About BBQ Junkie

BBQ Junkie started in 2005 as a discovery mission: figure out what California-style BBQ is, and whether it even exists. Twenty-one years later that's still the question. BBQ in California keeps growing, every style finds its way here, and that's what it's always been.

Southern California might be the best place in the country to cook BBQ. The weather runs year-round, the ingredients are some of the best and freshest anywhere, and the melting pot means every tradition ends up at the table. This site explores all of it, one cook at a time.

Great BBQ isn't about expensive equipment or secret ingredients. It's fire management, respect for the meat, and the patience to let time and smoke do their work. Every recipe on this site gets tested, tweaked, and tested again before I'm willing to share it.

Whether you're firing up your first charcoal chimney or dialing in your offset for a 16-hour brisket cook, that's what this site is for.