The Low & Slow Barbecue Show

Southern BBQ Network hosts the annual SBN Invitational – the “World Series” of Carolina Barbecue - Nov. 1-2, 2024 in Moncks Corner. Southern BBQ Network President Bill Englehaupt joins The Low & Slow Barbecue Show to share details about the SBN Invitational and the Kids Que competition that brings all the best barbecue pitmasters – young and old! – together to compete. Find out who’s expected...

In the world of Carolina Barbecue, which state reigns supreme – North Carolina or South Carolina? We find out with the results from the first-ever Smithfield Cup and salute some other top pitmasters who are catching the attention of national media. More importantly, we spotlight how the barbecue community is providing critical food service to North Carolina residents affected by Hurricane Helene....

Gardner-Webb University is fanning the flames of barbecue competition for homecoming Oct. 18-19, and the Low & Slow Barbecue Show is getting all the details on the second annual Bo’s Battle Que . Gardner-Webb Director of Alumni Relations Leah Clevenger and Southern BBQ Network Events Coordinator Karen Cowell share all the details about this year’s competition. Find out how the Battle Que got s...

World Food Championships Founder Mike McCloud shares all the details about the annual food fight that puts the best chefs from across the culinary world into the ring of competition. Find out about the barbecue competition and what it takes to earn a place in the championships and a chance to be named a category champion or a World Food Champion. Listen today to learn about Famous Dave’s All-Start...

Barbecue Bros Founder “Monk” joins The Low & Slow Barbecue show to share memories from 12 years of barbecue blogging. He gives us the story of the Barbecue Bros, highlights some of his favorite barbecue stops, and provides perspective on the current state of Charlotte barbecue. Listen to get the inside scoop on where you can find the Barbecue Bros reviews of barbecue from the Carolinas and bey...

NYC BBQ aka Sean Ludwig , co-creator of The Smoke Sheet barbecue newsletter , talks about the publication’s open call for barbecue voices. Listen to our conversation to find out about his barbecue journey, his favorite stops along the way, and his advice for planning a barbecue road trip. NYC BBQ also shares his tips and recipe for macaroni & cheese. Don’t miss Sean’s advice for the protein an...

Ultimate Tailgaters BBQ Pitmaster Chris Fulmer discusses the Southern BBQ Network 2024 Cook Team of the Year championship – an award he’s won four of the past five years. Find out about his competition success, his barbecue journey, and his plans for the Bessemer City Brew & Que Competition on Sept. 21 . Find out about some of Chris Fulmer’s favorite tailgating adventures and hear some of his...

The Low & Slow Barbecue Show compiles Carolina barbecue news from The Lowdown to deliver a late Summer 2024 audio digest. Find out about Texas Monthly’s “Best Texas Barbecue in America,” Southern Living’s “Best New BBQ Joints,” and even Geography King’s best barbecue states (the Carolinas top the list so – VALID!). Find out about Lawrence Barbecue’s new world HQ, Elliott Moss’s brewery collabo...

The Low & Slow Barbecue Show has hit the half-century mark – 50 BBQ Podcast episodes! - and we’re looking back at some of our favorites. Listen to hear the dozen that left an impression on the host and the audience. Also learn where Chigger found the best barbecue bites of the summer, as well as some of his favorite BBQ news follows. Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show here See Privacy Poli...

Butts for Babies founder and pitmaster Kyle Sutton discusses the start of his barbecue journey in Eastern North Carolinas. Find out how that path led to the Butts for Babies organization he started to raise money for families pursuing child adoption. Get Kyle’s barbecue advice, his suggestions for coordinating a barbecue charity, and his recipe for an all-purpose rub. He also shares the names of s...

What is barbecue? Where did it come from? Chigger Willard explores the dictionary and the history books to find out the origins of Carolina barbecue. Is barbecue a verb, a noun, or an adjective? We find out and explain why we ask that question during the Low & Slow Showdown. Listen to get the backstory on barbecue in the Carolinas, where it’s been enjoyed for more than 300 years. We also talk...

Black BBQ Cook-off Coordinator Bruce Yeomans joins The Low & Slow Barbecue show to share the scoop on the events 2024 installment in Fayetteville on Aug. 17. Find out how the Black BBQ Cook-off got started, everything that’s involved, and how judges from Southern BBQ Network help elevate the event to a new level. Listen to this episode and learn more about Bruce’s own ventures in the barbecue...

