Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke Podcast

It's KCBS World Championship week!  On this edition of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, Luke dives in to how to take classes, and lessons learned, with David Moore from Hot Mess BBQ and Brian Corbett with Smokin' Skullies.  Lots of great tidbits here, and learning about...learning.

On this episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we introduce you to Josh Yagel of Leaning Jowler BBQ, our BBQ team that we'll follow this year.  Josh is a great guy with a great family and story.  I hope you look forward to following him as much as I do.

On this episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke Podcast, we get into a couple of awesome stories with Darren Warth of Smokey D's, recapping some tales that he told at the KCBS Roundtable, at the KCBS Awards Banquet in January. Learn where the 9:22 shot and the term "shiggin" came from. 

Welcome to another season of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast.  We kickoff 2025 by checking in with our friend and "awards chiropractor" Kyle Kuhn with Hot Daddy's BBQ, winner of the American Royal Invitational in 2024.

In this episode of Pitmaster, Luke and Brian from Smokin Skullies break down the end of the year and talk about the offseason.

This week we feature Charles Beard from Glamping Grillers on the eve of the Jack Daniel's World Championship. 

This special episode of Pitmaster features the head of the World Food Championships, Mike McCloud.   We talk categories, BBQ and cooking.

Dave and Shirin Mara of Meat Candy Q have been on.an absolute tear this this year!  On this episode of Pitmaster, we get to meet them and find out some of their tips, tricks, habits and routines that have them on track to win KCBS Rib Team of the Year.

OVS caught up with other cooks at the Americamps BBQ Throwdown in Ashland, Virginia, back in early August. Enjoy the fun, and don't forget to follow OVS on YouTube. 

It was quite the party, as it always is, at the Chillin' & Grillin' at the Glades. The event, which saw OVS take home the RGC, included a happy hour with Luke, Kim, and plenty of friends. Please enjoy!   

This week we preview the DC BBQ Battle with organizer Andrew Schaffer and OVS teammate Sir William Stilwell, aka The Goat! 

This week on Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we welcome Brad Cox of Local Yokels BBQ out of Illinois, recent winner of the KCBS World Invitational Open Contest.  If there's a better person in BBQ, I'd be interested in finding them!  This is a fun, feel good episode that I think you will enjoy!

On this episode of Pitmaster, we talk to Dennis Bowman of Bowman's Butts & BBQ, a great young man who just won his first Masters GC in Kannapolis. 

On this week's edition of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke Podcast, we go for a ride with Harry Soo from Slap Yo' Daddy BBQ, a legend in the BBQ world.  Harry has great info on mindset, thought processes, and a lot of life lessons.  This is one of the most fun and insightful podcasts I've ever done.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Chris Salsberry from Fred Vegas Smokers has been cooking all over the country this early season.  He's chasing "Bourbon and Friends" and having a blast with competition BBQ.  This is a great podcast with a lot of tips on cooking in different parts of the country, and for making sure BBQ is fun.  You don't want to miss this one.

On this episode of Pitmaster, we have a conversation about GOAT Status with two of them, Brad Leighninger with Gettin' Basted and Darren Warth with Iowa Smokey D's.

The Pork Shanks - On this episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, Luke talks with Brian Corbett about their weekend together at the King of the Farm contest in Iron Station, NC, and how sometimes one meat can go completely haywire - and how to fix it.

In this episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, Luke is joined by Bill Gillespie from Smokin Hoggz and Jared Huizenga from Insane Swine to remember Dmitry Feld.  Dmitry was the organizer of the Lake Placid I Love BBQ festival, member of the 1980 Soviet Union Olympic Team, integral part of USA Luge, huge participant with the Shipman Youth Center, and generally one of the best human beings we've ever met.  The world recently lost Dmitry to leukemia.

Happy New Year from Old Virginia Smoke!  This week we feature one of the greats, Dan Hixon from 3Eyz BBQ.  A lot of great stuff in here about controlling your environment and mindset.

This week on Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we have Jon Wade with Optimus Swine from Toano, VA, one of the hottest cooks of 2023 and a really good friend of the show.

This week on Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, our guest is Levi Stoakes, pitmaster of Colorado Bulldawg BBQ.  7th overall in KCBS in 2023, top 25 in all categories, and winner of the Jealous Devil BBQ Challenge.  Great insight here into mindset, tactics, and BBQ.

After a holiday break, Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, returns with Bill Heyen from Triple H BBQ.  He's been one of the most consistent competitors of the past few years and has some great fun facts and tips in this episode.

This week on Pitmaster, we have Brian Corbett with Smokin' Skullies and Steve Dotson with D Qued BBQ talking about how to assess your competition BBQ season and ways to practice in the offseason. 

On this week's special edition of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we talk to Rod Gray, CEO of KCBS, about the new report released on what happened at the American Royal Open Contest.

On this episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we visit with Mark and Christine Masztal with Fire at the End of the Day, FATED.  Great friends and winners of the American Royal Invitational.  A great look into winning a major and the reaction that generates!

On this special edition of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we have David Ellis of Machete Boys and Jordan Kirkpatrick of Janky Leg BBQ to talk all things revolving around the American Royal Open and the scoring errors. Two class acts, great pitmasters, and even better people. 

