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The Pitmaster's Podcast

Anthony Lujan

We're BBQ competition enthusiasts who love to share everything about the smoke, the sauce, and the stories behind great barbecue. Each episode, we sit down with top pitmasters, backyard legends, restaurateurs, and more to swap advice, tips, and tall tales from the world of BBQ. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or just love good food and good company, you'll learn something new—and have a few laughs along the way!

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  • 22 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 54 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • Thursday · 59 min

    Low and Slow, No Ego: The Kettle Krew Way

    Kettle Krew was born from a simple, stubborn belief. Jimmy of Bearded Boar BBQ, Rick of 304 Smokehouse, and Brandon The Meat Alchemist had all grown tired of the notion that great barbecue demands expensive smokers and elaborate rigs. They set out to prove otherwise — that anyone, armed with nothing more than a basic Weber Kettle and real technique, could turn out barbecue worthy of the pitmasters. What started as a shared conviction quickly grew into a tight-knit community, and eventually into their flagship event: "Running of the Snakes," where they gather to smoke proteins low and slow using the snake method. No gimmicks, no shortcuts — just solid technique, great food, and good people.

  • August 20 · 1 hr 6 min

    🔥 LIVE: Podcast Hall of Famer Rusty Monson Talks Smoke, Competition & Salt City BBQ

    All right, BBQ family, fire up those smokers because we've got an awesome guest joining us today! If you've spent any time in the barbecue world, chances are you already know today's guest. Rusty Monson is the owner of Salt City BBQ in Utah, a championship pitmaster, and one of the most respected voices in the BBQ community. Whether he's cooking on the competition circuit, serving incredible barbecue, or helping backyard pitmasters take their game to the next level, Rusty brings passion, knowledge, and a whole lot of flavor to everything he does. And here's something worth celebrating—Rusty was recently inducted into The Pitmaster's Podcast Guest Hall of Fame, recognizing the impact he's made on the barbecue community and the countless conversations he's shared with BBQ fans across the country. Today we're talking all things barbecue—from competition cooking and running Salt City BBQ to the latest trends, favorite cooks, lessons learned, and maybe even a few stories from behind the smoker that you've never heard before. So grab your favorite BBQ, settle in, and get ready for a great conversation. Please welcome to the show, Hall of Fame pitmaster and owner of Salt City BBQ… Rusty Monson!

  • August 13 · 51 min

    The Pitmaster Podcast Hall of Fame Selection Show

    The Pitmaster Podcast Hall of Fame Selection Show is going LIVE on YouTube! Join us June 30 at 7PM MST as we reveal the next class of Hall of Fame inductees. Don't miss the action, the stories, and the celebration of BBQ greatness! Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss it! #ThePitmasterPodcast #HallOfFame #BBQ #LiveOnYouTube #PitmasterFamily

  • August 6 · 1 hr 7 min

    My BBQ Journey – From the Royal to Perfect Perfect BBQ

    In 2016, I jumped into the world of competition BBQ. My very first sanctioned contest was the legendary American Royal, and I've been hooked ever since. As a solo cook, I compete in about 4–8 contests each year, chasing great food, great people, and the challenge of getting better every cook. Along the way, I've been fortunate to have some memorable moments: 🏆 2021 American Royal Open – 1st Place Pork🥉 2026 American Royal – 7th Place Chicken🥉 2026 American Royal – 3rd Place Sauce on Your (SOY) After that Royal pork win, I decided it was time to create something of my own. In 2022, Perfect Perfect BBQ was born—named appropriately after years of chasing that perfect bite. Since then, the lineup has grown with:🔥 Perfect Perfect BBQ Rub🔥 Hot Bum🔥 O.G. Bum One of the things I enjoy most is teaching BBQ classes throughout the year. Whether it's backyard BBQ for family and friends or competition-style cooking, I love helping others build confidence, improve their skills, and grow their passion for outdoor cooking. BBQ has given me opportunities, friendships, and memories I never expected. If you're just getting started or looking to take your cooking to the next level, I'm glad to be part of the journey. Thanks for following along and supporting Perfect Perfect BBQ. 🔥 Keep cooking. Keep learning. Keep chasing Perfect Perfect.

