American Barbecue Showdown is a new Netflix reality competition that doesnt attempt to reinvent or reimagine the form, it just retreads well-trod territory. Unfortunately, the show has been cancelled and it was not renewed for another season. Thanks to the work of activists and historians like Twitty, Americans are slowly beginning to recognize the monumental influence of African cooks on American cuisine. Jeff said they were told by event organizers that the flags violated a city ordinance in Daphne. But really, I'm just picking nits from a very tiny head (mine? You cant just walk out on them. are not your ad prospects. Weve explained to the barbecue teams what happened. The desire to leave a legacy inspired Oakland-based Matt Horn to make barbecue a way of life. why was bbq pitmasters cancelled. If you love barbecue and you want to reconnect with its roots, you might consider lending your talents to a community barbecueor starting one of your own. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. VIEWS. Top teams Chicago's Chicago Q . 15. r/BBQ. You get the feeling he could really use the money. The cheeks caused a lot of consternation. Practice, practice, practice. The restaurant, located in East Austin less than 10 minutes from downtown, used to be just one of the many black-owned businesses in the area. Her ribs cooked at 275F. His son, Stump Jr., also works as a pitmaster at his fathers restaurant. Our pitmasters hand-rub the meats with a custom blend of spices and cook for hours to extract the natural flavors. Then again, I fear that they would probably cook them all the same way they cook ribs. Are you happyDestination America renewed BBQ Pitmasters? ! 414. He cooked all his meats in his large tubular Jambo offset wood burning pit at about 250F. When we finally start hearing about women in barbecue, Im willing to bet it will be in the form of a Smokin Barbecue Babes calendar. william c watson cause of death. Black women have been in the mix for at least a century now., Womens role in barbecue included everything from supervising and cooking the barbecue to making the side dishes. She injected with phosphates, cooked at 225F on a pellet smoker which has a digital thermostat control, runs on electricity, and burns wood pellets made from sawdust. What I do best is beat everybody elses ass, he crows. why was bbq pitmasters cancelled. [] quickly called up his fellow congressman Clay Higg [] Mike Pence filled in for Trump at Arlington Nation [] Lexington, VA - In a Memorial Day ceremony a are you sure it was God who created them in the first place. [] to the report, Florida also scored #1 in meth prod America needed a news source that people could turn to. - Use low heat. Yet our brains do not solely hold onto negative memories surrounding food we hold onto the positive feelings which it invokes, as well. And most importantly to all of useven the belt-notching barbecue tourists who are only reallyinterested in Instagramming their foodthe barbecue business is being held hostage by thecynical tycoons of the American meat industry. He went to each camp and told them to take the flag down and everybody did.. There were six or eight of us that had flags flying, he told me. Additionally, the Epic Barbecue Tour of Texas by Eater fails to include even one Black-owned barbecue joint on its list. dangers of increased potassium and phosphorus in enhanced meats. the hardline danny. So go out! Because of this, barbecue is intensely political; it becomes an invaluable tool for tracing the struggles of Black Americans throughout history. The pizza tastes better in New York and the barbecue tastes better in Texas because the food is not the same without the culture. I know they are looking for cooks with personality, this is entertainment and there is toilet paper to be sold, but I know for a fact that many of the real top pitmasters have plenty of personality, although not all of them may be willing to brag as much as the contestants that were chosen. Like so many aspects of American culture jazz, street style and common slang barbecues African roots are often erased while white Americans receive the credit. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. John Fernandez-Melone & Bare Bones BBQ's Potato Salad. