The Pitmaster's Podcast

Music Industry Legend • 2x BBQ Hall of Famer • World Champion Pitmaster Sterling "Big Poppa" Ball has spent a lifetime proving that greatness is not a single destination it is a way of moving through the world. As a founding force behind Ernie Ball, the most iconic independent guitar string and instrument company on earth, Ball helped shape the soundtrack of modern music. Ernie Ball's legendary Slinky strings have been the choice of Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, and Slash, while the company's Music Man guitars have become instruments of choice for a generation of world-class artists. What his father Ernie founded grew into a global powerhouse fiercely independent, passionately creative, and entirely on its own terms. Away from the music world, Ball channeled that same fire into championship barbecue. As head cook of the Big Poppa Smokers Competition BBQ Team, he has amassed over 150 first-place trophies and 90 Grand and Reserve Grand Championships across 12 states. He became the first team west of Oklahoma to win the American Royal Invitational and the first Western team to claim a World Championship — earning induction into the BBQ Hall of Fame not once, but twice. His Big Poppa Smokers rubs and seasonings have since been used to win every major BBQ competition in America. For Ball, achievement has always carried a responsibility to give back — and nowhere is that more evident than in his deep history of charitable work on behalf of children. Within the BBQ community, he created the Big Poppa's BBQ Family ambassador program, uniting competition teams across the country to raise funds for local children's charities through the sport they love. That generosity has never been confined to the competition circuit; Ball has consistently supported children's causes across the broader community with the same championship-level commitment he brings to everything he does. It is, by his own account, the work he is most proud of. Whether developing menus for national restaurant groups, producing premier competition events, building a content library of 300-plus recipes, or appearing on TLC's BBQ Pitmasters, Ball brings the same conviction to every room he enters: that passion pursued without compromise is its own competitive advantage. His is a story of mastery without limits, generosity without agenda, and the rare courage to be fully, unapologetically extraordinary at more than one thing. "When I realized that cooking could become a creative outlet for me… that's when I was hooked. " — Sterling "Big Poppa" Ball

Jess Pryles is an Australian-born, Austin-based live fire cook, author, and TV personality. She is the creator of the Hardcore Carnivore brand, author of Prime Cuts, host of Hardcore Carnivore and Feast by Fire, and a judge on Food Network's Pitmasters. With a Graduate Certificate in Meat Science from Iowa State University, Jess blends academic knowledge with hands-on expertise in butchery, barbecue, and live fire cooking, making the science and craft of great cooking accessible to everyone from backyard beginners to seasoned pros.

Rooster and Graybeard are back! They've been exploring different bbq dishes that each state is known for, and putting their own twist on them.

The origin story of Meat Rushmore could be that of many competition barbecue teams — a group of friends bonding over a beloved hobby. In this case, spouses Joel and Katie Fleetwood, along with longtime friends Eric Alfrey and Josh Wunner make up Meat Rushmore, the rare team that has stuck together as the number of competitions, and the stakes, have ramped up. This has led to opportunities such as being featured on the series premier of BBQ USA with Michael Symon, cooking in Tampa at a Super Bowl watch party for Chiefs fans, and at the FIFA Fanfest during the 2026 World Cup in Kansas City. Starting in 2012, they have been honing their skills on the BBQ circuit, and in 2024 won the Made for KC BBQ Championship, winning a contract for a restaurant at the Kansas City Airport for 18 months, which opened in September of 2025. This led to the release of their rub and sauce line, which is winning awards both in rub and sauce competitions, as well as on the KCBS trail with many teams using their products to please both the judges and their friends and family. BBQ just isn't a hobby for Joel. It's his passion. He spent 3 years on the Board of Directors for KCBS, including 1 year as it's President. He believes that if you love something enough, you will do everything you can to promote it and make it better than you left it, and that's what he wants to do with BBQ. Banker by day, BBQ guy by night, he's always figuring out ways to help, whether it's small business clients, his own small business, or the BBQ community as a whole, Joel is always looking to promote, teach, and help take people to new levels.

CJ Frazier is a producer, creator, and community leader with a passion for bringing people together through food and storytelling. He has played a key role in building and leading Blackstone's Griddle Crew, growing it into a nationwide community of creators who have helped shape the culture and personality behind the brand. From producing digital content and television to developing creator programs, live events, and brand experiences, CJ has built his career around the idea that the best content creates connection. For him, it's never just about what happens on the screen—it's about the people and community that form around it.