  • July 30 · 48 min

    Gettin' Basted & Getting Real: Brad Leighninger on BBQ Domination

    Brad Leighninger is the pitmaster, co-owner, and founder behind the award-winning barbecue brand Gettin' Basted, based in southwest Missouri. He launched the team in 2012, originally as a competition barbecue outfit, and quickly built it into one of the most successful teams on the professional BBQ circuit before expanding into full-scale restaurants in Branson and Nixa, Missouri. Leighninger is widely known in the BBQ world for helping popularize the "hot and fast" cooking style, using direct heat and drum smokers rather than traditional low-and-slow methods. This approach became a signature of both his competition strategy and restaurant menu. As a competitor, he has accumulated an elite résumé, including multiple world-class titles such as a Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue Grand Champion, King of the Smoker Grand Champion, and multiple Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Team of the Year honors. He has also earned over 100 major competition wins and numerous grand championships across the United States. Beyond competition, Leighninger co-owns several Gettin' Basted restaurant locations and is active in the broader barbecue industry as a pitmaster, educator, and public figure in BBQ media and events. In short, he's considered one of the most decorated and influential modern competitive pitmasters, known for both his innovation in technique and his dominance on the competition circuit.

  • July 23 · 1 hr 10 min

    John Lindsey – The Delta Pitmaster Joins The Pitmasters Podcast!

    This week on The Pitmasters Podcast, we're sitting down with one of the most accomplished names in the world of live-fire cooking — John Lindsey. From championship steaks and award-winning BBQ to television appearances, catering, product development, and BBQ education, John has built a reputation as one of the most respected ambassadors in the barbecue industry. 🏆 What You'll Hear About: Building the legendary All Q'ued Up Competition Cooking Team Winning on the Steak Cookoff Association circuit His journey to becoming the "Delta Pitmaster" Creating the award-winning All Q'ued Up rubs, sauces, and Southern Spice seasonings Teaching thousands of backyard cooks through BBQ classes and BBQ Champs Academy Behind-the-scenes stories from television shows including BamaQ TV: The Steakout and BBQ Country Competition BBQ, steak cooking, catering, content creation, and what's next for John Lindsey John's Accomplishments Include: ✅ 2018 SCA Newcomer of the Year ✅ 2019 SCA National Points Runner-Up ✅ 2020 BBQ Champs Academy Ultimate Steak Showdown Champion ✅ 2020 SCA Ambassador of the Year ✅ 7-Time SCA World Championship Qualifier ✅ 3-Time World Food Championships Qualifier ✅ 2021 Myron Mixon Unadilla Hog Drop Grand Champion ✅ 2022 Arkansas State Points Champion (SCA) ✅ 2022 Alabama State Open Champion (SCA) ✅ 2022 Mississippi State Open Champion (SCA) ✅ 2023 Beyond Meat World Champion (KCBS) ✅ Member of The BBQ Allstars ✅ Featured TV Personality, Instructor, Caterer, and Pitmaster Whether you're a competition cook, backyard griller, steak enthusiast, or BBQ fanatic, this is an episode you don't want to miss. 🎙️ Hosted by Thee Anthony Lujan & Jesse Johnson 📅 Live Tuesday Night 📺 Watch, comment, and join the conversation live. #PitmastersPodcast #JohnLindsey #DeltaPitmaster #BBQ #Barbecue #SteakCookoffAssociation #SCA #CompetitionBBQ #Grilling #Pitmaster #AllQuedUp #SouthernSpice #BBQLife #LiveFireCooking #BBQCommunity #SteakCooking #BBQAllstars #BBQChamps #SmokeAintNoJoke

  • July 16 · 57 min

    Find out all about the new Live Fire Cooking Association with Co-Founder Christie Vanover!!

    The LFCA officially launched at the Open Fire World Championship at Memphis in May in 2026. The Live Fire Cooking Association (LFCA) is a food sport sanctioning body created to give live fire cooking its own identity, structure, and future. Built to honor the oldest culinary traditions in human history, the LFCA accelerates the growth of live fire cooking through fair competition, consistent judging standards, cook team recognition, education, events, and community connection. The LFCA was co-founded by three of the most respected voices in live fire cooking: Al Frugoni (Open Fire Meat Up), Mike Starr (Blazing Star BBQ), and Christie Vanover (Girls Can Grill)

  • July 9 · 56 min

    SCOTT vs. ROBERT: HOT TAKES SHOWDOWN!

