“There’s a thousand little things that go into making a great-tasting sausage, … It’s just attention to detail, every darn one.”
Ralph Stayer
High Sierra BBQ & Sausage Co.
Recently when I drove through Diamond Springs, in front of Diamond Mart I noticed a large red trailer with a big meat smoker attached, and a sign saying, “High Sierra BBQ & Sausage Co.”
I stopped by and found out the business is owned by an old friend of mine named Jodi Hall, who used to work for my friend Rick Quarry, who passed away a couple of years ago.
“I have been in the catering business ever since my mother and grandmother put an apron on me when I was 12,” said Hall. When I moved here from southern California I went to work for Rick, helping with his catering business and helping make sausage at his butcher shop. I thought I would like to make sausage myself, and more varieties. Mel, one of the butchers who worked for Rick told me to not let go of my dream and sent me to Lockford Sausage Company to look at what they made. I was impressed.
“About seven years ago I started making sausage, and then a year ago I bought the trailer and smoker. Now I make sausage and smoke meat, and sell both from the trailer. I entered some barbecue competitions and the first time got ribbons for everything I entered. I think I have found my dream.”
Hall has quite a menu of sandwiches (sausage, tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, chicken), beef and pork ribs by the rack or half-rack, wings, tri-tip and more which she sells, along with lots of side dishes. She also can provide special cuts of meat and even a whole hog, if you want. Hall makes and sells more than 40 varieties of sausage she sells fresh or frozen, including three kinds of Italian, pepperoni, apple, chicken apple, kielbasa, bratwurst, linguica, chorizo Creole, Andouille, English bangers, Bockwurst, Greek, Chinese, basil, pesto and more. She also makes by hand several kinds of salami, snack sticks and jerky, which she calls “Tree Trunks,” “Tree Branches” and “Tree Bark. You need to pick up one of her menus to fully appreciate the number of and kind of things she makes.
I tried a couple of her pork ribs which I took home with some of her great barbecue sauce and reheated. Normally re-heated ribs are a bit “iffy,” but these were still moist and pull-off-the-bone delicious. And, no heartburn from the sauce.
I also took home a couple of Andouille sausage, which I cooked, sliced and snacked on. It was a bit different from the Andouille I am used to, but very good.
Her barbecue trailer is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until she runs out of food (4-6 usually). If she will not be there because she has an upcoming catering job or is at a fair or event, she posts that on the side of the trailer the week before. For more information or to make sure she has an ample supply of what you want, call (530) 391-9488.