Backyard SmokeMaster BBQ

Every backyard cook has that drawer. The one full of gadgets that looked great in a holiday ad and have not been near a fire since. I have one too, which is exactly why this episode needed to happen. On Episode 97 of the Backyard SmokeMaster BBQ Podcast, we walked through the barbecue accessories that actually earn their keep, and then the ones that sound great and end up buried in that drawer. Wh...

Every so often a guest comes on the show and you can tell inside of five minutes that the hour is not going to be long enough. Episode 96 was one of those. My guest was Captain Ron , a cook I first noticed a few years back in videos he was making for Fogo Charcoal, almost always standing over a Big Green Egg with more energy than anybody else on my feed. He has since launched his own channel, Capt...

Most backyard cooks obsess over rubs, sauces, and injections — and then throw whatever wood is in the garage on the fire. That’s backwards. Smoke is the one ingredient you can’t fake indoors, no matter how much liquid smoke you pour in. It carries flavor, color, aroma, and depth, and it’s the thing that separates barbecue from every other way of cooking meat. On Episode 95 of the...

Brisket may be the pitmaster’s Super Bowl, but Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl of home cooking. Whatever time you put on the invite, that’s go time. Everything has to land at once, and everybody in the house is watching. In Episode 94, my wife Jeannine joined me in the studio for a full master class on the turkey problems that show up every November — rubbery skin, a bird running too fa...

We all want easier, more efficient, more creative ways to make fantastic barbecue while saving money doing it. This list started with an article from friend of the show Meathead — “12 Genius Barbecue and Grilling Hacks to Save You Time and Money” — and I’ve added my own flavor, plus some gems from our live community. None of these should break the bank; most use things you alread...

Tonight’s topic came from a great article by Bree Via of the Smoke n’ Magic competition BBQ team, published in The Smoke Sheet . She laid out ten big-time mistakes you might be making at the grill, and they’re worth going through one by one — because avoiding these can make a huge difference in your barbecue. These apply whether you’re cooking on a kettle, a pellet grill, a...

Some folks — the rank amateurs, as I like to call them — talk about the “end of barbecue season” when the weather turns. Let me tell you: cold weather doesn’t mean an end to your barbecue. In fact, it’s one of the best times to do it. But smoking in the cold requires a different mindset than summertime cooking: more patience, and more prep and planning in advance. Here&#821...

Whether you’re a brand-new pellet grill owner or a seasoned pitmaster, there are a handful of mistakes that can flat-out ruin a cook. The good news? Every one of them has a fix. Here are the five most common pellet grill mistakes I see — and what to do instead. Mistake #1: Not Preheating the Grill Properly This one isn’t even specific to pellet grills — it holds true no matter what kin...

Here’s a truth I learned the hard way: cooking starts before you ever get to the pit. Shopping is a big part of the process, and the quality of the meat you buy plays a huge role in the taste, tenderness, and overall flavor of what ends up on the table. Let me tell you a quick story. I’ve done a lot of briskets over the years, and I got to a point where I felt like I could handle just...

# Episode 85 — Show Notes --- ## Episode Title 7 Strong Reasons Why You Need More Than One Good Pit in Your Backyard --- ## Episode Summary *(paste into the Blubrry/PowerPress description field)* You can't really call yourself a backyard pit master if you're only running one pit. In Episode 85, host Kenyatta Robinson makes the case — seven strong reasons, in fact — for why having more than one coo...

# Episode 84 — Show Notes --- ## Episode Title The Secret to Successful, Juicy BBQ Chicken Every Time --- ## Episode Summary Chicken doesn't get the respect brisket does — but it might be the easiest protein in barbecue to mess up. In Episode 84, host Kenyatta Robinson breaks down how to turn out juicy chicken with bite-through skin every single time. We cover why chicken is so deceptively tricky...

# Episode 83 — Show Notes --- ## Episode Title Why Resting Meat Is Important to Perfecting Your BBQ --- ## Episode Summary *(paste into the Blubrry/PowerPress description field)* You spent hours on that brisket — don't ruin it with one early slice. In Episode 83, host Kenyatta Robinson breaks down one of the most overlooked steps in barbecue: resting your meat. We get into the science of why resti...

# Episode 82 — Show Notes --- ## Episode Title The Truth About Smoking Frozen Meat --- ## Episode Summary We've all forgotten to thaw the meat — and ended up staring down a frozen brisket wondering if we can just smoke it anyway. In Episode 82, host Kenyatta Robinson busts the myths about smoking frozen meat in what's basically a barbecue food-safety masterclass. We get into what the USDA actually...

# Episode 81 — Show Notes --- ## Episode Title Smoke & Mirrors: The Most Overhyped BBQ Tools (And What Actually Works) --- ## Episode Summary There's no shortage of barbecue gadgets out there — but not everything lives up to the hype. In Episode 81, host Kenyatta Robinson pulls back the curtain on the most overhyped tools in the barbecue world (and yes, he's bought just about all of them), then br...

One of the best things about BBQ is that it doesn’t have to stay in your backyard. Whether you’re headed to a tailgate, camping trip, beach day, or a vacation rental, your pitmaster skills are 100% portable — you just need the right gear and a little planning. In Episode 80 of the Backyard SmokeMaster BBQ Podcast , we broke down everything you need to know to barbecue on the road like...

Summer is here in full force, and if you’re serious about your BBQ, the heat is not going to stop you from firing up the smoker. But grilling and smoking in extreme temperatures — we’re talking 90°, 96°, even 100°+ degree days — takes a little extra planning and a lot of common sense. In Episode 79 of the Backyard SmokeMaster BBQ Podcast, we broke down the best pitmaster-approved tips...

Barbecue is full of traditions, rules of thumb, and “that’s just how it’s done” advice. Some of it is solid. A lot of it? Not so much. In this episode, we take a hard look at common BBQ beliefs — the ones many of us learned early on — and separate fact from fiction using real-world experience and food science. If you’ve ever wondered why certain BBQ advice never quite worked the way it was suppose...

When people talk barbecue, the spotlight almost always goes to the meat. Brisket. Ribs. Pulled pork. Sausage. And don’t get me wrong — the pit should get the glory. But great barbecue spreads don’t live or die by protein alone. The right side dishes bring balance, contrast, and comfort. They turn a plate of smoked meat into a complete feast and quietly elevate your reputation as a pitmaster. In th...

Ribs are one of the most rewarding cooks in barbecue — and also one of the easiest to overthink. Between different cuts, wrapping debates, cook times, and tenderness myths, it’s easy to get lost before you ever fire up the smoker. In this guide, I’m breaking ribs down into a simple, repeatable process. Whether this is your first rack or your fiftieth, this is everything you need to know to produce...