Passion for great barbecue comes from passion for great food
Published in the December 11-25 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Marty Cheek
Head Chef Armando Pachuch in the kitchen of Trail Dust Barbeque in downtown Morgan Hill.
Kansas City is famous for its blues and its barbecue, and thanks to Trail Dust Barbeque, downtown Morgan Hill is also fast developing a similar reputation for good music and tasty cowboy cooking. Barbecue fans come from all over the Bay Area to enjoy great grill grub lathered with a selection of savory sauces in the locally legendary eatery.
When patrons step inside Trail Dust, they find a barbecue joint just as quirky as its name. The walls are covered with all kinds of odd decorations such as old license plates and placards revealing quips of homespun wisdom. Friday nights, locals know that Trail Dust is the right place to relax with a rib dinner and listen to live blues tunes, with legendary musicians such as John Garcia performing with harmonica master Mark Fenichel, the advertising sales representative for Morgan Hill Life.
For Eric Ingram, the owner of the family-friendly restaurant, barbecue sauce must run in his blood as a zeal for cooking quality meat in a wood-fire pit is a family tradition.
“My passion for great barbecue comes from years of being around food — mainly ribs and tri-tip,” Ingram said. “My mom use to make beef ribs … They were my favorite growing up. Tri-tip was always the prize meat at our family barbecue. My passion for great barbecue comes from my passion for great food.”
Years of training beside the pit fires has helped Ingram perfect his meat smoking skills. “I learned from the process passed down from the original pitmaster and owner of Trail Dust,” he said. “That along with a lot hours in front of the smokers has helped me develop great barbecue.”
Trail Dust is honest about the fact that it serves its barbecue until it runs out of meat. The staff has had to turn hungry people away because they came too late through the doors. Those that do get inside in time find a menu with a choice selection of barbecue meals. Sandwiches include tri-tip, chicken, and pulled pork. A favorite among regular Trail Dust diners, the Ragin’ Bull sandwich is filled with beef cooked in a spicy sauce and served with bell peppers. Carnivore customers looking for rib eye steak come in for a 22 ounce USDA prime rib eye steak that provides tender juicy flavor.
If diners might be still hungry after the main course, they can order old-fashioned American desserts including Trail Dust’s famous homemade berry cobbler, the homemade bread pudding, or a root beer float served in a frosty mug with Henry Weinhard’s root beer and two generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
For patrons looking for real beer to enjoy with their St. Louis style pork ribs, Trail Dust offers a wide selection of cold brews from both the tap and the bottle. The selection includes several from California microbreweries including Morgan Hill’s own El Toro Brewing Company.
Locals looking for a quick meal often order for take-out and drive to the restaurant’s side window to pick up their order. There, they can breath in the aroma of grilling meats drifting from downtown Morgan Hill’s legendary Trail Dust Barbeque.
Location: 17240 Monterey Road
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Contact: (408) 776-9072, or www.traildustbbq.com
