Cuisine

Hensler immediately bought a smoker and soon began entering competitive barbecue contests while blogging about his experiences.

“People kept coming up to me at competitions, saying, ‘You ought to write a book,’” he recalls.

So that’s exactly what he did.

Published in 2010, Startin’ the Fire: Everything you need to know about starting a competition bbq team (except the recipes) covers the nuts and bolts of competitive barbecue, from selecting a team name and choosing a cooker to explaining the basics, like costs, food safety, and planning.

“Barbecue contests are a lot of fun, but they’re a helluva lotta work,” admits Hensler.

Winning that plastic pig trophy, however, makes it all worthwhile.