For many Valley barbecue spots, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of their busiest times of the year, with customers opting to let their favorite pitmaster slow smoke a showstopping dinner centerpiece.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, it’s all hands on deck, with little time off for most barbecue joints’ smokers. Some restaurants close for regular service as they load up their smokers with turkey breasts or whole bone-in birds.
At Eric’s Family Barbecue in Avondale, owner and executive chef Anthony Garcia anticipated about 250 turkey breasts would be ordered in advance of pickup for of the meat, sides and desserts on Wednesday.
But his pit team cooked double that amount to accommodate regular restaurant service and any last-minute or walk-in orders. That's compared to serving about 30 turkey breasts on a busy Saturday.
“It is the busiest day of the year for us,” he told Phoenix New Times.
At Eric’s, turkey breasts are seasoned with “salt, pepper, love," Garcia says, and injected with sweet tea. They then head to the smokers, which are fueled with mesquite and pecan wood. The meats are spritzed with a mix of water and apple cider vinegar throughout the smoking process. Once they’re cooked, the turkeys are wrapped in jus made from the restaurant’s brisket trimmings.
Here’s a look at the work that goes into Eric’s turkeys, which are sold whole for Thanksgiving, and sliced to order at the West Valley barbecue restaurant year-round.
12345 W. Indian School Road, Avondale
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, it’s all hands on deck, with little time off for most barbecue joints’ smokers. Some restaurants close for regular service as they load up their smokers with turkey breasts or whole bone-in birds.
At Eric’s Family Barbecue in Avondale, owner and executive chef Anthony Garcia anticipated about 250 turkey breasts would be ordered in advance of pickup for of the meat, sides and desserts on Wednesday.
But his pit team cooked double that amount to accommodate regular restaurant service and any last-minute or walk-in orders. That's compared to serving about 30 turkey breasts on a busy Saturday.
“It is the busiest day of the year for us,” he told Phoenix New Times.
At Eric’s, turkey breasts are seasoned with “salt, pepper, love," Garcia says, and injected with sweet tea. They then head to the smokers, which are fueled with mesquite and pecan wood. The meats are spritzed with a mix of water and apple cider vinegar throughout the smoking process. Once they’re cooked, the turkeys are wrapped in jus made from the restaurant’s brisket trimmings.
Here’s a look at the work that goes into Eric’s turkeys, which are sold whole for Thanksgiving, and sliced to order at the West Valley barbecue restaurant year-round.
Pitmaster Albert Gomez loads a smoker with mesquite. The smokehouse uses the locally available wood and some pecan to smoke its meats.
Sara Crocker
Smokehouses like Avondale's Eric's Family Barbecue are gearing up for Thanksgiving orders that make the holiday this restaurant's busiest day of the year.
Sara Crocker
Eric's Family Barbecue owner Anthony Garcia spritzes meats on the smokers with a mix of apple cider vinegar and water. It's a process that the staff does hourly while the meats cook.
Sara Crocker
Valley smokehouses will make hundreds to thousands of pounds more turkey than their average for to-go Thanksgiving meals. At Eric's, the smokehouse will prepare about 500 turkey breasts for preorders and restaurant service on Wednesday.
Sara Crocker
Once a turkey is finished at Eric's, it is rested and wrapped in a jus made from the restaurant’s brisket trimmings.
Sara Crocker
Every step of the turkey's preparation at Eric's focuses on keeping the meat juicy and tender.
Sara Crocker
Eric's Family Barbecue is fueled by a trio of childhood friends, from left, general manager Josh Bodrie, owner and executive chef Anthony Garcia and pitmaster Albert Gomez. The restaurant will close on Thursday to give the staff and smokers a much-needed rest.
Sara Crocker
Eric's Family Barbecue
12345 W. Indian School Road, Avondale
Pitmaster Albert Gomez loads a smoker with mesquite. The smokehouse uses the locally available wood and some pecan to smoke its meats.
Sara Crocker
Smokehouses like Avondale's Eric's Family Barbecue are gearing up for Thanksgiving orders that make the holiday this restaurant's busiest day of the year.
Sara Crocker
Eric's Family Barbecue owner Anthony Garcia spritzes meats on the smokers with a mix of apple cider vinegar and water. It's a process that the staff does hourly while the meats cook.
Sara Crocker
Valley smokehouses will make hundreds to thousands of pounds more turkey than their average for to-go Thanksgiving meals. At Eric's, the smokehouse will prepare about 500 turkey breasts for preorders and restaurant service on Wednesday.
Sara Crocker
Once a turkey is finished at Eric's, it is rested and wrapped in a jus made from the restaurant’s brisket trimmings.
Sara Crocker
Every step of the turkey's preparation at Eric's focuses on keeping the meat juicy and tender.
Sara Crocker
Eric's Family Barbecue is fueled by a trio of childhood friends, from left, general manager Josh Bodrie, owner and executive chef Anthony Garcia and pitmaster Albert Gomez. The restaurant will close on Thursday to give the staff and smokers a much-needed rest.
Sara Crocker