Mike Steele is the Pitmaster of Pigs and Cows Gone Wild, and the creator of BBQChamps.com, an online collection of BBQ classes. We talk Royal, Jack, and an exciting announcement and offer from BBQChamps.com”

The tallest man in BBQ stopped by to talk about the Bill Arnold Celebration of Life at the Blues Hog site later this week. 

It's American Royal week!  We've battled through some technical issues,  but we're back this week with a vengeance!  To start us off this week we have Curt Wallace with Smoked and Furious, KCBS Invitational winner with the highest score ever!  Great interview and perfect to get you in that Royal mood.

This week on Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we catch up with our old friend and American Royal winner Thomas Gearhart about cooking in different parts of the country, his routines, and how things have changed since winning the Royal.

On this week's episode of Pitmaster, we have KCBS World Invitational Champ Aaron Stoffer from Man Meat BBQ.  He shares his thoughts and his mindset from this past weekend's huge victory.

Listen to Luke and Kim discuss BBQ and many other topics in the first part of this hilarious and fun conversation. Guests include Brian Corbett with Smokin' Skullies, Jerry Stephenson with Redneck Scientific, Stephen Hypes with Still Workin' On It, Thomas Gearhart with Mudville, and a bunch of others as they cruise by!

On this week's special episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, we have a trio of misfits, who are also great people and a great time.  Jason Singletary of Smoke Central, Frank Neagle of Yes Dear BBQ and Joseph Puccio of Smoke Show Mafia joined forces as the SS Trio, and cooked a contest in Florida where they will be featured tonight on BBQ USA season 2 with Michael Symon.  Give this a listen before you get into Monday Night BBQ on the Food Network!

This week's episode is topical and very, very important.  Last week, a great friend of the show experienced every competition cook's worst nightmare—a KCBS rep coming to his cooksite with his box with only 5 samples in it. Hear the story directly from Brian Corbett with Smokin Skullies on what happened in Galax, VA, how to prevent it in the future, and how the rest of his cook went.

Listen to Luke and Kim discuss BBQ, college football, driving to Wise, alcohol, and many other topics in the first part of this hilarious and fun conversation. Guests include Brian Corbett with Smokin' Skullies, Jerry Stephenson with Redneck Scientific, Stephen Hypes with Still Workin' On It, Thomas Gearhart with Mudville, and a bunch of others as they cruise by!

Aaron Lesley with Texas Oil Dust has been cooking non stop for pretty much three years. Lots of good tricks and tips in this episode, and also details about his upcoming class on BBQChamps.com!

This week Producer Danks joins in to discuss Luke's first-ever run at Memphis in May. As always, it dives into other topics. Enjoy these two chatting about BBQ, WVU, and the future. 

Craig Verhage, aka The BBQ Ninja, has done it all! He's cooked everything, been everywhere and built himself an amazing BBQ brand. Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with The BBQ Ninja!

Chris Webb with Bushmaster BBQ has been rocking and rolling! Also the proprietor of Proud Souls BBQ, I think you'll enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with this well-traveled and very successful pitmaster.

Erin Campbell, AKA the BBQ Duchess, is the boss lady of Ubon's BBQ, who recently finished 10th place overall in whole hog at Memphis in May! She's an incredible person, has had BBQ in her veins for her whole life, and is a great interview!

We switch gears a little bit this week with a fantastic interview with a fantastic person. Susie Bulloch is a TV star, successful BBQ business owner, and the creator of Hey Grill Hey. We dive into what her habits are, how she creates, and how she's created an amazing BBQ business.

Last week, we got to spend some time in Pinehurst, NC as part of the Smokin' in the Pines Contest and got to do a nice Q and A with our guy Brian Corbett from Smokin' Skullies.

Shannon Turner with Muttley Crew BBQ is one of the hottest pitmasters in the country right now. A great episode with a lot of good advice and a few great stories.

Pat Burke has been mentioned as a mentor to all of the greats on Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke Podcast. And now we get to interview the man himself. 84 years old, battling cancer, and still in the restaurant every day. This is a special podcast, and I hope you enjoy!

This is a great podcast with the shoeless wonder Reagan Boesch from La Pasadita, the chicken leg man.  

Allen Clem, aka "Radar" from Under the Radar, is one of the most consistent cooks in BBQ. They are longtime friends of Old Virginia Smoke and have been successful on the BBQ trail for a long time. Enjoy this funny and very informative podcast.

This week's guest comes to us from all the way across the pond...American Royal Champ Ed Gash from Bunch of Swines!  Great conversation I'm sure you'll enjoy it. 

This week's episode of Pitmaster, an Old Virginia Smoke podcast, brings in an old friend who's won all over the country and is genuinely one of the nicest guys in BBQ. Please welcome Jason Singletary from Smoke Central BBQ.

This week's guest is one half of the dynamic duo of The BBQ Bus, Brendan Dwyer. Also known as the “Brisket Whisperer.” 

The second half of our conversation with the man behind OVS and this podcast. 

In our 100th episode, Luke Darnell sits down to answer many of the questions he has been asking his peers. Enjoy part 1 of this conversation. And Merry Christmas.