Recipes, techniques, and gear guidance for the guy who'd rather be out back tending the fire than reading a manual.
If your neighbors keep showing up uninvited on Saturdays — you're already doing it right.
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Pitmasters' Choice
Salt, pepper, patience, and fire — that's it. We break down every step so your flat stays moist and your point renders down to silky perfection.
View Full Recipe →Three hours of smoke, two hours wrapped in butter and brown sugar, one hour unwrapped to set the glaze. A proven method every time.
View Full Recipe →Juicy smoked thighs pulled and piled high on a brioche bun with slaw. Done in 3 hours and feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.
View Full Recipe →Don't Waste Your Money
The right equipment doesn't have to be the most expensive — but the wrong choice will cost you every single cook. These are the ones we actually use and recommend.
The Masterbuilt 30" Digital is the #1 best seller for a reason — 10,000+ reviews, side wood chip loader, and digital temp control. Perfect for beginners and weekend pitmasters alike.
Foundation of everything. Get this right from day one. View on Amazon →The ThermoPro TP07 monitors pit temp and meat temp simultaneously from up to 300 feet away. No more guessing, no more lifting the lid to peek.
Most ruined cooks trace directly back to guessing on temperature. View on Amazon →Championship pitmaster recipe with 80+ BBQ titles behind it. Real garlic and jalapeño with a kick that works on anything off the grill or smoker.
One rub that does everything. Competition-tested, backyard-approved. View on Amazon →Zesty citrus with a touch of heat — absolutely deadly on wings, chicken, and fish. One of the most addictive seasonings you'll ever put on a bird.
Your guests will ask what you put on those wings every single time. View on Amazon →Sweet, smoky, and incredibly versatile. Honey Hog builds beautiful color on ribs and chicken and plays well with any wood. A staple in every serious BBQ pantry.
The rub that makes your bark look as good as it tastes. View on Amazon →The LIZZQ 12" smoker tube gives you 5 hours of billowing smoke on any grill — gas, charcoal, or electric. Cheap upgrade, massive flavor difference.
Turn any grill into a smoker for under $15. No excuse not to. View on Amazon →Pitmaster Knowledge
From fire management to the perfect bark — knowledge earned through years behind the smoker.
When your brisket hits 160–170°F and stops climbing, that's the stall. Know when to wrap in butcher paper and when to push through naked.
Temperature swings kill great BBQ. Learn to read your smoker's airflow and keep a clean, thin blue smoke running all day.
Minimum 1 hour in a cooler after the cook. This is where the juice redistributes — skipping it is the single biggest rookie mistake.
Temp holding at 168°F. Consider wrapping in butcher paper to push through the plateau.
What's Happening
The 52nd Annual World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo crowned All Jacked Up as Grand Champion Overall, with Hardin County Go Texan earning Reserve Champion. One of the most prestigious invite-only BBQ events in the country, drawing elite teams competing across brisket, ribs, and chicken. This year also introduced the Impact Award, recognizing teams making a positive difference in their communities beyond the pit.
March 2026 · Houston, TXNo entry fee. No dress code. No judging — unless it's the brisket. This is a place for the folks who wake up at 5am on a Saturday by choice, who know that "it'll be ready when it's ready" is a perfectly valid answer, and who consider a cold beer and a good smoke one of life's great combinations. Pull up a chair. The fire's already going.