Carnitas
Hot & FastIntermediate·1 hr 20 min
Luis Ramirez
Pitmaster and founder of BBQ Junkie. Based in Los Angeles, Luis has been smoking meat for over thirty years. When he's not tending a fire, he's building brands at Cast Iron LA.
Luis also publishes BBQ Tri Tip and his personal site at luisramirez.org.
44 articles published
Recipes
BBQ Chicken Thighs
indirect-grillingbeginner·1 hr 10 min
Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Pork Butt
smokingadvanced·14 hrs
Smoking a Fatty
SmokedBeginner·2 hrs 5 min
Cola BBQ Sauce
stovetopbeginner·25 min
BBQ Pork Butt
smokingintermediate·9 hrs 30 min
BBQ Turkey on a Weber Kettle Grill
Indirect GrillingIntermediate·3 hrs 40 min
Smoked Turkey on a WSM
smokingintermediate·9 hrs 30 min
Beer Can Chicken
indirect-grillingintermediate·1 hr 35 min
Kalua Pork
smokingintermediate·16 hrs 20 min
Kids Summer Drank
no-cookbeginner·10 min
BBQ Ribs on a Charcoal Grill
indirect-grillingintermediate·5 hrs 30 min
BBQ Pizza
direct-grillingbeginner·21 min
BBQ Rub
no-cookbeginner·10 min
Texas-Style Smoked Brisket
Low & SlowIntermediate·14 hrs 30 min
No-Fuss Carne Asada
Direct GrillingBeginner·20 min
BBQ Tri Tip
Direct GrillingBeginner·50 min
Big Lu's Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Direct GrillingBeginner·10 min
Pico de Gallo
Direct GrillingBeginner·15 min
Blog Posts
Guides
How to Pick Your First Smoker (Or Build One)
The smokers worth buying for backyard BBQ — and the DIY plans worth building if you'd rather get your hands dirty. Twenty years of running the Weber Smokey Mountain, with honest notes on the alternatives.
Read articleGuides
The Complete BBQ Charcoal Guide
Lump vs briquettes, the charcoal chimney starter, where to buy hardwood in LA, and why Kingsford changed with Sure Fire Grooves. Twenty years of charcoal grilling and smoking, condensed.
Read article
News
The Cajun Injector
A first look at the Cajun Injector -- the perfect stocking stuffer for getting marinade deep into thick cuts of meat.
Read articleOpinion
Gas or Charcoal?
The age-old debate: gas or charcoal? Convenience vs. flavor, tradition vs. practicality.
Read articleNews
An American Barbecue Pilgrimage
A nod to David Plotz's barbecue pilgrimage article in Slate Magazine -- a must-read for any BBQ road-tripper.
Read articleLifestyle
Grill Temperature
The hand count method for gauging grill temperature without a thermometer -- a classic BBQ technique every griller should know.
Read articleBBQ Joint Reviews
Big Mista's Barbecue & Sammich Shop
Long Beach, CA
Competition-winning BBQ with bold flavors and genuine passion — Big Mista's brings the heat and the heart.
Competition BBQ
Maple Block Meat Co.
Culver City, CA
A modern Culver City smokehouse blending Texas technique with California sensibility — great brisket and a craft beer list to match.
Texas-styleCalifornia BBQ
Tasty Q Barbeque
Los Angeles, CA
Permanently ClosedAuthentic, no-frills Southern BBQ with deep smoky flavor and community roots — a hidden gem that deserved more recognition.
Southern-style
BBQ King
Los Angeles, CA
Permanently ClosedA late-night Sunset Blvd. find where Korean and American BBQ traditions collide with delicious, unpretentious results.
Korean BBQ fusion
Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que
Long Beach, CA
A polished Southern-themed chain with solid execution and great biscuits — better than expected for a corporate BBQ concept.
Southern-style
Grandpa Fred's BBQ
Woodland Hills, CA
Permanently ClosedA heartfelt family operation with real smoky flavor and generous portions — Woodland Hills' hidden BBQ gem.
Southern-style
Barn Burner Texas Barbeque
Pasadena, CA
Permanently ClosedPromising Texas-style BBQ in Pasadena with good brisket, but confusing per-pound pricing adds up fast.
Texas-style
Memphis Championship Barbecue
Las Vegas, NV
Permanently ClosedChampionship-caliber Memphis BBQ in Las Vegas with outstanding pulled pork and authentic smoky flavor.
Memphis-style
JR's Barbeque
Culver City, CA
Permanently ClosedA Culver City staple with flavorful brisket and solid sides — a go-to for no-fuss Southern BBQ in the Westside.
Southern-style
Jax Bar and Grill
Glendale, CA
Permanently ClosedMore sports bar than BBQ joint — passable food in a lively Glendale setting, but not a BBQ destination.
American BBQ
Glencrest Bar-B-Que Restaurant
Venice, CA
Permanently ClosedA gritty Abbott Kinney original with real-deal Southern BBQ flavor — unpretentious and memorable.
Southern-style
My Brother's Bar-B-Q
Woodland Hills, CA
Permanently ClosedA Woodland Hills institution since 1957 with tender, smoky ribs and old-school BBQ charm.
Texas-style
Outdoor Grill
Inglewood, CA
Permanently ClosedA humble Inglewood spot with authentic Southern BBQ flavor and generous portions at hard-to-beat prices.
Southern-style
Santa Maria Barbecue Company
Culver City, CA
Permanently ClosedA rare find in LA serving authentic Santa Maria-style tri-tip over red oak — solid execution but limited in scope.
Santa Maria-style
Mr. Cecil's California Ribs
Santa Monica, CA
Permanently ClosedRespectable spare ribs served without sauce — a sign of confidence — but the overall experience was just okay.
St. Louis-style
Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
Agoura Hills, CA
A polished SoCal chain with excellent tri-tip and quality sides, though calling it the 'best BBQ in Southern California' is a stretch.
California BBQ
Baby Blues BBQ
Venice, CA
Decent BBQ in Venice with pretty good ribs, but steep prices for lunch and slow service make it a mixed bag.
Memphis-style
Rib Ranch Bar-B-Q
Woodland Hills, CA
Permanently ClosedSolid mesquite-grilled baby back ribs on a pleasant patio, but the tri-tip fell short and it's not worth a long drive.
Mesquite-grilled
Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ
Van Nuys, CA
A San Fernando Valley institution serving Tyler Texas-style BBQ with generous portions and charmingly unconventional service.
Texas-style