The Barbeque Life

Kurt talks with Phil Breeden, Pit Master of LC BBQ out of Bandera, TX about how he went from not knowing competition BBQ existed to getting hooked and making a whole business out of it, getting the name LC BBQ, how he separates himself from other cooks, the mindset he carries through the cook offs, how to grow the sport going from self-funded to sponsor funded, and the great community around compe...

Kurt talks with Paul Keltner, Co-Pit Master of Rooters-N-Tooters out of Mt. Pleasant, TN about growing up and cooking as a kid, how he loves cooking with his wife at competitions, starting slow and humble and building up little by little, how to get the general public involved in competition BBQ, their current set up and smokers, the great community in BBQ and how they have benefited in recent tim...

Kurt talks with Daniel Patrick, Pit Master of Pop's Smoke on the Hill Competitive BBQ Team and Catering Service, about how he got into BBQ with his dad, the importance of a mentor, helping the community through BBQ, lessons from Bob Ross, cooking with his daughters, and the best ways and avenues to get into competition BBQ. Connect with Pop's Smoke on the Hill and their sponsor at the links below!...

Kurt talks with Rob and Amy, Pit Masters of Rum Runners BBQ out of Orlando, FL about their experience starting their BBQ journey with another team and then making their own, how they came up with the name Rum Runners, the fun side of competition and creativity, traits of competition BBQers, making BBQ a family affair, how to adjust with feedback, and gaining lessons from the losses. Connect with R...

Kurt talks with Kevin Ward, Owner and Pit Master of Four41 South BBQ out of Canton, GA about how he started in BBQ with catering and a food truck, eventually leading to a brick and mortar, pointers for cooking a good brisket, using creativity for Four41 South's menu and the importance of having a team, how to cook a whole hog, and the mentality he had when starting out. Connect with Four41 South a...

Kurt talks with Brad Leighninger, pit master of Gettin' Basted based out of Branson, MO about getting thrown into a competition, his beginner’s luck, the growing popularity of drum smokers and the hot and fast cooking style, why BBQ should be a passion before being a way to make money, where the future of BBQ is going, how to find ways to get spectators involved, and the world’s most exclusive onl...

Kurt talks with Bill Purvis, pit master of Chicken Fried BBQ based out of Spring, TX, about how he slowly started to get addicted to the sport, where the name for Chicken Fried BBQ came from, his unique BBQ rub, his hot and fast set up, the Champion's BBQ Alliance, and how to get more people involved in the success of competition BBQ. Chicken Fried BBQ started about three years ago and alread...

Kurt talks with Sunny Moody, pit master of Moodswing BBQ out of Nashville, TN, about the life changing event that got her started in BBQ, different creative ways to cook and get involved, her passion about bringing women and the next generation into the sport, a simple recipe for your next backyard cook and more! Sunny has been featured on the BBQ USA show and on BBQ Brawl on the Food Network and...

Kurt talks with Randy McKnight, pit master of Smokin' Rack out of Jacksonville, FL, about why he cooks low and slow, a story about getting stitches and still getting the Grand Champion, the fun he likes to have in competitions by using his creativity, and the importance of knowing what works for you and not getting fancy just for the sake of it. Connect with Randy on Facebook at the link below! Fa...

Kurt talks with Kolby Bowers, Pitmaster of Rollin' Kolbz, about the first BBQ competition he attended and how much he loved it, trying different cookers to find the right fit, advice he got from his father-in-law, the importance of staying consistent and how keeping a good attitude helps you win and get better. Find the Kolby on Instagram and Facebook at the links below! Instagram: https://www.ins...

Kurt talks with Tom Tilley about how he started as the coach of the Tallulah Falls Pit Vipers High School BBQ Team, the success they've had, as well as the learning experiences, the process of teaching the kids, and the unconditional support they've gotten from the BBQ community. Find the Pit Vipers on the Tallulah Falls' Instagram and Facebook at the links below! Instagram: https://www.instagram....

Kurt talks with Jordan Kirkpatrick, Pit master at Janky Leg BBQ, about how he got into BBQ, the story behind their team name 'Janky Leg,' Jordan's favorite cooker by far, why hot and fast is his go-to cooking style, the challenges of doing a competition by himself vs with his team and the great people in BBQ. Find Janky Leg BBQ on Facebook at the link below! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jank...

