Cooking Outdoors

Some cooks are quick and flashy—sear a steak, flip some shrimp, dinner in fifteen minutes. But smoking a pork butt? That’s a different kind of rhythm. It’s not a sprint. It’s a slow, steady walk with fire and smoke as your companions. The first time I smoked a pork butt, I remember thinking, this feels less like cooking and more like an act of trust.  You season, you set your fire, and then you let time do the rest. And somewhere in those long hours, as the bark forms and the

Football season has its own rhythm. The cooler air, the sound of fans cheering from living rooms and stadiums, the sight of smoke rising from backyards and parking lots—it’s not just about the game. It’s about the food. For me, tailgating isn’t just pre-game eating. It’s a ritual. It’s where fire, food, and community collide. And whether you’re huddled around a grill in the driveway or rolling your smoker into a stadium parking lot, the right food makes it feel like a celebra

There’s a particular kind of magic in hibachi. Maybe it’s the sizzle when shrimp hits a hot griddle. Maybe it’s the quick, confident movements of food being flipped and stirred in a blur. Maybe it’s the way everyone gathers around, drawn in by the smells, the sounds, the show of it all. For a long time, hibachi felt like something you could only get at a restaurant. But the truth is—you can bring that same energy into your own backyard. That’s what I did one weeknight with my

There’s something about smoking a whole chicken that feels almost ceremonial. You light the coals, watch the fire catch, wait for the...