Episodes

Episode 262 Taking you back to 1/5/2016 – They say, and I FULLY agree, that he’s one of the best to do the competition BBQ thing…Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ is featured on the show this coming Friday. This was an interview that saw me talking to Travis about the 2015 Team of the year win…up front we cover a little background on him, how he got into competition BBQ and what really launched him into it…then we rolled into what he was going to work on in the 2014 off-season to prepare him for t...

10:14 & 10:35pm – We close out 2022 in a way that only makes sense! The Embedded Correspondents and I will kick off the last segment of the year with a new round of 100% Assurity Picks. Before we get to that, I will come clean to you, the loyal Centralites, about something I did (or didn’t do) this past week that has me feeling like a true CHARLATAN! All will be revealed at the top of this segment and I can only hope you will find it in your hearts to forgive me! After all of that nonsense, we w...

9:14 & 9:35 pm – Joining me in the first hour is a long time sponsor of the show and a very good friend of mine, Noah Glanville from Pit Barrel Cooker. Tonight we will discuss the state of the live-fire industry and where we see it going into 2023. We will also talk about where PBC looks to grow next year and, as time allows, we will get an “Origin Story” out of Noah Glanville as well. BBQ Central Show Sponsors! Big Poppa Smokers Green Mountain Grills Primo Grills David Leans / DoWellness – GE...

Episode 261 Taking you back to December 26, 2012 – And just as we are in the middle of the 2022 YIR show – back in 2012 I attempted a “round table” year in review show…making up the panel back then is the most likely successor to Amazing Ribs.com, Clint Cantwell, Old friend of the show Shane Draper of then Draper’s products and eventually Grilla Grills…and then pitmaster of Whiskey Bent BBQ (team and podcast) Chad Ward. What was the BBQ world like 10 years ago?? This will give you a great look ...

(December 20, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – Much like we led off the first hour, I will attempt to get through the 2nd half of the “YIR” segment as I recap the biggest guests, topics, content and everything else related to the show that happened this year. As I mentioned before, as you listen to what the show has done this year, you might be surprised at how much we have done for the industry!! Together…we are great!! 10:35pm – The bullpen segment tonight belongs to the first full-time BBQ Editor i...

(December 20, 2022 – Hour One) 9:14pm – Have I mentioned lately that 2022 is RAPIDLY COMING TO A CLOSE?? Well, believe it or not, it is! A BBQCS calendar year would not be complete without a look back a this record breaking year! So, in lieu of a first guest, I will attempt to get through the first half of the “Year in Review” segment. If you are just new to the show, you will get to hear what you’ve missed. If you are a long time fan, you will be reminded of how much we actually accomplished t...

Episode 260 Taking you back to 12/20/2011 – The holiday season is firmly upon us…there is no question about that! So what would make your holidays EVEN better? Yes, you guessed it…the 12 Days of BBQ Christmas will come to your podcast feed on Friday and just when you think you couldn’t possibly have more holiday spirit than you have right now…we are going to take the spirit knob and turn it to 11!!! You will be so jacked up on holiday spirit you won’t know what to do with yourself. I do want t...

(December 13, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – Making his first appearance in about 2 years is the creator of the World Food Championships, Mike McCloud. The 10th version of the WFC took place about a month or so ago so we will get the high level breakdown of this year’s events and what the final table will look like a little later in 2023. We will also talk about the past 10 years of this event, how it has grown, the issues he’s had to deal with and what he hopes it looks like over the next 5-10 years...

(December 13, 2022 – Hour one) 9:14pm – The first hour of the show fell apart the past few days, however, I have been able to rebuild it to one that should be great on many levels. Meathead had to bow out this month but filling his spot is my Utah Embedded Correspondent and the owner of the Salt City BBQ trailer, Rusty Monson. We have been following rusty all year and tonight we finish up our last quarterly visit to see how the past 90 days on the food trailer have been. We will also take a loo...

Episode 259 Taking you back to 12/3/2013 – Featuring my friend and BBQ juggernaut, Sterling Ball from Big Poppa Smokers. In this particular clip, we dig a little into his cooking interest and how he got involved with BBQ, we also talk about his other job…Ernie Ball and Musicman…and then we close out the segment talking about the then BIG CONTEST every year…King of The Smoker. I am not going to steal Jon’s thunder at the end of the show this coming Friday…but I will say this…sometimes, in the mi...

(December 6, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – Making his last appearance of the year is one of my favorite guys to chop it up with (pun intended) when it comes to live-fire and food in general, Sam The Cooking Guy. Sam and I will talk about what to make for the impending holidays, what gifts he’s suggesting people get for their loved ones this year and we will also dive into a few of his recent videos to get a deeper insight into how he made them and how he came up with the inspiration to try them! 10...

(December 6, 2022 – Hour One) 9:14pm – After an off week closing out November, we are back and better than ever, ready to start the last month of 2022 off right! Joining me to kick it off is good friend of the show and the pitmaster of Swine Life BBQ, Mark Williams. Mark will talk about some great leftover ideas, especially if you are doubling down on turkey for Christmas. We will also talk about what he’s recommending people give for gifts, what the best cookers are, what his competition sched...

