I go by “LC.” I got that name as initials for a company I started in 1984. As much as I love starting businesses, that’s a job. This is passion. The older I get, the more important passion becomes, and sharing it is the most fun of all.
I’ve found that the majority of people I run across when we start talking BBQ tend to take on a “Bambi in the headlights look.” Let’s be honest–unless you’re in the South, true BBQ is considered a regional food or a novelty by many people. They think it’s something “someone else who knows BBQ does.”
I’ll give away a little information. Guess my number one state for views? Anyone?
New York! Yeah. Think everyone in Midtown is comfortable with Southern BBQ? Kind of doubt it….
Most people, though they won’t often admit it, don’t think they can be successful at barbecue.
When we’re not confident in our own ability to prepare and serve great food, we’re certainly not going to experiment on friends, and take a risk of failure.
This is why BBQ4Dummies was created!
I started BBQ4Dummies.com as a place where beginners, both men and women, can feel comfortable. The majority of my techniques, processes, and recipes assume limited to no knowledge of grilling, barbecue, or smoking. I focus on the equipment, process, and technique above all, and will leave the time-intensive, gourmet-style material to the many food bloggers who do it well. I know we have a few pros hanging around too–it never hurts to have a second opinion and a true pro is always comparing both input and output.
Smokeringz1 via Twitter writes: @BBQExaminer checked out bbq4dummies.com. Very cool.You’re writing about some really interesting topics that other food writers don’t
I’ve been studying cooking, barbecue, and smoking techniques and processes for the most of my life. I started smoking fish in old refrigerators in the San Juan Islands in Washington as a kid. I was also trained as a professional cook by one of the great Seattle chefs in a small resort in the San Juans. Though I’ve never cooked professionally after that, I discovered a love for the process, and have discovered many simple ways to improve on technique.
My introduction to traditional Southern BBQ was in Charleston, SC in 1985 when I was invited into the kitchen of a BBQ joint where the owner showed me how to properly prepare chicken: “Buttamilk. You soak’em in buttamilk ah night long. You people from the West don’t know chicken. Now YOU do!”
Since then, I’ve worked my way into barbecue and southern food kitchens all over the county, made a lot of observations, and have used many techniques learned while cooking for family, friends, and groups.
I started taking seminars from KCBS contest winners, and learned a few shortcuts and a lot of tricks how to make good meat and fish taste great. I started writing and publishing, and up until a few years ago wrote two columns for the Examiner; one local and one national. Both columns have often ranked as the most read in their categories.
Barbecue is one of the fastest growing segments of food preparation , and it is probably the most misunderstood and mysterious form of cooking outside of the South.
If you really want to learn BBQ, please sign up for the monthly newsletter. You’ll also get my BBQ sauce recipe which was a secret until 2013, when I decided to give it out to our online community. You can also win some pretty cool stuff. Details are here.
BBQ4Dummies is also a business. I include some product links, mostly to Amazon because of their incredible return policies and competitive pricing, and if you buy through the site we get a small commission. You’ll also find a good number of reviews, and my review policy is clearly stated on the right sidebar of every post.
I’m a stickler for disclosure, and will always explain how we got the product, how we conducted our tests, why we’re recommended the product, and what type of users would it best serve as well as those who might not benefit from it.
Below is a contact form which you should use freely with any questions you have, no matter how basic. You will get a response either my email or a site post (your identity will be protected), usually within 24-48 hours.
Thank you for your support–it really makes us want to continue offering information of value for you. ~LC
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