DENAIR — You can smell Earl’s BBQ in downtown Denair  long before you see it. As the season chills, the smoky smells of Earl’s BBQ is a beacon in the Valley.

“Our thing is that we just smoke everything,” said Stephanie Stapp, co-owner of Earl’s with her husband Keith.

Everything is made in -house including sides, rubs, and sauces. The sauces are a product of Keith’s years of experimenting — and competing —  at home with his father for the best sauce. Earl’s pork and brisket are smoked for 13 hours, and ribs are smoked for 4, before making it to a customer’s plate.

“I’d say the ribs are our signature,” said Keith.

The restaurant currently has a “buy two, get one free” Monday night special for ribs — if customers call before 1 p.m.

“You get what you pay for here,” added Stephanie, who said that the portions are large.

“Our motto is ‘you walk in and you waddle out,’ and you really do,” Keith added.

Keith attributes the restaurant’s success to word of mouth.

“We even have a group of regulars who come down from Sonora for our food. We’ve got a regular customer base but we’re always looking to grow,” he said.

Earl’s BBQ is located at 4701 Main Street in Denair and is built on the town’s oldest foundation. The exterior brick is original to the building, which was formerly a bank.

Earl’s is open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Monday through Saturday. Catering and deliveries are also available with prior notice. Contact Earl’s BBQ at 250-2415.