    The gloves are on and the opinions are HOT! This week on The Pitmasters Podcast, Scott and Robert square off in an epic battle of barbecue knowledge, grilling opinions, competition stories, and controversial hot takes from the world of live-fire cooking. Who has the better take? Who's bringing the heat? And who will win over the audience? Join us LIVE and be part of the discussion! 📅 Tuesday⏰ 6:00 PM MST Expect:🔥 Barbecue hot takes🔥 Competition BBQ talk🔥 Live-fire cooking discussions🔥 Industry news and trends🔥 Audience interaction and debate🔥 Plenty of smoke, fire, and fun Drop your hottest BBQ opinion in the comments before the show starts and we'll discuss it live! 🎙️ The Pitmasters PodcastHosted by Thee Anthony Lujan and Jesse Johnson 🌐 Website: https://pitmasterspodcast.com/ #ThePitmastersPodcast #BBQ #Barbecue #Pitmaster #LiveFireCooking #HotTakes #BBQLife #CompetitionBBQ #SmokingMeat #Grilling #BBQCommunity #ScottVsRobert #PodcastLive #BBQPodcast #SmokeAintNoJoke

  • July 2 · 48 min

    Meet the next generation of Pitmaster!!! All Fired Up With Clayton!!

    Clayton Dixon, known as " All Fired Up with Clayton" is 15 yrs old and started his BBQ journey around age 14. He has competed and won the following- National Live fire pork Champion, 3rd in Beef and 5th overall and also 3rd in steak @NBBQA. Memphis in May-2nd dessert. WJBL- 1st chicken, 3rd pork, 5th-ribs.Smokeslam- 3rd chicken and 5th pork He has his own garden Triple G's(Granddaddy's Giving Garden) with a produce stand at his house that he sales vegetables on the honor system. He also has his own smokehouse where he sales smoked sausage in the winter. He loves Jesus, BBQ, golf, hunting, fishing, and hanging with family and friends. He is a member of FFA, FCA, NWTF, Cattleman's Associations, Rescue Team and is on his schools golf team and is the baseball manager.

  • June 25 · 1 hr 1 min

    Pitmasters, family man, entrepreneur, Cam The Pit Man does it all!!

    At 36, Cameron Edwards is a Texas pitmaster, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of barbecue, having grown up cooking alongside his grandfather from an early age. His passion for service has shaped much of his life, with 10 years as a first responder—including 9 years in EMS—and 8 years serving in youth ministry, all centered around caring for people and building community. Since 2020, Cameron has been competing in the local Texas BBQ scene, sharpening his craft in one of the most respected barbecue cultures in the world. In 2023, he founded BarHart Spice Co., launching the flagship seasoning Armadillo BOLD, which quickly became a customer favorite and found its way into kitchens and backyards across the country. This year Cameron became the brand ambassador for the Qitup! App and also founded the first Smoke the Station Rib Challenge to benefit local rural Fire Departments. Faith. Family Service. Community. That's BBQ!!!

  • June 18 · 1 hr 6 min

    Do you need more flavor with your food??? We have your solution!!

    This company began by accident. As someone who puts on concerts for some of the biggest stars in the world, I wanted to give those I worked with something special, something made with love. After all, what do you give someone who can afford anything? It all started to change with the first order request. Flattered, I shipped a free bottle. But as more requests started pouring in, what began as a heartfelt gesture quickly turned into a challenge. I had to make a choice: turn everyone away or turn this into a business. So here we are. Fiery was the first sauce I created, based on a recipe my aunt shared with me years ago. I spent years refining these flavors with one goal in mind: to help you Amplify Your Food. Just as countless others have shared their positive feedback,I look forward to hearing about the compliments you'll receive at your next meal. Enjoy! Walter Kinzie Foods, Founde

  • June 11 · 53 min

    What is the BBQ World Cup & Expo???

    Welcome back Shannon and Scott with The BBQ World Cup & Expo to give us the updates on competitors, qualifying events, and all the other questions you have!

  • June 4 · 21 min

    Hot Take-Canceled event

    We will talk about the event that was canceled 3 days before it was going to happening.

  • May 28 · 45 min

    Why meal prep is queen!!

    Hey, I'm Sarah, a south Louisiana native with a passion for good food and laid-back living. I spend my time smoking my meal prep and experimenting with bold flavors that reflect my roots. My setup includes a teal blue smoker, a Workhorse pit, and a Blackstone griddle, so there's always something cooking. I create content for fun, sharing my process and love for barbecue along the way. Whether it's a slow smoke or a quick griddle session, I'm all about keeping it real and delicious.

