‘Putting Madera on the map.’ BBQ truck owner is 2023 Grilling Master of the Central Valley

Erik Galicia
·4 min read

The newly-crowned 2023 Grilling Master of the Central Valley is a Madera-raised son of a railway worker who pulled in everyone around with his love for barbecue.

Jonathan Carbajal’s voice shook as he remembered his father, John. They dreamt of getting into the barbecue business together once John retired.

“Everybody wanted him every time there was a birthday party,” Carbajal said. “They wanted him to barbecue.”

“Being a little kid watching my dad run the grill, the types of wood he used, I soaked it all up like a sponge,” he added.

John Carbajal was diagnosed with cancer soon after retiring. He died within a month of his diagnosis.

His son, now 43, is keeping the dream alive. He took home the title belt Saturday at Meat Market Mania III, an annual cook-off held in Clovis to determine who makes the best tri-tip in the Central Valley.

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Carbajal took to social media to announce the victory: “More Than Just the Tip putting Madera on the map.”

The fulltime church worker turned barbecue chef opened the More than Just the Tip barbecue truck – “Home of the Meat Butter” because it will melt in your mouth, he said – in 2019 after finding success getting booked for events and parties. It is not affiliated with the downtown Fresno restaurant Just the Tip, which closed in 2019.

More than Just the Tip parks in the Boot Barn parking lot in Madera, offering loaded macaroni and cheese, smoked meats by the pound, and the “Tombstone”: two slices of Texas toast stuffed five inches thick with two beef patties, cheese, onion rings, bacon and Carbajal’s signature Texas-style brisket.

Carbajal believes in his barbecue, often telling new customers that it will “knock their socks off.”

He brought that confidence to the competition in Clovis last weekend, and thought of all the little details along his journey as he walked up to accept his pro-wrestling-style championship belt.

“It’s hard work, your dedication and passion to never strive to be like everybody else,” he told himself in that moment. “We don’t want to set the bar. We want to be the bar.”

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Jonathan Carbajal carves his tri-tip at the Meat Market Mania III competition in Clovis on Saturday, May 21. “When I sliced it, we had customers saying, ‘You know what you’re doing.’” His tri-tip placed first in the competition.
Jonathan Carbajal carves his tri-tip at the Meat Market Mania III competition in Clovis on Saturday, May 21. “When I sliced it, we had customers saying, ‘You know what you’re doing.’” His tri-tip placed first in the competition.

‘The best tri-tip I’ve ever had’

Chris Caillier, marketing director for The Meat Market, which has locations in Fresno and Clovis, moved to the Central Valley from Seattle a decade ago.

“We have coffee out there,” Caillier said. “When I came down here, I had never even heard of tri-tip.”

But there was no dominant competition to determine who truly does it best, he said. Caillier started Meat Market Mania in 2019, dubbing it online as “The Premiere BBQ Grilling Competition in the Central Valley.”

He’s been a judge every year, alongside local celebrities. This year, Fresno State offensive linemen Julian Polendo, Hayden Pulis and Jacob Spomer were on the panel, adding fan votes to their 1-5 rating of smokiness, tenderness, spice and flavor.

Carbajal has come in at second place before. Perhaps, Carbajal said, he had tried showing off too much by smoking a tri-tip like a brisket. This year, he would give the judges what they wanted: “Tri-tip style, but the way I do it.”

Caillier said it’s been a close call during the past two competitions. It wasn’t this year.

“I can honestly say it’s the best tri-tip I’ve ever had,” Caillier said.

Jonathan Carbajal poses with his Meat Market Mania title belt with the Fresno State Bulldogs’ offensive linemen Julian Polendo, on the left, Jacob Spomer, to the right of Carbajal, and Hayden Pulis, on the far right. The three football players were celebrity judges during the competition this year.
Jonathan Carbajal poses with his Meat Market Mania title belt with the Fresno State Bulldogs’ offensive linemen Julian Polendo, on the left, Jacob Spomer, to the right of Carbajal, and Hayden Pulis, on the far right. The three football players were celebrity judges during the competition this year.

‘There’s levels to barbecue’

More than Just the Tip makes its mustard-based barbecue sauce from scratch, but doesn’t give it out to customers unless they ask.

“It’s there just in case,” Carbajal said. “We believe that true barbecue, done right, doesn’t need any sauce.”

It should be perfect the way it is when it comes off the smoker, he said. “I baby that meat from the second I start to trim it, to seasoning it, to the moment it comes off that grill.”

The attention to detail extends even to the slicing of the meat. If it’s not sliced right, Carbajal said he isn’t happy.

“There’s levels to barbecue,” he said. “Most guys are down here. We’re up here because we take the extra time.”

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Customers at the barbecue truck can expect a free sample when they walk up.

“Oh man, that melts in your mouth” said new customer Wayne Moore, of Madera, on Tuesday when he tried the brisket for the first time. It’s a response Carbajal said he hears almost daily.

“That’s what keeps us going,” he said.

That, and honoring his father. “In loving memory, John Carbajal” is printed up high on the More than Just the Tip truck, above the service window.

Carbajal is looking to open his own brick-and-mortar spot next, where he will hang his championship belt.

“I’m still going to keep this dream alive,” he said. “I believe my dad is there in spirit, helping us get it done.”