Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Chase Goodman, left, and Austin Peeler, right, of Rafter G BBQ offer slow-cooked smoked BBQ in a fast drive-through option at the heart of Safford at the intersection of 8th Avenue and Thatcher Boulevard.
Let’s Meat
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – If you’ve got a hankerin’ for some down-home, slow-cooked, smoked, fall-off-the-bone BBQ, then drive on through Rafter G BBQ in Safford at the intersection of 8th Avenue and Thatcher Boulevard and “Let’s Meat!”. A grand opening is set for Friday, Aug. 16.
The location at 800 W. Thatcher Blvd. was formerly the Triangle Liquor drive-through and was being turned into a drive-through coffee shop before that didn’t materialize.
Cody Goodman knew he wanted to open a BBQ restaurant but didn’t know where. He and Austin Peeler had been doing competition BBQs and catering out of their backyards for years and were yearning to have a full-time home for a choice meat smoker.
“Starting out, we’d always thought it be like a sit-in restaurant,” Goodman said. “But we had talked several times about the Triangle Liquor location and we always thought it was a bad idea just because of the setup and the drive-through and everything. Definitely nobody could sit in here and eat. It would be drive-through only. We thought on it a lot. We prayed on it a lot.”
Goodman said one day he decided to check out the site one more time and as he was imagining its potential he peered inside and saw a picture of Jesus Christ seemingly looking back right at him.
“I thought, ‘Well, if we ever had a sign after praying on something,’” Goodman said.
Rafter G BBQ’s Texas-style BBQ has been honed over the years with the tried and true trial and error method.
Their specialties are brisket and ribs, and to get the flavor just right they utilize a J&R Olyer 700 with its rotary carousel motion promoting even heat and allowing the meat to self-baste as trimmings are recirculated to the racks below. The J&R is fueled exclusively by wood and Rafter G uses a blend of Pecan and Post Oak to flavor its smoker.
The best barbecue takes time in flavored smoke fueled by wood, according to Rafter G.
“We don’t ever want to sacrifice quantity for quality,” Peeler said.
Rafter G BBQ also offers catering, and its new drive-through location hours of operation, for now, are Mondays – Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., or sold out.
There are various meat boxes to choose from and sides include potato salad, coleslaw, and baked beans. They also have their famous Rafter G Jerky by the bag.
Order in person or by phone at (928) 965-6085. For catering orders call (928) 424-4227. Check out Rafter G BBQ on Facebook for more pics and videos of the process and business, or on its Instagram page. Rafter G BBQ is scheduled to open its drive-through location on Friday, Aug. 16.