Meet Cranford Brothers Barbecue pitmaster and culinary director Chef Ben Sullivan. He joins The Low & Slow Barbecue Show to talk about the newest barbecue business in Hickory, NC, and share details about the other restaurants under the Cranford Hospitality brand of businesses. Hear Ben’s background and how he arrived at Cranford Brothers. Find out what you can expect from a visit from Cranford...

The Low & Slow Barbecue Show embarked on another BBQ Road Trip into the Deep South, and we’re sharing everything thing you need to know. Our BBQ Road Trip Review includes stops at Fork Grove Barbecue in Anderson, S.C., as well as Birmingham-based barbecue spots Carlile’s and Rusty’s Bar-B-Q . Listen to get the BBQ reviews, location specifics, a little bit of history of the places, and tips for...

Meet Gil Barnes, founder and operator of Reed St. BBQ , a Hickory-based catering operation that serves Southern cuisine that relies on wood-fired cooking. Reed St. prides itself on having the best butts in town, and in this episode, you’ll find out how Gil’s unique style relies on a diverse experience that spans from hospitality training in Alabama to leadership positions in some of the larger sea...

Find out why Ben Hooper left a full-time job in the fire service to pursue his dreams as a barbecue pitmaster for his Western North Carolina food truck, Ben’s Backdraft BBQ . Learn about his menu, his motivation, and his favorite locations for serving the meat he’s preparing low and slow. Listen to get all the details about what it takes to start a food truck business. Note: After we recorded this...

As we celebrate Independence Day and the 248th birthday of the United States, The Low & Slow Barbecue Show shares our favorite July 4th BBQ Recipes . Listen to this episode to get recipes for ribs, rib rub, and rib mop that all combine to make a perfect main protein to celebrate our victory over Great Britain. You’ll also hear Chigger’s favorite recipe for July 4th Baked Beans that he uses to...

Summer is here, and it is time for a BBQ road trip! In this episode, The Low & Slow Barbecue travels to South Carolina to review a pair of places that are getting increasingly popular in Carolina barbecue circles. First up, we share the experience at Hector Garate’s Palmira Barbecue , which opened in Charleston in February 2024. Listen to get details on a Sunday visit to Robbie Robinson’s City...

Believe it or not, the Carolinas don’t hold a monopoly on “Carolina barbecue.” In fact, you can even find it in the land of crab cakes. That’s where you’ll meet Farm BBQ , a Maryland-born barbecue pop-up that serves Carolina whole hog barbecue and promotes local family farms. In this episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show, we talk to Farm BBQ founders Mark, Tommie, and Will, and find out why...

Bryan Furman became the first pitmaster named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs. He’s caught the James Beard Foundation’s attention, too, landing on the list of semi-finalists for best chefs in the Southeast twice. Now, the successful barbecue entrepreneur steps into The Low & Slow Barbecue Show Spotlight – a spotlight that found him an out-of-the-ordinary location. Listen to th...

BBQ Competition is serious business in the Carolinas, so we’re taking a behind-the-scenes look with pros in the know. From training competition BBQ judges and their work at the scorers’ table to the pit perspectives of the contenders and the thrill of victory, this episode smokes out all the secrets. Listen to find out everything that goes into a competition BBQ judging from Southern BBQ Network C...

In a barbecue world that’s full of options, from the best places to eat, to the right equipment to you and the latest methods you want to try, it helps to have a tour guide. BBQ Tourist Ryan Cooper is that guide to the best pit stops in America. He’s great a resource for news and information, events, and backyard cooking – especially as this summer season of smoking gets fired up. He’s also a foun...

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer but it is also a time to salute the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the service of our country. In this episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show, we meet a military member who serves our nation in the U.S. Army and serves barbecue fans through his business, Blue Suede BBQ . We find out about Blue Suede BBQ’s roster of rubs and sauces and...

Jon G’s Barbecue serves Texas barbecue tradition in the small North Carolina town of Peachland, where he’s attracting plenty of big-city attention. Whether it’s Texas Monthly , Southern Living, or the Barbecue Bros, everyone who makes the trek to Jon G’s sings the praises of the brisket, beef ribs, kolaches, and the traditional sides that quickly fill up a barbecue tray with goodness. Find out the...

The Low & Slow Barbecue Show steps into the competition BBQ circuit with the Vicious Pig BBQ team and Lori’s Ace Hardware , the site of a big BBQ Battle. We find out what goes into a competition barbecue event for the hosts and the competitors. Listen to Lori Stobbe share the details on her barbecue and grilling mecca at Lori’s Ace Hardware in Fayetteville, NC. Hear from Bobby Brinson what it...