awhile now. I looked at Santa Maria Outfitters as they have some pretty nice rigs and they distribute through Home Depot out in California. I tried to get Home Depot to do a store transfer for me to my store in Mn.
They told me they would look into it but no one ever got back to me. Otherwise I'd have one already.

So when I'm ready I will go custom made by the guy who built my trailer rig. That way I have some input and control over the features and the costs.

They are awesome for a catering or contract cook set up. They are unique like trailer smoker rigs and attract attention.

[Wingman]

okay so:
1) what on earth is a santa maria style cooker ?
2) why does it have what looks like a set of vertical take off rails for the hood ?
3) how will you ever fit it on your balcony with the yoders ?
4) is it a smoker or grill or something else ?
5) you are a jammy bastard getting all these free smokers (more an observation than a question :-)

CA here are some links and information to shed some light.
http://santamariavisitor.com/cm/sant.../barbecue.html

Here's some history on this style of cooking
http://youtu.be/G80aK-8ihbU

As mentioned above the cooker is a wood pit with an adjustable grate system that has a great amount of adjustment up and down. This is the reason for the vertical supports and the rod and wheel at the top. You crank the grate up and down.

Some of the techniques are tolower the grate enough to get a quick sear on the meat then raise the grate and continue to slow cook. This I believe is more of a medium speed cook. Tri Tips seem to come off these in 30 minutes to an hour.

This will not go on my balcony deck as it's too big to get up there. I still have a view from my bottom deck amd yard. :-)

The hood is a rare feature but appearently folks are asking for it as it keeps the rain out when its not in use and allows one to slow cook indirect if one choses too. Don't get caught cooking with the lid down because the Santa Maria police will bust your nutz for not doing in an autentic fashion. They don't do BBQ sauce either. They do salsa. I already got busted for having a lid by one guy! He was nice about it just wanted to keep me honest. Hell Santa Maria CA even trade MArked the Santa Maria name so that's why every one uses the term "Santa Maria Style" cooking or cooker.

Honestly, I like the cooking arangement of the pits and although I will do a few authentic recipes I plan to bring all kinds of out of the box ideas to this cooking platform and not be bound by "The tradition".

Now I have to go look up "Jammy Bastard" in the book of Aussie slang so I know what I just got called. LMAO! OR CA you can just translate for me and save me the trouble.

[Fishawn]

Awesome!

[Snarlingiron]

Uh Oh....You've done it now. You went and called a Brit an Aussie.... I guess we'll see what happens. Awesome cooker. Beef over wood coals is the best.