Your weekly dose of fire & meat.
BBQ recipes, grilling tips, and smoker secrets — delivered to your inbox.
✓ You're in! Check your inbox to confirm.
Barbecue is meat cooked slowly by wood or charcoal heat and smoke - but no US authority defines it by temperature. The one federal rule, 9 CFR 319.80, regulates fuel and yield. Plus the primary-source attestations showing the word originally named a rack, not a recipe.
Read More →Where American barbecue comes from: the pitmasters, regions and traditions behind the styles cooked today.
Barbecue is meat cooked slowly by wood or charcoal heat and smoke – but no US authority defines it by temperature. The one federal rule, 9 CFR 319.80, regulates fuel and yield. Plus the primary-source attestations showing the word originally named a rack, not a recipe.
Next: Inventors & Innovators American BBQ History: Pioneering Pitmasters and Restaurateurs American BBQ was built by named people: Henry Perry in Kansas City, Rodney Scott in the Carolinas, Aaron Franklin and Tootsie Tomanetz in Texas. This is the first of five articles on how American barbecue got where it is. It covers the pitmasters and…
Dive into American BBQ’s evolution with innovators like George Stephen Sr. (Weber Kettle inventor) and chroniclers like Adrian Miller, who spotlight African American roots. From offset smokers to award-winning books, discover the tools and stories that made BBQ a backyard legend.
Unleash the fire of BBQ competition history: From Tuffy Stone’s 50+ grand championships to Myron Mixon’s 200+ wins, explore rivalries, rubs, and mentorship shaping pro pits. Third in our series—ignite your inner champion!
Dive into BBQ influencer history: Meet digital stars like Derek Wolf and Juliana Lima revolutionizing recipes and communities via Instagram, TikTok, and X. From fire-cooking tips to global grills, discover how social media is smoking up American BBQ traditions in 2025.
American BBQ History: Summary of Contributors and Final Reflections Five articles, one through-line: barbecue in America was shaped by enslaved cooks, immigrant butchers, tool makers, competitors, and now creators. This last piece pulls the whole series into one place. There is a summary table of everyone covered, with their region and what they actually contributed,…
American Regional Barbecue Styles can take you on a tasty trip across the U.S. First, enjoy Kansas City’s sweet ribs. Then, taste Texas’s smoky brisket. Each area offers unique flavors from its culture and past. In 2025, these BBQ ways excite food fans everywhere. Whether you grill often or just sometimes, this guide shows you…