Kurt talks with Alex Baker, pit master of Big Baker's BBQ and pit builder about his come up from working at a BBQ restaurant in high school, cooking for his friends, bringing his grill with him to cook at work, learning how to weld to build his pit, and how he's learned BBQ the hard way. Find Big Baker's BBQ on Instagram at the link below! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/big_bakers_bbq/ Build...

Kurt talks with Kenny O'Shields, Pitmaster of One Eyed Pig BBQ in Union, SC about his story of friendship that got him started in BBQ, why he likes to compete with the best in KCBS, his at home brisket recipe, BBQ sponsorships, cooking at home vs. in competition, and tips on how to learn from the pros. Find One Eyed Pig BBQ on Facebook as well as their sponsors at the links below! Facebook: ...

Kurt talks with Tyler Price, Pitmaster of Red Beard’s BBQ, about starting BBQ at 15, getting intimidated by all the shiny objects in competition BBQ, at home go-to chicken recipes, smoking wood of choice, and when is the right time to move from Backyard BBQ competitions to Pro. Find Red Beard's BBQ on Facebook and Instagram at the links below! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbeardsbbq99 Inst...

Kurt talks with Kenny Dobbs, Pitmaster of Wine Me, Dine Me, and Swine Me about how he got his start in BBQ and his move to the pros, competition timelines, his favorite BBQ mentors and how they've helped him on his journey, why asking for help shouldn't be something to shy away from and a couple of his favorite sauces and rubs. They also talk about an awesome BBQ organization doing some great thin...

Kurt talks with Anthony Jones, Pitmaster of Southern Life BBQ, about his journey into Backyard BBQ, why you shouldn't let quality or availability of meat stop you from cooking, the importance of just jumping in and getting your feet wet, bringing the community together, and Anthony's BBQ fundraiser competition in September.  Find Southern Life BBQ on Facebook and check out the Trenton Smoke o...

Kurt talks with Derek Johnson, Pitmaster of Sweet Dixie BBQ about how he got started in BBQ, the early success he's gotten in the 2 years of competing, his timelines and strategies for cooking, a new BBQ event in Georgia he's spearheading, and some delicious at home burger recipes. Sweet Dixie BBQ was the Reserve Grand Champion at the 7th annual Sip & Swine BBQ Festival, Grand Champion in the...

Kurt talks with Randall Bowman, founder and owner of Deep South Smokers, about getting his start in BBQ then moving into building smokers, how being different in competition BBQ isn't necessarily the path to a win, why backyard BBQ with the family is the best part of it all, and the future of competition BBQ. Find Deep South Smokers on their website and follow them on social media! Website: https:...

Kurt talks with Mark Wetherell, Pitmaster of Maya Jane BBQ out of Evans, Georgia about the reality of juggling a career, family, and BBQ, how many contests newbies should do in their first year, making money in competition BBQ, and a couple easy and delicious at-home wing recipes for those of all skill levels. Mark also shares the wisdom he keeps with him while he practices his BBQ and throughout...

Kurt chats with Cary Chasteen, Pitmaster of Hold Your Horses BBQ, a Competition BBQ team competing in the Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA), Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), and the Florida BBQ Association (FBA) and also provides catering and fundraiser cooks for local youth groups. Cary talks about about growing up doing BBQ with his dad, why you don't have to overthink when it comes to pick...

Kurt shares lessons from his BBQ team, Atomic City Smokers, first professional competition with the Kansas City Barbecue Society on May 14th. From knowing when to order your meat, to trying new things out, and going with your gut, this is definitely an episode for all the BBQ Newbies out there! If you loved this episode, please share with a buddy who's looking to get into BBQ! Leave a rating and r...

Kurt talks with Jonathan Sands, Pitmaster of the Ribpublicans BBQ team about how he started in BBQ, the equipment he loves using, simple recipe and tips for ribs and great advice for those looking to get into competition BBQ. Follow the Ribpublicans BBQ Team on Facebook! Lone Star Grillz Gaskins Meats in Adel, GA Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter here! Want to reach us? Email u...

Co-Host of BBQ 4 Newbies, Kurt Mueller, shares advice, lessons and recipes for prepping an entire hog from start to finish. From the rubs to injections, temperatures and grills, and helping you to know what not to do and what not to skip out on. If you're intimidated by cooking a whole hog, it's not as hard as it seems! Jump in and try it out! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter...

On today's special episode of BBQ 4 Newbies, co-host Kurt Mueller shares his team's experience, the Atomic City Smokers, at their most recent GBA competition, the adversity they faced, how they overcame it and the lessons they learned. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter here! Want to reach us? Email us at bbq4newbies@gmail.com