SPRING VALLEY, Calif. — A Spring Valley pitmaster is on a quest to make the "Best Brisket" in San Diego. In this Zevely Zone, photojournalist Scott Hall and I tackled a mountain of meat.
Some stories require etiquette, others you just dig right in.
"Good lord this smells amazing," said pitmaster Paul Jamma. "The brisket is nice and hot."
The 36-year-old cook worked at two BBQ restaurants but decided to head out on his own on a pursuit to make San Diego's best brisket.
"It is the greatest cuisine," said Pitmaster Paul. "I don't want boring BBQ."
This guy is anything but boring. On his Instagram page @pjamma619, his trademark move is slicing into slabs.
Sometimes dressed as the superhero Wolverine with three sharp claws, sometimes dressed as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but always with blood shot eyes from cooking 24/7.
I asked Paul if he was up all night.
"Yes I was and that is every night," said Pitmaster Paul. "This is a Spiderman apron right here."
I was officially ready to fill my web with brisket (or at least my stomach).
Paul put on latex gloves and started sharpening knives. It looked as if he was heading into surgery. With the precision of surgeon, he sliced into hunks of heaven after smoking them for 12 to 16 hours.
"Perfect," said Pitmaster Paul. "I try to be as authentic as possible, I want to just be myself."
"Hello Instagram," I said with Paul's camera rolling.
He gave me the honor of stepping aside, so I could to cut into his meat masterpiece. We then did a little shimmy, and you'll be dancing too in hopes of burning off calories before a feast with all the fixings.
"Cole slaw. Potato salad. BBQ baked beans and some protein," said Pitmaster Paul.
His dream is to open a chain of BBQ restaurants, which means he's looking for samplers.
"It just keeps coming," I said as Paul started to feed me. It was officially time to get down to the meat of the matter.
"Oh wow, Scott Hall take a seat," I said. "He never gets to eat."
I told Paul that Scott may be skinny but wait until he watches Scott eat.
"I've never had meat this tender," said Scott. "This is what it is like to be the reporter? You always get to eat?"
"This is a lot of food," I said. "Should we take some back to the newsroom?"
Scott, with his mouth full of BBQ, shamelessly replied, "No."
After eating for 40 minutes straight, I finally said, "I'm tapping out. I'm walking away."
Scott just smiled and said, "I'll miss you while you're gone."
Pitmaster Paul insisted we take BBQ back to the newsroom, and we reluctantly did.
For more information about Pitmaster Paul Jamma and his quest to make the best BBQ in San Diego, call 619-464-9305 or visit Paul on Instagram at @pjamma619.
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