  • May 14 · 52 min

    Need exciting new products for your bbq??? Tune in!!!

    Andy Allen and Keith Henson have been cooking together since 2010, back when they were competing under the name Rooftop BBQ. What started as a shared passion turned into years on the road—chasing contests, learning from other pitmasters, and putting in long nights behind the smoker. Over the last 15+ years, they've cooked some of the biggest stages in BBQ, including the American Royal and the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue, along with competitions all across the country. Along the way, they've also served BBQ to crowds at events like the Reno Rib Festival and Stagecoach Festival, and even helped bring authentic American barbecue overseas as part of the development of The Ranch Smokehouse. But most of what they've learned didn't come from trophies—it came from the miles in between. Early mornings lighting pits, late nights dialing in flavors, and countless conversations with pitmasters who live and breathe the craft. Every cook, every mistake, every win added something to the way they think about BBQ. Rambler BBQ is a reflection of that journey. The sauces and rubs aren't just recipes—they're built from years of experience on the road, shaped by different regions, styles, and the people who shared their knowledge along the way. It's everything they've picked up over 15 years of chasing great barbecue, now put into a bottle.

  • May 7 · 51 min

    Be your own backyard bbq hero with Susie of Hey Grill Hey!

    I'm a wife, mom of 3, professional recipe developer, and crazy BBQ lady. I probably have more grills than you have pairs of shoes (last count was over 20). My love language is food and BBQ is my most favorite medium! There is nothing better than setting down a platter of lovingly smoked meats to serve friends and family. If you feel the same way (even if you're brand new to the BBQ world), then you're in the right place. When I sit down to create a new recipe for my site, I think back on Susie in 2005 when she first lit a fire and threw some meat on the grill hoping it would come off edible. I believe making delicious food on the grill should be accessible to everyone, and that's where Hey Grill Hey comes in. We're a site for the "everygriller." I'm here to help you make better BBQ so you can feed the people you love and become a backyard BBQ hero. It's taken a lot of time, patience, and mistakes (sooo many mistakes), but I've come a long way from those early days of figuring out how to grill. Over the past decade, my name and business has grown to be synonymous with good BBQ. I've appeared on Food Network in a handful of shows, taught BBQ classes to thousands, judged competition BBQ, and achieved two separate Guinness World Records. Hey Grill Hey is now a full-time family business, with my husband and I working hard with our awesome staff to grow the company to include a full line of rubs, sauces, and grilling gadgets. Our website sees over 2 million views each month, and we even have an app and a private membership club to help everyone become a backyard BBQ hero.

  • April 30 · 1 hr 6 min

    SCA B.Y.O.S Hot Take

    We will be discussing the news of the SCA running test competition where you bring your own steak.

  • April 24 · 53 min

    Catching up with Rooster and Graybeard!

    Where fire meets flavor! We catch up with our favorite barbecue and bourbon connoisseurs! They'll share stories from their recent competitions, cookoffs, and fundraisers.

  • April 9 · 55 min

    Dave Williamson BBQ and Comedy combine for fun!!

    After climbing the corporate ladder in his family's South Florida car business, Dave Williamson decided he liked making his customers smile, but LOVED making them laugh. Since then, he has excelled in almost every domestic Comedy Festival, making the finals or "Best of The Fest" in the World Series of Comedy, Boston Comedy Festival, San Francisco Comedy Competition, Big Sky Comedy Festival, the SLO Comedy Festival, and several others. Shortly after being named "Best Comedian in Miami" by the Miami New Times, Dave packed up his family in a 25 foot travel trailer. They traveled with him while he performed all over North America, eventually settling in Los Angeles after 18 months of touring. This trip was documented in a series of shorts by Nickelodeon. Dave tours heavily headlining his own shows. As a support act for Bert Kreischer, he has gotten to perform at the historic Greek Theater, The Grand Ol' Opry, and Red Rocks. His second album, "Trying My Hardest" was just released by Stand Up! Records and reached #1 in the iTunes Charts for Comedy. Dave will remind you of that one Dad who holds court over a hot grill with a cold beer every Football Sunday. He is obsessed with BBQ, and hosts his own podcast called "Meat Dave". He also co-hosts a comedy podcast with fellow waterman, comedian, and friend Forrest Shaw.

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