Spotlight On: Matthew Kerley-Otten and Copper Top BBQ
As part of our new series, we are interviewing people of interest in the community who are having a positive impact on the lives around them.
This time we are interviewing Matthew Kerley-Otten, owner and operator of Copper Top BBQ in Big Pine!
Can you tell us about the history and background of Copper Top?
In 2013, Henry Otten (father) and I (son) decided to team up and start a backyard style BBQ business. It focused on taking the BBQ concept and specializing it for more of a friends and family feel. This proved to be quite popular.
In 2015, Copper Top BBQ was awarded the best restaurant in the USA on Yelp, and with it brought droves of customers trying to check out the small BBQ joint. After some growing pains and quick pivots by my father and I to match the skyrocketing popularity, Copper Top was back on track.
Shortly after, other awards came the duo’s way. For example, best BBQ in California multiple years running, articles about the restaurant in Sunset magazine, among other good press and news interviews in various publications and online. In 2019, Henry retired and gave full control to me, who has carried on the legacy that we originally started together.
Over the years, Copper Top has put the small, sleepy town of Big Pine on the map as a tourist attraction, growing the economy and scope of the surrounding area. It’s even listed in travel books from all around the world as a must stop, arguably having reach that rivals Schat’s Bakkery in Bishop!
I have continued to grow the business, adding new things every year. For example, a 24/7 BBQ meat vending machine, reverse tap beer station, real shaved ice station, and much more to come!
Could you describe the types of BBQ dishes you offer on your menu?
We currently specialize in Certified Angus Beef Tri-Tip, smoked Saint Luis style pork ribs, savory/sweet pulled pork, and chicken sausage. We are actually planning on getting rid of the chicken sausage though and bringing in the highly requested BONE IN CHICKEN WINGS! We are currently in the testing phases of that though.
Without giving away any secrets, can you walk us through the process of preparing and smoking your BBQ meats?
Well, there are so many different great ways to prepare BBQ that I don’t mind giving you my process! Someone can take that process and put their own spin on it, making something unique. That’s the beauty of BBQ. My way isn’t the best, it’s just my way. I have seen so many other styles that are completely different than mine but the end products are TO DIE for.
Let’s take the ribs for example. The raw rib goes on the smoker, spread out from the other ribs so the smoke can really get in each one. We then cover the tops with a light layer of seasoning and then let them smoke this way for about an hour and a half (not over the fire, just indirect so they are only cooking slowly). Once we have the right amount of color and smoke, we take them off and put them layer by layer in a stainless steel pan. In between each layer we put brown sugar, our seasoning, and water. The tray then goes back in the smoker (sealed to prevent over smoking) and they stay at about 400 degrees for another 2 hours or so. We then rotate the ribs half way through the cook time to give the top ribs time in the melted brown sugar and seasoning “juice” and really soak up that flavor.
Tell us about your BBQ sides and accompaniments. What are some customer favorites?
We have coleslaw, potato salad, vegetarian chili, cheesecake, brownies, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese is the favorite but the potato salad is a close second for sure.
Anyone who has ever visited Copper Top knows you are always adding new things. What new and interesting items do you plan on trying out in the near future?
The next big projects I’m working on is expanding our catering offerings (there has already been a big spike in our catering since I hired a catering manager, and customers are very happy with our set up!), expanding our nationwide vacuum sealed items shipping, more alcohol options, Cornhole and beach ball beer bong tournaments, and exploring breakfast options. I’m really excited, I love working on new projects!
A special thank you to Matt for answering our questions!
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[…] Another popular feature involves their vacuum-sealed takeaway option. If you don’t intend to eat straight away or are just passing through, you can ask for sealed meats to keep them toasty and fresh until you’re ready to consume them. The restaurant was voted the best restaurant in the USA on Yelp in 2015. […]
To out-of-staters, I describe the Eastern Sierra as next-level Sierra. After you have done western slope, check out the eastern slope. Has the best of anything, with higher density because there aren’t as many towns. Great skiing, great booze, great fishing, great hiking, great food, etc. No wonder my favorite camp sites are booked for all of 2024.