About The Beach Pit BBQ
The Beach Pit BBQ will bring a little bit of the South to Orange County. Throughout eight years of professional baseball, I was able to see many parts of the country and taste the various culinary cultures of our country. I fell in love with not only the taste, of true, wood smoked southern BBQ, but also the hospitality and comfort that came with it. While Southern California truly is a melting pot of cultures and we can sample authentic cuisines from around the globe usually right down the block, I was struck, however, with the lack of true, wood smoked southern BBQ. Most places that call them selves BBQ or rib restaurants bake or boil their products. That’s because of the skill, preparation and care it takes to wood smoke meat sometimes up to 24 hours. As opposed to baking or boiling meat and then smothering it with sugary sauce, the smoking process gives the meat a distinct taste whereas the sauce on top merely accents the rich flavors folded into the meat. To ensure we could capture the centuries old skill that southerners hand down from generation to generation, I enlisted the help of a few of my favorite eating stops down in the bus leagues. My partners and I as well as our manager have gone back to a few of these joints in the deep south for “BBQ boot camp” if you will. Traditionally, meat is smoked with either Hickory or Mesquite wood, which can leave a harsh aftertaste. Adding other wood such as Pecan can help soften the Hickory or Mesquite as well as bring additional flavor. Our unique blend of wood and spices will be one we are sure will be unlike anything Southern Californians have ever tasted before!
Specialties of the house include hand pulled pork (not the chopped mush you are used to), full pork ribs, chicken and real banana pudding. Despite serving authentic southern fare, we didn’t forget about the Beach part of our name so come in to try “The salad” topped with your choice of pork or chicken, as true Southern Californian delight.
In addition to great food, The Beach Pit BBQ will bring southern hospitality and a unique dining experience to the area. As a local resident with three young children, I am astonished at the lack of kid friendly dining choices. We have an on-site children’s play area thanks to our location on our own 10,000 square foot lot. Most of the country’s great BBQ joints are holes in the wall often in which only a local can find without a map. They are often old residences or yards converted into eating establishments. You can eat in a strip mall anywhere, but come to the Pit and in addition to letting the kids run around, you can enjoy the wonderful weather we are blessed with here in Newport/Mesa and a smoked sausage and cheese plate accompanied by a select bottle of wine in our backyard patio area.
Whether you join us for dining at the Pit, order take-out, or would like us to bring the smoker to you and cater your next birthday, team party or business event, the Beach Pit is here to provide you with more than just great food, we want to provide you with a little trip to the glory days of southern hospitality. We look forward to our grand opening in September and serving the Orange County community for a long time!
Sincerely,
Tim DeCinces
Owner
The Beach Pit BBQ