Binge Smoking BBQ

Philip Esparza

Binge Smoking BBQ

BBQ Discovery

I grew up in Santa Maria, CA, before moving north to Sacramento, and now I live in Utah. I vividly remember missing the Santa Maria-style BBQ, especially when I couldn't find tri-tip in any local grocery stores. We had to special order it from a butcher! Fast forward a few years, and tri-tip is now available everywhere out here. This sparked my curiosity, and I began exploring other regional BBQ styles. That's when I fell in love with the craft and the shared passion for BBQ across different communities.

Hometown:
Santa Maria, CA
Favorite Recipe:
A real deal Santa Maria style bbq. Including tri tip, grilled bread or tortillas, fresh salsa, and pinquito beans.
Favorite Activity:
Spending time with my family, football season and getting out and enjoying the beautiful state of Utah I now call home!

FAVORITE GRILL

Char-Griller Product of Choice

Unbeatable Flavor

The Char Griller XD offset smoker. I absolutely love this beast of a smoker! It has a high capacity for food, the quality of the smoker for the price is unbeatable. The taste of real wood and the satisfaction of tending the fire for temps is such an accomplished feeling when you sink your teeth into your finished product. There's no better feeling!

Char-Griller Q&A with Philip Esparza

What inspired you to start barbecuing? How long have you been doing it? Tell us how you got started?
My inspiration comes from being creative. Exploring regions and recipes and looking for that perfect bite. I've been doing it as a full time hobby/obsession since 2016. It first started with my wife coming home with a small grill as a surprise and it took off from there!
What advice would you give to Someone new to grilling? do you have any advice for a new content creator in the BBQ space?
My advice would be take all the tips and tricks you hear or want to do and test them out and tweak them to make it your own or what works for you. If you're new to the content creator bbq game, just be true to you and what you believe in. Don't try to be someone you're not and good things will come usually when you least expect it!
What is your favorite grilling technique that you've learned and why?
I love the reverse seared method on a lot of different meats. You can use beef, pork and even chicken. I love that you get the best of both world's. Smokey flavor with a nice char and crust.