Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Food Network to feature San Antonio's Buckhorn

T.S. Last El Defensor Chieftain General Manager

Bobby Olguin has been busier than usual down at the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio, N.M.

"This has been crazy," Bobby said at the tail end of the lunch rush on Monday, a day before a film crew from the Food Network was set to arrive to begin a three-day shoot that will feature the famous Buckhorn Burger and its most essential ingredient, green chile.

"The closer it gets, the busier it gets ... I guess that's show business," he added.

Bobby said he's been on conference calls with people at the Food Network for three weeks in preparation for an episode of a special on regional burgers called "Burger Nation." Segments are will be shot at the Buckhorn Tavern and the surrounding area. The show culminates with an event billed as "The Buckhorn Chile Festival" on Thursday.

"We've done so many exciting things at the Buckhorn, but this is probably the most exciting thing," Bobby said. "It'll be fun."

'Burger Town'

The nearby Owl Café, located a short distance from the Buckhorn on Highway 380, first put San Antonio, population 719, on the map with what was to become a world-famous green chile cheeseburger.

The Buckhorn earned its own accolades in recent years, having become rated as the No. 7 burger in America by Gentlemen's Quarterly in 2005, and the No. 3 "Baddest Burger in the Land" on the Marlboro.com Nightlife Flavor Roundup earlier this year.

The El Paso Times and an El Paso television station have also recently featured the Buckhorn Burger.

But the Food Network is the crème de la crème of media exposure for a guy in Bobby's business.

"Even though there's been a little hyperventilating over it, I'm honored," he said. "The Buckhorn is out there; people are grasping on to it. It's nice to have that notoriety."

A Family Tradition

The Buckhorn is a third-generation business, started by Bobby's grandfather Miguel Olguin. It moved to its present location after his father took it over in 1943. At one time, the building served as the family home, a gas station, bar and barber shop.

"You could get your gas, get your hair cut and pick up a six-pack all at once," Bobby quipped.

The business was known as Manny's Buckhorn Tavern for more than 50 years, and some still refer to it in that way. Bobby and his wife, Debby, who works at New Mexico Tech during the day and waits tables at night, took over the business a few years before Manny died in 1998.

Bobby spends much of his time behind the grill, cooking up world-class hamburgers. An accomplished musician, he does get out from behind the grill to join friends for a blues jam at the Buckhorn every other Monday night.

No Secrets

Offering a preview of what might be seen on the Food Network, Bobby was willing to share some of his "secrets."

"The secret is cooking it with love and fresh ingredients," he said.

Bobby uses fresh vegetables and meat that is 70 percent lean and 30 percent fat.

"You have to have fat to have flavor," he said.

Bobby seasons the meat with garlic salt and sprinkles onions under the cheese. It's a process that can't be hurried.

"We're not a fast food joint," he insisted.

Timing is key, he said, with the burger ready to be taken off the grill just as the cheese melts to the right consistency.

As for the green chile, Bobby said the Buckhorn buys commercial chile from Bueno Foods in Albuquerque, but it is mixed with chile from local growers, Rosales Chile and Sichler Farms.

"We buy from Bueno but we use seasonal chile from local growers for added flavor," he said.

If there is a secret ingredient, it's authenticity, Bobby said, and that's tough to beat.

A Fray with Flay?

Bobby said some friends have warned him about a possible appearance of Bobby Flay. The Food Network features a show called "Throwdown with Bobby Flay," where Flay challenges chefs from around the world to a cook off. They each prepare a specialty and judges in a blind test determine which is tastier, so a battle of the burgers could ensue.

If Bobby Flay should show up, Bobby Olguin will be ready for him.

"I don't know if they're bringing him or not," said Bobby, who would have authenticity on his side. "If they do, he's going down."

tslast@dchieftain.com

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