If you haven’t noticed from most of the recipes on my website, I like simple. That means I try to maximize flavor with the fewest ingredients possible (mostly. Every once in a while I like to expand my horizons). Lucky for you, this is another one…

I get asked all the time what my favorite cut of beef is to barbecue. Without hesitation, my response is always the same: tri tip! It is a roast that cooks like a steak. It has a bold, savory, and robust flavor that wins me…

NOTE: this product has since been discontinued, but this review remains posted for those who may look to buy a used one. Dustless Tools sells other vacuums here. Barbecue is a hobby that provides some good times and even better food. These are the things…

Who doesn’t love a good breakfast? If you’re cooking up breakfast at home and want some sort of pork product to go with your pancakes and eggs, most folks make a choice between sausage or bacon. But why not both? You can have a complete…

If you’re new to learning how to barbecue (that rhymed), I highly recommend making smoked pulled pork. Using a pork butt (or Boston butt), this cut of meat comes from the shoulder of the pig. While it is a popular meat at barbecue joints, don’t…

Why does pecan pie taste so good? It is due to the blend of sweet and buttery flavors that go into the pie itself. Ingredients like brown sugar, light corn syrup, and vanilla combine well with melted butter and salt (among other ingredients). In this…

I’ve been cooking in a ceramic grill religiously for years, mostly going low and slow for barbecue. I’ve been using the Kamado Joe Classic models and Joe Jr. I love how these things hold the heat for hours and hours (especially in the wintertime) and…

Over the past few years, I have been experimenting with smoked candied pecans. I’ve tried making these a few different ways, including some with a little heat to them, but have ultimately settled on one recipe that I’m certain you will enjoy as much as…

Being a native St. Louisan, it’s a given that I love smoked St. Louis ribs. I like the length of the ribs and how meaty they are. While baby back ribs are awesome, it’s simply my preference to go for St. Louis style. In this post,…

  Ever since I first laid eyes on a Santa Maria style grill via the Internet, I’ve wanted to see one in person. The long, rectangular open air grill with the suspension grill surface that can be raised and lowered using a wheeled lever (or…

Ever since I got into barbecuing, I’ve wanted to travel to central Texas. More specifically, Austin. It is widely considered one of the barbecue havens of the world. Some folks consider it to be Barbecue Mecca. Either way, I kept talking of going but did…

I’ve had my @learningtosmoke account on Instagram for over two years now and have seen my share of highs and lows. I’ve had posts that have done really well and others that get overlooked, I’ve been trolled and praised, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with…

If you use charcoal like I do, then you’re lighting up batches of them as frequently as Netflix adds and drops shows from their lineup. I’ve used newspaper, paraffin wax squares, and, I confess, even lighter fluid* (but only once, I swear). Newspaper burns out…

Did that heading capture your attention? Good. This post is about smoked bacon candy. That’s right: bacon candy. These words can bring the world together. This is smoked bacon recipe is so simple, even a child can do it! One recipe, four ingredients All you…

A favorite in my household is tri-tip. If I have leftovers, then smoked tri tip chili is on the menu! This chili recipe hits different in the cooler months, but I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve made this in the summertime, too. One of the…

Recently I was invited to a food bloggers dinner in which fancy food bloggers (and me) get together for a pot luck. I wanted to bring something unique to my craft, but also do something that I don’t usually make. I’ve done pork belly burnt…

Now that I’ve been barbecuing religiously for a while, I’ve experimented with a variety of tools and accessories to make this craft more enjoyable and the end product more gooder better. There are always the variety of rubs and various cuts of meat, but this list…

As you’ve been browsing on social media, you’ve been seeing articles and posts from other people showing off their turkeys: talking about how excited they are for Thanksgiving, how they already bought their turkey, recipes they are trying, the intricate processes they plan on doing,…

When it comes to smoking a bird, you may of heard some people mention spatchcock. It’s a funny word for sure, but what is it exactly mean? Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to explain the what, why, and how of spatchcocking.…

Ever since I started my website and social media accounts, I occasionally see people with these huge, bone-in ribeye steaks and it has made me very, very jealous. I have had a difficult time finding these types of steaks around me, but then Costco had…

Usually with product reviews, I like to hold my opinion to the end. But I’m gonna be forthright with you now: I love the Flame Boss 300! Now I’m gonna spend the rest of the article telling you why. Flame Boss 300 Contents To start…

This smoked shrimp recipe is one I have been longing to post ever since I first made it. I usually like to try the recipe out a few times to make sure I’ve got the best taste possible. I love this smoked shrimp recipe so…

BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings are LIFE! I think you’re gonna love these BBQ smoked chicken wings. I used to have a casual relationship with chicken wings. I’ve liked them, but never enough to base a meal around…that is, unless some buddies wanted to meet up…

Since I BBQ multiple times a week, one thing that I’ve come to appreciate is a good cutting board. I’d been using a generic cutting board I bought from Walmart and I knew I’d beaten the crap out of it when I noticed the wood…

BBQ is a beautiful thing. The hours of work put in to trimming, rubbing, injecting (for some), smoking resting, and slicing (or shredding) pays off when you take that first bite…and second, and third, and so on. You want to get your fill and share…

Having an Instagram account and following other barbecuers has been an enlightening experience. I feel like I’ve been able to learn so much from other BBQ’ers around the world and make some friends along the way. And believe it or not, I’ve been able to…

I love using my digital thermometers. I love the quick, accurate reading I get from the Thermopop and even quicker response from the Thermapen ONE. So when Thermoworks released a new device that caters to BBQ’ers like myself, I had to pretend my other awesome digital thermometers…

Lighting up charcoal isn’t a hard thing to do, but there are preferred ways to do it. Here are a couple that are most ideal: Chimney starter: putting your coals in a chimney starter is a great way to get them heated up quicker. First, take…

I have been BBQ’ing for a full year now and during these 12 months, I have smoked dozens of pork shoulders. I was doing them the same way for a while in order to get myself more confident with the process. In fact, you can…

Sometimes inspiration comes from desperation. I was browsing Instagram the other day and came across a post from Susie Bulloch (@heygrillhey) in which she was making garlic butter burgers (recipe on her website). I wanted them. Badly. I had the hamburger meat, so I was halfway…

When I ventured into the world of BBQ, I was using a basic “analog” meat thermometer to gauge temps. I was content with this and there’s still no shame in doing that. As I researched BBQ methods, a lot of people, novices and experts alike,…

When it comes to ribs, most of the time I prefer St. Louis style ribs. I do this for two reasons: 1) I love the flavor of meat and fat that this part of the rib provides and 2) I’m originally from St. Louis, so…

I’ve learned a lot from my adventures in BBQ but the one issue I’ve struggled with is removing the membrane off of ribs. The membrane is the thin layer on the back side of a rack of ribs that encloses the lung cavity on the…

Last weekend, I was looking for something unique to make for dinner. My family and I were headed over to the in-laws house for ham on Easter Sunday, so I was off the hook didn’t get to make anything for Easter dinner. We did have some…

  I’ve been looking for an excuse to smoke chicken wings because my family isn’t big on eating them. Wings always remind me of watching sports with friends and family and I figured the best time to make these is when we gather for a…

  If you’re new to BBQ, you may feel ambitious and want to try smoking some of the bigger meats right away. Go and swing for the fences if you’d like! If you want to try something simple, easy, and tasty, then go for smoked…