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Diva partially separated the money muscle and tied it to make sure it was tubular. Many African American pitmasters, both past and present, are finally getting the recognition they deserve, though its not nearly at the scale of their white counterparts. why was strange fruit banned from the radio; bombshell extensions vs bellami; digital court reporting agencies; pregnancy books for first time moms; congregation of the blessed sacrament cleveland; disgaea 4 magichange list. Urias, who won the title of Texas champion on the BBQ Pitmasters TV reality show in 2014, expects the Up In Smoke restaurant to open in the summer. This can be apple juice, cider vinegar, broth, or a thick BBQ sauce. As a reader, Mike Bolda, commented on my Facebook page, "I am by no means a traditionalist, but I know I wouldn't let them chemicals roast on my pit. What are the black gloves pitmasters wear? John Fernandez-Melone & Bare Bones BBQ's Grilled Rattle Snake. Barbecue is so powerful and popular today exactly because of this hope which it gave to enslaved Africans. Alas, these folks really don't have much range. All text is Copyright (c) 2012 By Meathead, and all rights are reserved. Market data provided by Factset. why was bbq pitmasters cancelled. Each year millions of people travel to one of the events on the BBQ circuit, where they sample the wares of the leading chefs of American barbecue. The best change was the time devoted to showing us a lot more about how these guys cook. Anybody notice the sparse audience each week has the same fans? She did get in the best one-liner during the judging. team, a band of six native West Virginian hunters and trappers, as they Barbecue has long been portrayed as a guy thingone of the manliest of manly pursuits. Part of HuffPost Food & Drink. What most people want to know about barbecue is who has the tastiestribsand the tangiest sauce. 4) (Tie) Melissa Cookston of Memphis Barbecue Co. in Nesbit, MS (my prediction: 3). This is real pit barbq cooking, music, foods, and shopping all rolled into one weekend. The star-spangled banner has survived bombs bursting in air and the rockets red glare only to be done-in by an ordinance that doesnt exist. She's a well-rounded cook. But Destination America has renewed BBQ Pitmasters a while back, in June, right before season three ended. And if Texas is the seminal purveyor of barbecue in the United States, brisket is the states MVP. BBQ Pitmasters (TV Series 2009-2015) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. But unfortunately, a modern wood-burning brick oven fueled by anthracite instead of hardwood is not the same as on old-fashioned coal oven. Rhoda Brown & Smokin' Fatties' Rattle Snake Sauce Piquante. Two of the Pitmasters featured in our BBQ cooking school here at BBQ Champs Academy, Mark Lambert and Joey Smith, were Reserve Grand Champions at the event in 2020 and Grand Champion winners in 2019. But the judges complained about it because they couldn't judge how tough they were. Warren Sapp. Barbecue is, first and foremost, a deeply African American food. First of all, yes, they look cool. In every competition the BBQ PITMASTERS have a lot to gain and even more to lose. They are dexterous and comfortable. In my own family, my mom would grill as often as my dad did, Miller said. As a matter of fact after he re-raised the flag another competitor followed suit. Of all the U.S. regions known for their barbecue, Texas-style barbecue has transcended state lines and international waters to become the culinary standard for smoking meat. The resultant book, Barbecue Crossroads: Notes and Recipes from a Southern Odyssey, describesheart-warming tableaus as well as some gut-wrenchingtragedies. View Details 9. Thanks to TV shows and coverage in magazines and food blogs, brisket has become a barbecue media darling, with top purveyors like Aaron Franklin, of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, receiving book deals, TV shows and accolades (Bon Apptit dubbed Franklin a barbecue genius). I wish they had made the contestants stretch a little more. If you took Sunday night off, here's what happened: It was winner-take-all as the five victors from the preliminaries competed for $50,000, the title "Kingsford BBQ Pitmasters Grand Champion," and a spot in the Kingsford Invitational (at which I will be a judge). 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. began picking up the basics of barbecue when they were just teens because their father, who opened the original Jones BAR-B-Q in the 1970s, believed his children should have several profitable life skills they could use to earn money during hard times. Is there BBQ Pitmasters Season 8? And he makes fun of barbecue competitors who get together in their little circles with their little cocktails. With his all-black wardrobe, foul mouth, and cigars, Mixon has become the barbecue cook-off version of a World Wrestling Federation villain. After they trimmed them they ended up with a pear-shaped cut of meat about the size of a large pork chop. Barbecue is a great unifier. But for barbecue to truly reflect its roots, Horn is calling on the media to change who and what they praise. With both pitmasters out of action, a contestant from Kansas City went home with the trophy. I seriously doubt that the show was rigged, but the fact that Trigg is good friends with at least two of the judges, and they could see him at work, is enough to make me wish they had not been watching, and it should make the producers nervous too. Young Americans dont join social groups anymore, so annual community barbecues that have been going on for decades are starting to die out for lack of young volunteers. Synopsis. by. Trigg claims to have won $600,000 in competition over the years, but the $50,000 check was by far his biggest. It brings people together, especially in America now with a lot of the stuff thats going on. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. BBQ Pitmasters will not air on Thursday 9/9 as expected, with TLC ceding the time slot to the NFL season opener pitting the Saints against the Vikings, a rematch of last year's NFC title game. This history cannot be lost as it is an intrinsic part of what barbecue represents. Barbecue pitmasters like to brine meat for extra flavor, but the new "enhanced meats" that have taken over the industry can't absorb any more water (or flavor). The city did not approach our event and ask us to do anything. Beef brisket was once considered ideal for barbecue in Texas because the melting fat cap cut down on the effort of basting, and because the forequarter cut was so cheap. Nobody stands around and watches smoke rise for 11 hours. Fox News is getting some serious flack for a recent guide to the country's "most influential pitmasters and BBQ personalities." Shortly after the list was published, Texas Monthly barbecue . Equally important to Horn is supporting other black pitmasters across the country. BBQ Pitmasters 5 seasons Reality 2015 English audio TV-14 Buy Grill masters face off in an ultimate grilling showdown. Nutricionista Materno Infantil why was bbq pitmasters cancelled In November 2019 we had tickets to Madeira, and over winter break we began to very informally plan. This demonstrative, nervous Canadian is among the few competitors on the circuit who can cook more than the four meats required in a competition. So they all went about their business on autopilot, and then, with about two hours left, the judges had them step forward. So you can imagine Jeffs extreme displeasure when organizers of an Alabama barbecue competition ordered him along with other competitors to take down the American flags hanging from their barbecue trailers. why was bbq pitmasters cancelled Home; FAQ; Foto; Contact; Diy 600w Led Grow Light, Names Like Miller, Ellis Island Poem, Bob Barker Age Net Worth, Nitro Fish And Ski For Sale, A1 Complete Upper Assembly, Warm Compress For Ear Ringing, Puns With The Word Pun, But its hard to tell because pop the pitmaster gets more press than mom who makes the side dishes and runs the business. A. nother historical injustice has been the ways in which women are diminished or erased from conversations about the origins of barbecue. 2023 Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TLC turns up the sizzle with an in-depth look at the world of competitive barbecue. All rights reserved. TV Shows. You may have heard some iteration of the joking claim that the last place youll assimilate is in the kitchen, and it makes perfect sense! Although Judge Mixon said "You are all the five best Pitmasters in the country," it would be hard to make the case for this for more than 3 or 4 of the 15 cooks. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But because they are tough well exercised muscles, I suppose they will do well if cooked low and slow to tenderize them. Legal Statement. Really, folks, Jambo, Onyx, MAK, Backwoods, etc. Out came a cooler filled with a pig cheeks. Brent Walton & QN4U's Stuffed Pork. I think it was great that we had our own careers, but Im glad that we had some back-up things, too, Deborah said. Billy Ray, the pitmaster from North Carolina, is believed to have instigated the fight after dipping a piece of Texas BBQ in vinegar sauce. Jowls, as they are also called, make excellent bacon or a variant, Italian Guanciale. The information shared above about the question, TOP 10 why was bbq pitmasters cancelled BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was battle of the bulge important BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was battle of saratoga important BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was bastille stormed BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was bart the bear euthanized BEST and NEWEST, TOP 10 why was barney arrested BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was bam margera not in the new jackass movie BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why was bam fired from jackass forever BEST and NEWEST. Art Smith. Solomon injected his shoulder with pineapple juice, apple juice, salt, sugar and he said he would cook at 225 to 235F. 17-18, 2023: 5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship, Anderson, SC. Its a common fallback position for writers and barbecue fans alike, a rating system anchored in the legendary, and mostly white-owned, joints of Central Texas. Solomon caught the worst slam of the day with his cheeks: One judge said they were "like a pencil eraser." Houston, Texas - The latest season of BBQ Pitmasters has ended in tragedy. These are meats they should be able to cook with their eyes closed although they are more used to cooking just the upper part of the shoulder, called the butt. Pitmasters today are using barbecue to remember where they came from and to combat the whitewashing of traditionally Black cooking. Horn was born in Fresno, California, to a family with roots in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama and Texas. and no matter what the earnings are, the expense consumes it. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, He cooked on either a Southern Pride or Ole Hickory, a huge box that has a ferris wheel arrangement inside and enough capacity to handle a medium size restaurant. That's the way these folks cook practically everything. She cooked the ribs in her Onyx Oven, a charcoal smoker, at 225F for a few hours to get them smoky, and then she moved it to a pellet grill to finish. No contracts or. Rhoda Brown & Smokin' Fatties' Potato Salad. Newly famous barbecue joints like Pecan Lodge in Dallas, Corkscrew in the Woodlands, and Roegels in Houston are actually mom-and-pop joints. When you cut corners, youre cheating customers and guests that may come in.. The reputations and respect of the leading cooks of America's burgeoning barbecue circuit ride on the virtues of one perfectly glazed rib, and hundreds of thousands of dollars are won or lost after a single, mouthwatering bite. Good BBQ, but we beat Myron's son at World Golf Village in a Memphis in May competition, taking 3rd in shoulder. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Taking over the family business came with a new set of challenges that the Jones sisters quickly learned to conquer, but Deborah admits that the biggest pressure is honoring their fathers legacy while living up to the attention theyve received for working in a male-dominated industry. I just don't buy it. This is the third season of the popular barbecue competition series, whose first two seasons aired on sister network TLC, and its first season airing as an original program on Destination America. These black pitmasters are trying to keep history intact. The stainless-steel contraptions they use to cook meat are nothing like the old-fashioned wood-burning pits in Central Texas. On the other hand, there was a broader range of cooks with more racial and gender diversity. 1 . Give it to God Competition BBQ (Courtesy Jeff Petkevicius). I love barbecue chips and frequently cook up hamburgers for my family on the grill. High quality Bbq Pitmasters-inspired gifts and merchandise. These are small but promising steps towards a more universal appreciation of Black cooking. Though, for them, understanding barbecue was originally more about the skill than the art. In the meat industry, enhanced is a euphemism for meat products injected with phosphates, potassium, antioxidants, and water or flavoring. I would like to see judges who are not holding a Platonic vision of what ribs should taste like. Thats the thing about barbecue I love, Horn said. This year they lobbed a softball right over the plate. Our brains link taste and memory closely. I'm not sure folks at home should be thinking about pumping phosphates into their meats, squeezing Parkay all over them, and wrapping them in foil for much of the cooking. He cooked at about 275F on a Backwoods Smoker, a big box that looks like a black refrigerator. Also, remember tofollow me on Twitterfor more scoop onshows getting renewed asBBQ Pitmastersdid. The contestants were watching the judges from another location when one complained that Diva's pork wasn't as silky as it should be. The judges clearly knew more about this style of cooking than last year's panel, which was anchored by Myron Mixon, and had former NFL star Warren Sapp and famous chef Art Smith. I love what it stands for. But Destination America has renewed BBQ Pitmasters a while back, in June, right before season three ended. Previous BBQ Pitmasters champions Mark West, Rod Gray and Corey Brinson battle it out in an all-star barbecue showdown at the Barnesville BBQ and Blues Festival. BBQ gloves are black to hide sauce, grease marks, soot, rub, pizza sauce, wood ash and charcoal dust. Not too long after, one of the organizers of the event told Jeff to take down the flag. james mcbride spouse 6 juin 2022. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. And if a barbecue joint doesnt have great brisket, it wont make our Top 50 lists., In researching Black Smoke, Miller was surprised to discover that the exchange of culinary knowledge between Native Americans and enslaved Africans was the root of American barbecue. peter a lesley January 2nd, 2010. For more of Meathead's writing, photos, recipes and barbecue info please visit his website AmazingRibs.com and subscribe to his email newsletter, Smoke Signals. It strikes me as a shame that this year the competition is on the road in great barbecue towns (Tupelo, MS; Memphis, TN; Thomaston, GA; Dothan, AL; Salisbury, MD; and Lexington, NC), and they didn't have time to spend visiting local pitstops and showing us the wonderful regional lure and lore of barbecue. The grand old man of barbecue at age 73, a specialist in ribs, he has appeared on all three seasons. They must be flashy, different, loud, and boisterous. what does cardiac silhouette is unremarkable mean / fresh sage cologne slopes of southern italy / john boy and billy characters But Destination America has renewed BBQ Pitmasters a while back, in June, right before season three ended. Id just hate for that to get obscured or lost or to have it die out.. Tuffy Stone, past winner of BBQ Team of the Year and owner of three restaurants named Q. Myron Mixon, winner of 180 grand championships as head of the Jack's Old South team, and author of a best selling barbecue book "Smokin' with Myron Mixon". Pork ribs, prime rib, sausages, pork loin, chicken and a pile of veggies. Michael Twitty, a food historian and author of the 2018 James Beard Foundations Book of the Year The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South, is one of the most vocal advocates for making sure the history of barbecue is not rewritten to downplay the contributions of those who crafted the art while suffering under oppression. And that was a revelation. Were excited to get on the board so early in the game as we establish ourselves as the home for Americana content, and happy to give fans more access into the niche world of the burgeoning barbecue circuit.. And while the popularity of brisket has helped put Texas barbecue on the international stage, it has also alienated many black pitmasters in the state who have historically focused on other aspects of barbecue. When ready to cook, remove chicken and pat dry. One way we can help is by eating at Black-owned restaurants; to find some in your area, I recommend the app EatOakra, which can point you towards a plethora of Black-owned restaurants near you. 28 days ago. Overall competition winnings: $174,336. 12 Episodes 2013. Id like to see the diversity of barbecue more. Stubblefield have been inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame, and all three were honored posthumously. Its a way to say to our current and former troops thank you.. Who will win the ultimate barbecue bragging rights, a $50,000 cash prize, and entry into . Melissa Cookston. (Photo: Facebook/Mighty Quinns), The national press would have you believe barbecue is dominated by white hipster malesbut believe it or not, blacks, Latinos, and women are involved in the barbecue biz too. The two-hour cooking show, which is produced by the Cooking Channel and Food Network, was cancelled after backlash from people who felt that Pitmasters' use of what they call "unfair practices" like intimidation tactics prevented them from winning. The series pits Americas best hard-core barbecue grillers against each other each week, and their cured creations are blind-judged by three pitmaster professionals, including series veteran Myron Mixon. When you discover a recipe as successful as BBQ PITMASTERS, you keep on cooking for another season! said Marc Etkind, SVP of content strategy for Destination America. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Not yet, my friend. 4) (Tie) Solomon "Rib King" Williams, Carolina Rib Kings of Georgetown, SC (prediction: 5). CANCELLED. What we saw was a whole new form of barbecue, as different from traditional Southern Barbecue as is Chinese Barbecue. The eight-episode first season was filmed in a docu-reality format as it followed several competing BBQ teams around the country to various BBQ contests. var site_id = 4609; My family is notorious for waiting until the last minute to plan our summer trip; thats why this summer was so surprising. The competitors were, in the order of their finish: 1) Johnny "Godfather" Trigg, Smokin' Triggers, Alvarado TX (my prediction: 1). Luna would be a great place to meet up with friends for a unique and comforting meal, whether for lunch or just to grab a bite to eat at the end of the night. Contact: Chris Stewart, . Oftentimes, when we think back on our childhood or important cultural events in our past, we think of the food which accompanied us. The series premiered on TLC on December 3, 2009. Another way they could improve is to get better Pitmasters. Perhaps the most prolific of the South's many barbecue mentors, Warner Stamey did not single-handedly create the Piedmont North Carolina barbecue style, but he was instrumental in spreading it throughout the region. Our Best BBQ Recipes 41 Photos I also know that I have voiced some of these criticisms in previous critiques this season, and many of you have agreed. Despite the forces which attempt to stifle Black Southern cooks the best of whom are known as Pitmasters many are rising up to preserve their tradition. Might as well use lighter fluid to start your fire.". If youre thinking about making a