Arizona eatery achieves national acclaim with El Jefe, giant barbecue sandwich unlisted on menu
There's a little secret at Little Miss BBQ, the Phoenix, Arizona eatery that's generated long lines and rave reviews since it began serving pecan- and oak-smoked beef, pork and poultry 10 years ago.
The not-so-secret is a sandwich called El Jefe, or "The Boss" in Spanish.
The dish demands devotion from anyone who dares to take on the job of eating it.
CELEBRITY CHEF MANEET CHAUHAN SERVES CULINARY HARMONY IN NASHVILLE WITH ‘TURDUCKEN OF DESSERTS’
The humongous El Jefe comes with a choice of brisket, pulled pork or turkey — paired with, of course, more meat. The second option is sliced smoked housemade sausage, with either mild or jalapeño cheddar.
The duet of deliciousness is piled onto a Hawaiian-style roll from Phoenix bakery Noble Bread and served with chilled coleslaw, pickles, onions and a choice of one of Little Miss BBQ's signature sauces.
"It's my personal favorite," Little Miss BBQ co-boss Bekke Holmes told Fox News Digital. "I love the tender meat with the house sausage that gives it that nice crispiness."
El Jefe ("The Boss") sandwich from Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix, Arizona. "It's my personal favorite," Little Miss BBQ co-boss Bekke Holmes told Fox News Digital. (Little Miss BBQ)
She took a deep breath and blurted out, "And then you got the warm meats contrasted by the cold coleslaw and then the crunch of the pickles, and then the sauce on top. It's like all your senses and taste buds get excited at the same time."
"I can say with certainty that when you come here, you will eat southwest BBQ at its best."
El Jefe is so boss it's not even listed on Little Miss BBQ's online takeout, delivery or catering menus.
"It's not real obvious we have it," admitted Holmes.
Raised in the pork band of America's barbecue belt in North Carolina, Holmes and her Arizona native husband, Scott, opened the original Little Miss BBQ on East University Drive in 2014.
It was an instant hit in the Phoenix food scene.
The moon rises above a Saguaro cactus at Lost Dutchman State Park in Phoenix, Arizona. Little Miss BBQ of Phoenix offers traditional Carolina and Texas food accented by local flavors of the American southwest. (Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
"I can say with certainty that when you come here, you will eat southwest BBQ at its best," national food guru and author Michael Stern of RoadFood.com fame wrote in an early review.
KANSAS CITY IS CHIEF AMONG BARBECUE CITIES: HERE'S WHY TAILGATE TOWN CROWNS CULINARY CHAMPS
Little Miss BBQ's national profile rose in early 2015, when food-loving football fans from around the United States descended on Phoenix for Super Bowl XLIX.
They stood in line outside the hottest new spot in the Valley of the Sun all week and declared it one of the game's biggest winners.
Jalapeño peppers are sprinkled generously throughout the menu, beyond just use as a spicy garnish.
The husband-and-wife team have since opened a second location in the Sunnyslope section of Phoenix.
The smoked meats are spectacular. But added allure comes from the southwestern flair that flavors Carolina-quality pork and Texas-worthy beef.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Cilantro offers a classic Mexican/southwestern herbal aromatic to Little Miss BBQ's coleslaw. Jalapeño peppers are sprinkled generously throughout the menu, beyond just use as a spicy garnish.
The pecan pie at Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix, Arizona is made with an old family recipe that owner Bekke Holmes got from her great-grandmother in North Carolina. (Little Miss BBQ)
Little Miss BBQ also offers an array of barbecue burritos.
The chili in the green chile burritos is made with each of the eatery's smoked meats.
The burrito was "inspired by the amazing Sonoran food in Arizona's mining towns," according to the Little Miss BBQ website.
"Bekke's smoked pecan pie" headlines the dessert menu.
The 5-inch pies are made in house from an old family recipe handed down to Holmes by her North Carolina great-grandmother, Ethel Hitchcock, she said.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Kerry J. Byrne is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
