The Low & Slow Barbecue Show

Community Matters Café Executive Chef Chayil Johnson shares his story of culinary service that extends beyond the food menu. Learn how he combines his Creole heritage, traditional African foodway influences, Middle Eastern flavor, and a formal education into one-of-a-kind gumbo for Charlotte Rescue Mission’s life skills program. 

Chayil explains where Community Matters Café fits into the mission’s 180-day addiction recovery program. Working in New Orleans kitchens at 12 and matriculating to Charlotte’s Johnson & Wales a decade ago, Chayil is earning recognition from the James Beard Foundation, Charlotte media and industry organizations. Hear how he credits his own hard work and a community of family and global influencers that clearly matter in the food he creates.

This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina Barbecue Festival, April 17-18 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte. 30+ pitmasters from the Carolinas and beyond celebrate the traditions of whole hog barbecue while supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Reserve your tickets today for the Kickoff, the Festival, or a full weekend of barbecue.

Visit the Low & Slow Barbecue website here!

American Barbecue map designer Joseph Veazey compiled barbecue history, people, and places into a one-of-a-kind map that chronicles the evolution of smoked meat traditions in the United States. Find out how Joseph decided which BBQ joints, cities and states to include in the map. Joseph explains his method for researching and crafting his unique map designs. You’ll hear his passion for barbecue and learn what’s coming next in his barbecue map project, including an illustration specifically focused on North Carolina to complement his Georgia barbecue map. EXCLUSIVE: Don’t miss the big reveal of his next project examining certain landmarks in Atlanta. Learn more about Veazey Studio and where you can find Joseph and his artwork out in the world.

This episode is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival, April 17-18 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte. 30+ pitmasters from the Carolinas and beyond celebrate the traditions of whole hog barbecue while supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Reserve your tickets today for the Kickoff, the Festival, or a full weekend of barbecue.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here! 

Meet Mama Jean’s BBQ founder Madison Ruckel, who first started live-fire cooking with Home Team BBQ in West Ashley. From that foundation, hear where he assigns credit for his ongoing success (spoiler: the hard work of his wife, Kelli, and some wise business decisions play a big role). Learn what to expect during a visit to his Roanoke, VA, restaurant, which opened last year after 7 years of food truck life in a 1956 Airstream trailer. Get Madison Ruckel’s inside tips for making Mama Jean’s BBQ collards, what it takes to feed the NFL’s Washington Commanders, and how global cooking adventures have influenced his barbecue journey. Don’t miss your chance to sample Madison Ruckel’s barbecue entrée at Carolina BBQ Festival’s Brisket and Biscuits barbecue brunch, March 28.

This episode is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival, April 17-18 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte. 30+ pitmasters from the Carolinas and beyond celebrate the traditions of whole hog barbecue while supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Reserve your tickets today for the Kickoff, the Festival, or a full weekend of barbecue.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here!

Barbecue Brunch is on the Carolina BBQ Festival’s Brisket & Biscuits menu at Charlotte’s Town Brewing Company. Hear a quick introduction to the barbecue experts and top Charlotte chefs collaborating for a Savor Charlotte barbecue brunch: Matthew Register (Southern Smoke), Chris Coleman (Built on Hospitality/The Goodyear House), Madison Ruckle (Mama Jeans Barbecue & Soulful Sides), Chris Rogienski (Supperland / Leluia Hall), Jake Wood (Lawrence Barbecue) Chayil Johnson (Community Matters Café), Matthew Barry (Midwood Smokehouse), Lewis Donald (Sweet Lew’s), and Oscar Johnson (Jimmy Pearls Cheasapeake). Get Carolina BBQ Festival’s barbecue brunch details, Carolina barbecue business news, and a few opinions about barbecue wings.

This episode is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival, April 17-18 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte. 30+ pitmasters from the Carolinas and beyond celebrate the traditions of whole hog barbecue while supporting Operation BBQ Relief. Reserve your tickets today for the Kickoff, the Festival, or a full weekend of barbecue.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show here!

Chigger reviews his 5 best barbecue restaurant experiences of 2025 – most of them including a meal and an adventure. Planning a day trip to Charlotte, Lexington, Winston-Salem or Hickory? Maybe you’re seeking a new lunch spot. Listen to learn which barbecue restaurants to hit, and options for orders. This episode share details about trips to Black Powder Smokehouse, Sweet Lew’s BBQ. Lexington Barbecue, Hugh’s Q and Cranford Brothers Barbecue, and suggests other excursions to accompany your BBQ meal. Plus, we reveal the first details about the Carolina BBQ Festival’s spring brunch, Brisket and Biscuits at Town Brewing in Charlotte. Stay tuned for more details on tickets.

This episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is sponsored by Carolina BBQ Festival, April 17-18 in Charlotte’s Victoria Yards. 2 days, 25+ pitmasters, and the Carolinas’ Best Barbecue bites. Tickets on sale now. Use promo code LOWANDSLOW for $10 off tickets.

Visit the Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here!

The Low & Slow Barbecue Show ignites its fourth season with the latest Carolina BBQ news and a review of our 2025, the State of the Low & Slow Barbecue Show Union. Listen also hear the details about Blue Suede BBQ’s work to support the ALS patients and the Live Like Lou Foundation. Find out which barbecue businesses are putting out the flame after generations in the smoke. And learn why 2025 was the biggest year yet for The Low & Slow Barbecue Show – at festivals, on podcasts, in the blog, and on YouTube screens.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here! 

Operation BBQ Relief and Hickory Soup Kitchen partner for Thanksgiving to feed 500 families with smoked turkeys donated by the community. Austin Pearce (HSK) and Scott Jarrett (OBR) share the personal motivations that keep the Hickory region’s hunger relief effort going every year. Find out what it means when Operation BBQ Relief, volunteers and community supporters work together to provide a hot meal during times of need. Listen to this episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show for the process behind the 3-day cook of 150+ turkeys, including some (not all) of the secrets for using brine and rub to create a perfect, golden turkey. Get all the details for how you can volunteer or donate to support Hickory Soup Kitchen and Operation BBQ Relief disaster recovery and hunger relief missions.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue website here!

Vicious Pig BBQ Pitmaster Bobby Brinson joins The Low & Slow Barbecue Show to talk about the 5th annual Vicious Pig Throwdown in Steadman, North Carolina. Find out how it started, why it supports the Veterans Golf Association, and what competitors can expect from this Southern BBQ Network event. Get a competition update for the 2025 SBN season and learn what keeps competitive barbecue pitmasters in the game year after year. Don’t miss Vicious Pig BBQ’s barbecue sauce recipe – you might be surprised what it includes! Bobby Brinson also shares his take how the cost of meat is affecting the barbecue competition world – and how the Vicious Pig Throwdown tries to alleviate those costs. 

This episode is sponsored by the Southern BBQ Network. To find out more about the SBN, visit the website.

Since 2010, the Southern Barbecue Network has sanctioned barbecue tournaments to further their goal of Preserving a Southern Tradition by providing well-trained judges to contests that are raising money for charitable causes in the Carolinas.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue website here!

Ultimate Tailgaters BBQ pitmaster Chris Fulmer pulls back the curtain on barbecue sauce with tips from the competition circuit. Get the details and find out about the Ultimate Tailgaters competition barbecue team that is a regular contender for the Southern BBQ Network Invitational – and a four-time SBN Cook Team of the Year. Get an inside look at the annual invitational barbecue showdown to benefit Monck’s Corner Lions Club. Event coordinator and founder Don Saturday shares the history and the 2-day competition schedule, including the People’s Choice Awards on Friday night.

This episode is sponsored by the Southern BBQ Network. To find out more about the SBN, visit the website.

Since 2010, the Southern Barbecue Network has sanctioned barbecue tournaments to further their goal of Preserving a Southern Tradition by providing well-trained judges to contests that are raising money for charitable causes in the Carolinas.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here! 

Sons of American Legion Squadron 147 is bringing changes for the 19th Annual Pro-Am BBQ Festival. Get the details on how this year’s competition will work. Learn how additions aim to create a more family-friendly environment and promise to provide more competition quality barbecue to event-goers. Festival Organizers Chris Nisoff and Al Simmons talk about changes to the festival and how Southern BBQ Network is involved. Like all SBN events, the SAL BBQ Cook-off supports a local non-profit. We share how this event supports the Lowcountry Veterans Home. Find out about the SAL BBQ Cook-off and then join the fun in Charleston on Oct. 24 and 25.

This episode is sponsored by the Southern BBQ Network. To find out more about the SBBQN, visit their website here!

Since 2010, the Southern Barbecue Network has sanctioned barbecue tournaments to further their goal of Preserving a Southern Tradition by providing well-trained judges to contests that are raising money for charitable causes in the Carolinas.

Visit The Low & Slow Barbecue Show website here!