backyard brisket from scratch, leverage these great tips from famed Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin, who was just inducted into the 2020 Barbecue Hall of Fame.. With Memorial Day in the rearview, its time to get serious about BBQ. Go say hello to Flora Payne at Paynes Bar-B-Que in Memphis, and Tootsie Tomanetz, the pitmaster at Snows in Lexington, TX. Its not uncommon for African American influence to be overlooked in favor of narratives about the contributions of white chefs, cooks and restaurateurs, which is evident in the nations obsession with brisket smoked in Central Texas style. This good guy makes a living selling barbecue from a trailer hitched to his pickup. The debates are endless: Which state makes the best barbecue: Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee or Georgia? I use the phrase African American (rather than just African, American, or Black) in order to emphasize the complex origins of this cuisine. They said three or four months once they get going, so early- or mid-summer, pending the weather, Urias said. Both are noble missions. Join. It was a matter of saying there are things more important (than a barbecue competition), he said. They just have to take care of it., And Miller hopes that younger people can begin to see the value of carrying on the legacy that has shaped a significant part of African American cultural identity. From left to right in the picture above, they are Solomon, Brinson, Cookston, Dimovski and Trigg. Jeff is the founder of Give it to God competition barbecue -- a professional barbecue team that smokes meat and shares the love of Jesus. No products in the cart. He talked smack about Trigg being old and ready to step aside for him. In this episode the contestants assembled in Lexington, NC, at the Barbecue Capital Cookoff in late April. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Smoking the perfect brisket takes a little time and involvement but its so worth every bit. Your email address will not be published. Who won season 7 of bbq pitmasters is a question that many people ask. Last Season's Finals and Season Wrapup: Whole Hog Cooked Old School On Concrete Pits, a Fitting Finish with $100,000 to a Real Chef From Iowa. snacks daily birthday shoutout; first original mcdonald's museum Everybody with a television knows that barbecue cook-offshave been ruined by reality TV. Friend Meathead on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AmazingRibs. This was a good formula for this type of cooking contest, much improved over last season. Theyve been supporting you for 43 years. Szigetel anyagok (EPS, XPS) nagy mennyisgben, szles vlasztkban, gyri minsgben, beszerzsi ron. These black pitmasters are trying to keep history intact. Try some barbecue, enjoy it and appreciate the deep history entrenched in every bite. Like Millers mother, Deborah and Mary Jones of Jones BAR-B-Q in Kansas City, Kansas, learned about barbecue from their father. And don't get me started on the way these shows come back after commercial by running snippets of everything that happened since the beginning. (Gif by Liz Barclay), Barbecue is a labor-intensive cooking method developed by people with limited means to turn inexpensive cuts of meat into succulent meals. I had to root for him. Vaughns barbecue awakening, according to the article, came after he visited Patillos Bar-B-Q in Beaumont, Texas, the oldest African American barbecue restaurant in the state dating back to 1912. answer the question why was bbq pitmasters cancelled, which will help you get the most accurate answer. Last Friday Jeff rolled into town with his barbecue trailer and promptly hoisted Old Glory. We proudly and boldly display American flags and we encourage everyone in the community to do the same.. Ever since he went to his first barbecue shack as a kid with his dad, Chris has had the barbecue bug. The navel meat is too thin to barbecue, so pitmasters grind the too skinny stuff for sausagewhich is driving the prices up on brisket and sausage. And when the Houston pizzaiolos put a nice char on the crust, they way they do at Grimaldis in DUMBO, Texans would send their pizzas back complaining that they were burnt. Brinson cut what is called "the money muscle" off the shoulder and injected the rest with brown sugar and apple juice, but it was not clear how he handled the money muscle. The bbq pitmasters new season 2021 is a cancelled show that aired on the Food Network. Place your whole butt or shredded pork in an ovenproof dish and add in a little liquid to replace some of the lost moisture. 8. BBQ Pitmasters. It flies under the radar in churches, clubs, and lodge halls all over the country. They are the BBQ Pitmasters, the leading cooks of America's burgeoning barbecue circuit, where reputations and respect ride on the virtues of one perfectly glazed rib, and where hundreds of thousands of dollars are won or lost after a single, mouth-watering bite of brisket.