Pastor lives his dream through BBQ

BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) - A Belen restaurant owner is doing much more than smoking meat at his BBQ joint, he’s living out his life long dream.

Two years ago Tim Sawyer, who was at the time working as a pastor, decided it was time to give his dream a try.

In 2010 Sawyer and his wife, Denise, opened Canyon Smokehouse on the south side of Belen.

The smokehouse features a variety of cuisine including breakfast, lunch and dinner. But they specialize in barbeque, and that barbeque is certainly special.

Sawyer uses recipes handed down in his family for more than 100 years and has even developed his own specialty barbeque sauce.

Sawyer says he often spends all night smoking meat, before turning around working a 14-hour-day to keep the restaurant going.

"Its exhausting physically, but mentally it's great. I love it,” Sawyer tells KRQE News 13.

While business at Canyon Smokehouse was strong for the first several months, Sawyer said business has dropped significantly, he believes the economic downturn might have something to do with that.

"It's tough, I mean several times we have talked about throwing in the towel but what keeps us from doing it is the people who work for us...we haven't been able to bring ourselves to let them go. It's tough but I still think I am doing the right thing."

Sawyer says his wife and the rest of his family have been extremely supportive, working at the restaurant to pick up the slack whenever they can.

But a lull in business doesn’t keep Sawyer down; he sees his restaurant and himself a success because he’s doing what he loves.

Canyon Smokehouse is located at 925 South Main Street in Belen.

For more information on the restaurant you can also visit their website .