Want to elevate your grilling and barbecue skills to the highest level? Barbecue Hall of Famer, TV host, and best-selling cookbook author Steven Raichlen brings his renowned “Barbecue University” to Alisal Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley next week, September 4-7. He’ll present three days of live-fire cooking in an intensive course named “the number-one cooking experience in America” by Food Network.
The host of the popular Planet Barbecue, Project Fire, and Project Smoke TV shows on PBS, Raichlen said, “I’ve been eagerly waiting for the right opportunity to return to Alisal Ranch for the ultimate barbecue experience. This latest edition of Barbecue University will utilize the beautiful ranch as its classroom, using state-of-the-art grills and smokers and featuring electrifying new recipes that speak to this unique barbecue region within California.”
Students don’t just watch, either. These are hands-on, interactive classes. Each one begins with a demonstration covering the day’s dishes and essential techniques. Then students will divide into teams to do the actual cooking on an eye-popping collection of grills, including the latest griddle grills, as well as traditional Santa Maria wood-burners. Students gain practical experience and perfect their grilling and barbecuing skills while actually preparing meals — a mouthwatering list including carne asada breakfast tacos; oak-smoked, cherry-glazed ribs; Santa Maria tri-tip; Spanish shrimp a la plancha; and West Indian grilled squash — to be enjoyed alongside local wines from the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara County regions.