LOCAL EATS: SAUCY LUKES CRAFT BBQ

That Time I Got a Bear Hug From a Burger

July 03, 2025

HEY NEIGHBOR

I walk past Saucy Luke’s (Luke Unrein, hereinafter Saucy) van every day on my morning walk; he’s been on my list to write about since the very beginning. I finally crossed paths with him on the sidewalk way back in October 2024, just a few short weeks after launching The Buzz. I told him then that I intended to write about him.

But, as the demands of writing this letter grew, my time available to dedicate to deep-dive articles diminished. I moved writing about him to the back burner—I just didn’t feel I had the time to give him the proper attention his larger-than-life personality deserves. (Always, when I feature ‘people,’ I feel a great deal of responsibility to portray them properly.)

However, I finally had a chance to try Saucy’s BBQ last week and, well, I just can’t wait any longer to share him with you. So, while a part of me hesitates to write this now, because I would have preferred to have had a chance to sit down with Saucy and interview him for this article, my patch-work job is going to have to do because you just must…

MEET SAUCY

Saucy has a very special gift of making food that feeds your stomach, your heart and your soul. His enthusiasm, his love for life, people, and food, is explosive! I think he could talk about dust in the desert and he would find a way to make it the most interesting story you ever heard. Charisma. He’s genuinely got it.

When you’re around him, you feel like anything’s possible! I double-dog-dare you to be in a funk in his presence. His infectious energy will reach down and snatch you from the depths of any despair. And that’s before you even taste what his food will do to you.

SEE WHAT I MEAN?

When I went to grab dinner last night, he was telling me about his next big thing. I couldn’t take notes fast enough, so I recorded it. Check out this short (unedited) video of him leveling up:

OF COURSE I STARTED WITH TACOS

My first Saucy order (last week) was 3 brisket tacos ($19). I was so hungry, that I forgot to take pictures, but check out the Instagram Live I did that day.

They were so delicious! And filling! Full of that ‘layers of flavor’ phenomenon I see my favorite chefs talking about. Every bite sweet, then smoky, then tangy, then crunchy.

I could hardly wait to go tell him how much I loved it! As I marched back over, I was met with…

A BEAR HUG IN A BURGER

No sooner did I get back to his trailer, than he jumps out with burger bite to sample.

It took no longer than his gloved hand swirling the burger in my direction, to know that it was going to be love at first bite…

Immediately, I was hit with the aroma of the spices, my taste buds already bursting. Then I took a bite and it felt like 4th of July in my mouth. The taste & texture—melting & exploding all at the same time.

I know it sounds crazy, but that’s a moment I will never, ever forget. It was a magical food experience, etched in my memory. I didn’t know a burger could taste like that! This is what’s meant by craft.

I’M AN OUTLAW

Outlaw Burger (bunless) + Hatch Chili Mac

Since that day, I dreamt about that burger all week until I could go back yesterday (Wednesday) and order the full experience. Since I’m supposed to refrain from gluten, I ordered my burger (the ‘Outlaw’) without the brioche bun. Sad face.

And, while I can (begrudgingly) say no to that, I felt it was my duty—as your local flavor scout—to sample the Hatch Chili Mac for the sake of journalism.

I only meant to take a bite (because, let’s face it, I have zero self-control)… but Saucy set me up with a generous portion and I just couldn’t stop.

I ate every. single. bite. Simply perfection. You’ve probably heard me say this before but, I almost cried. Everything my comfort food dreams are made of: creamy, salty, peppery, perfectly al dente. Not too heavy and not at all greasy.

But I can’t just talk about Saucy’s food, because Saucy IS the food.

LIKE A PHOENIX

One of the things I noticed right away when I moved here is the off-the-charts entrepreneurial spirit everywhere. The lack of employment options in our area leads people to have to throw up a shingle and go at it alone. Having no alternative, this barren desert of professional opportunity forces you to rise like a Phoenix. Saucy is leading the way…

After being able to talk to and meet so many small business owners—whom I like to refer to as “soloists”—a great majority of us feel the same: That we were brought here to Buckeye to do something for our community.

For most of us, our calling goes beyond making a living, it’s a spiritual directive. And through that our work becomes our life—with hopefully the transference of our hearts clearly visible in everything we do. You’d have to be blind to not see that in what Saucy’s doing for us. (And, not just here, he often travels back to California for food festivals too!)

I really wished I could have had the time to sit down and talk about all of this with him. I watched him on a recent podcast though, and he said this about starting his business. If you’re in the process of building something, consider adopting his philosophy (which is also now on repeat in my head):

❝

No Plan B. I’m not going to stop until it’s successful.
No matter how long it takes.

Luke Unrein | Saucy Lukes Craft BBQ

KEEP YOUR BUCKS IN BUCKEYE

Remember, when you spend your hard earned bucks locally, you’re often investing in a local family, in our community, in our creativity, and in keeping the heart in Buckeye. It takes all of us to make (and keep) it special and unique. The silent majority in Buckeye is small business.

And, maybe you don’t know this—I didn’t before I started writing The Buzz—but restaurants and small businesses here in Arizona really take a hit during the summer. So, now more than ever, they need our support. If you can’t visit and support them with your bucks, you can simply share their posts on social media and help spread the word about them. Every little bit helps!

PAGING SAUCY LUKE

🚚 You can find Saucy and his food truck (he calls it “The Hot Box”) every on Main Street in Verrado every Wednesday through August 6th from 4-8 PM.

If you’re lucky, his sweet wife, Michelle, will be the one taking orders. Here’s that menu (hopefully you can read it):

🔎 Locally, you can find Saucy’s hand-crafted sauces, rubs & selected meat inside of Ace Hardware in Verrado.

📆 Note your calendar of his other upcoming events:

📲 And, of course, find & follow him on the screen at:

THANK YOU, SAUCY!

Thank you for feeding us… not just with your incredible food, but with your larger-than-life love & personality. And, for pouring your heart & soul into our community—what I shared here barely scratched the surface.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK…

As always, if you go, please let them know The Buckeye Buzz sent ya! And please tag us on Instagram so I can share your food pics!

P.S. After I finished writing this, I remembered that Saucy sometimes wears a bear hat while he cooks. So maybe I’m not the first one to feel like I got a bear hug from my burger. Coincidence? I think not. It’s all part of the Saucy experience.

Photo Credit: Saucy Luke on Instagram

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Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.

©️ 2024 The Buckeye Buzz | All content and information set forth above was curated, cultivated & then created by Vanessa Kinsey for The Buckeye Buzz and is the intellectual property of this publication. It is protected under US copyright law, including but not limited to “The Digital Millennium Copyright Act.” Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or duplication of any material, in whole or in part, without express written authorization & consent, is strictly prohibited by law and may result in legal action. Violators will be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.  

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