Episode 258 Taking you back to 12/3/2013 – I don’t know how far you go back with the show…keep in mind, this show has been happening in one form or another, since 2006! So, some of you that have been around for 5 or 6 years…that’s a long time…but you missed the first 10 years (or so)…LOTS of things have transpired over the years to be sure…like the segment that is coming up on Friday…when the show was done from a completely different location for about 2-3 months while the house we were buildin...

Episode 256 Taking you back to 11/12/2016 – I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. Too keep the BBQ and entertainment going, I will utter only one word…”NADKINS!!(Not in business) Not familiar with this…give this week’s show a listen and let me know what you think! Ready to make a “BEST OF” show all your own?? Email Jon Solberg and let him know what you would like to hear on a future episode! As always, thank you for listening! *Don’t forget to RATE AND REVIEW THE SHOW ON YOU PO...

(November 22, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 & 10:35pm – The 4th Tuesday of the month in the 2nd hour brings a visit from The Embedded Correspondents! Tonight we hit a fresh round of 100% Assurity Questions and then we will go in-depth on 2 things that I mandated from last month. The first item is our review of the ever-famous “McRib” from McDonalds. We will also give out thoughts on the new Beyond Meat “Seared steak tips” that were recently released to see how they stack up to normal meat. Would you t...

(November 22, 2022 – Hour One) 9:14pm – After WEEKS (dare I say months) of hyping it, the time has finally arrived!! Tonight we lead the show off with the hotly anticipated “$200 Peppermill Grind-Off”!! Good friend of the show, Dr. BBQ, joins me to put the Pepper Cannon and The Black Rain grinders to the test to see which unit sits atop the $200 peppermill grinder category! Yes, there is a $200 peppermill category…does it relate to you?? Maybe…maybe not. Nevertheless, Ray and I will grind our f...

Episode 255 Taking you back to 2012 – This time we feature a BBQ legend…the guy who created the Fast Eddy Cooker…Ed Maurin. In this particular cut, Ed and I spend time talking about the Jack Daniels BBQ competition and why there continues to be such reverence, such mystique, such romance and such preference given when I have asked pitmasters about their thoughts on this event…I think about the Royal and I have always considered the Royal to be the real “elite” contest because there is no restri...

(November 15, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – Leading off the 2nd hour is quarterly guest and creator of the Hey Grill Hey brand, Susie and Todd Bulloch. Tonight we talk about turkey tips and tricks, her favorite way to make it, the best side dishes to have this year, the best desserts to make this year, their experience with the new Woodwind Pro pellet cooker what their business might look like in 2023. 10:35pm – Helping me close the show tonight is the creator of one of the most popular and longest...

(Hour 1 – November 15, 2022) 9:14pm – Leading off the show tonight, and fresh off a weekend in Dallas, TX for World Food Championships, is pitmaster of Loot N Booty BBQ Sterling Smith. Tonight we talk about how the 2022 WFC went for him, we will recap his RGC at this year’s American Royal Open and we might also talk a bit about the new RIPT grill that is coming to market. 9:35pm – After Sterling, we will (hopefully) be joined by the creator of Hardcore Carnivore Brand, Jess Pryles. Tonight we ...

Episode 254 Taking you back to 9/30/2015 – This time we feature a guest from way back, Jen Brand from, at the time, Brand Solutions. We were talking about the American Royal and while at that time, things seemed like they would never change, boy have they ever, as it relates to the BBQ event. In this segment we were discussing, flippantly, did we ever think this event would decline in attendance…and we both thought no…but over the years, it certainly has! The number of teams attending has certa...

(November 8, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – They say necessity is the mother of invention! Tonight we meet a first time guest and the creator of The Flip Grill, Andrew Barnhart. If you have a ceramic cooker, you will be interested to hear all about this tool and how it might change your life for the better. Andrew is in the Amish country here in Ohio and he is ready to take the market by storm with his invention! 10:35pm – Helping me close the show tonight is the co-founder of Vortic Watch Company, ...

(November 8, 2022 – Hour One) 9:14pm – Time is quickly evaporating as we get closer and closer to Thanksgiving and the questions have been pouring in from many new comers to the live-fire world the past few weeks asking how to make the best turkey. Meathead, from amazingribs.com, will join me to break everything down for you! We will make sure this holiday will be the best one yet! 9:35pm – After Meathead, I will be joined by Southern Living BBQ Editor, Robert Moss. Robert was at the Texas Mon...

Episode 253 Taking you back to 12/17/2013 – This bringing a close to the 5 weeks of the 2022 BBQ Central Show Guest Hall of Fame Class members…and closing it down is Jon Solberg’s pick for this year’s class…the “former” pitmaster of Warren County Pork Choppers, Donny Bray of Bowling Green Kentucky. This segment was recapping the TOTY race Donny and Tim Grant were locked up in at that point in time…this is also the segment where we hear Donny Bray utter the classic line “The sun don’t shine up o...

(November 1, 2022 – Hour Two) 10:14 – The biggest YouTube star I know stops by for his monthly visit. I thought we were going to miss each other the past 2 months but the logistic gods were in the show’s favor and Sam The Cooking Guy is here and ready to go. Tonight we will discuss his recent trip to Japan and South Korea and which country has the better food overall and which one he would go back to next month if I was paying for it (but I’m not). We will also see what Sam’s plans for Thanksgi...