Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 289: Brad Leighninger
Release Date: 01/22/2025
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 302: Jeff Fitter
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Operating a successful BBQ restaurant in 2025 can be a difficult endeavor with rising food costs and fielding a dependable work force, not to mention producing consistently, quality food. To overcome the many challenges, Jeff Fitter has transformed one of the long-time BBQ institutions of the St. Louis area into a new model with a combination of offerings. So far, it’s been a hit with customers and on Episode 302 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Jeff about Papa’s Diner/Super Smokers BBQ where patrons can order breakfast all day, grab traditional diner food or enjoy some of...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 301: Steve Smith of Mad Dog BBQ
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
On Episode 301 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we learn the background of Steve Smith, a Florida pitmaster who’s had two portions of a competition career. Smith’s current team, Mad Dog BBQ, is ranked second in the 2025 KCBS Team of the Year standings behind the runaway freight train that is Brad Leighninger and Gettin’ Basted. Steve tells us about the season to this point and about his backstory, going back to the Days he was Blazin’ 7s BBQ and a teammate of Lynnae Oxley on the All-Star season of BBQ Pitmasters, when they advanced to the finals of the popular Destination American...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 300: Tim Scheer, Richard Fergola
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Helping us celebrate Episode 300 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is one of busiest and move-innovative people in the open-fire cooking world. Tim Scheer, owner of Blues Hog and Marble Ridge Farms joins us to discuss Blues Hogs’ sponsorship of a NASCAR team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., plus five new sauces unveiled this week to bring the lineup to a dozen. How does he come up with sauce ideas and take them to brain to palate? He discusses the process. Tim also tells us about a new partnership with Smokin Brothers, which will manufacture Gateway Drum Smokers. And finally, Memphis is May is a...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 299: The Baseball and BBQ duo
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
As we kick off the month of April, we discuss two of our favorite past times with the guys from the Baseball & BBQ Podcast. Jeff Cohen and Leonard Aberman have channeled a love for two of their favorite passions into a show that’s mirrored our time in the podcast world and on Episode 299 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we have a fun conversation with the two New Yorkers. Meanwhile, Lyndal recaps the debut of the Tailgate Guys competition team’s cooking season and Steve reviews his latest open-fire cooking adventure in his backyard. We also take our weekly trip to Republic where...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 298: Rod Gray, Kevin Green
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Episode 298 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast features a conversation with Rod Gray, CEO of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. During his nearly three years in leading the world’s largest competition BBQ organization, there have been ups and downs and we cover some of those with Rod after he gives us a preview of the 7th annual KCBS World Championships coming up in May in Lebanon, Tenn. We also welcome back Kevin Green from show sponsor The Butcher Shoppe with a rundown on the meat industry and what trends he’s seeing in 2025, plus a review of his business for those who aren’t...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 297: Dan Wright, Aaron Huentelman
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
One of the most-popular and enjoyable recurring segments of the show the last couple of years have been the “Under the Radar” looks at up-and-coming competition teams. This week on Episode 297 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we go Under the Radar with Dan Wright of Take it Easy BBQ from the St. Louis area. Take it Easy BBQ is making big strides after winning St. Louis BBQ Society Rookie Team of the Year in 2023 and is ready for a big run at a busy KCBS schedule this season. We also welcome a new show sponsor, Mr. Brisket out of Ohio. Competition meat director Aaron Huentelman serves up...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 296: Josh DeWitt
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
We talk spice rubs on Episode 296 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with one of the best in the business. Josh DeWitt began experimenting with spice combinations in his kitchen several years ago to begin a path that led to winning one of the industry’s biggest awards when his JDQ Spicy was named Best Rub on the Planet in 2023 by the American Royal World Series of BBQ. Josh recently added a new JDQ Sweet Garlic rub to his lineup of JDQ Sweet and JDQ Spicy and he talks about the evolution of his still-one-man business - and touches on his competition cooking with teammate Jeremy Williams in a...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 295: Josh Hale, Ken Seales
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
On Episode 295 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk it over with BBQ’s new world champions. That’s Josh Hale from Sure Shot BBQ out of Leander, Texas, who teamed up with wife Stacy and Reagan “No Shoes” Broesche - cooking on behalf of Always Able But Confused Cookers - to win Grand Championship honors at the 248-team Houston Livestock Rodeo and BBQ last weekend. Cooking at the massive event for just the second time, Sure Shot was Pure Shot in taking home overall honors in one of competition BBQ’s majors. Josh tells us how it went down and about his team’s background in the...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 294: Stevo Nieto, Jacob Watt
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
On Episode 294 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we learn the story of Stephen Nieto - or “Stevo” as he’s known on the competition trail. Stephen and his Stevo’s BBQ Team out of Henderson, Nevada is coming off his third career Grand Championship as the Best in the Southwest in Yuma, Ariz., beating out a star-studded lineup. Stevo is a military veteran who not only has become a champion in the BBQ world, he’s used competition BBQ as a springboard to successfully combat his post-military PTSD. We also go back Under the Radar with Jacob Watt from Kansas City team Smoke This Drink That...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 293: Tommy Blackmon, Josh Lenhart
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
We’ve had the honor of talking to numerous BBQ champions on a regular basis over the years. Sometimes, we also have brought you champions before they emerged. On Episode 293 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we offer up a double-dose of “Under the Radar” with the stories of a pair of up-and-coming competition pitmasters - Tommy Blackmon of Blue Smoke Q out of Georgia and Josh Lenhart of Ohio’s Buckeye Flavor BBQ. We also check in with Charlie Wallace for the latest news from The Grill Guys of Missouri in Republic, where they want to see what you’ve been cooking in the Midwest...
info_outlineWe kick off Season 7 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with a friend of the show going back to our early days on local radio in 2016. Not only is he a hometown hero, but Brad Leighninger is arguably the best to light a pit - and he’s never been better than currently. Brad and Gettin’ Basted already has three Grand Championships since the KCBS points season began in November and is off and running toward a fourth Team of the Year honor. The new KCBS Hall of Famer from the organization’s inaugural 2025 induction class touches on a variety of subjects, including the possibility of cooking Memphis in May under the Gettin’ Basted banner for the first time, tweaking competition flavors and his various restaurant endeavors.
Meanwhile, Skyler Spartan from show sponsor The Grill Guys of Missouri stops in to tell us about some new products at the southwest Missouri store. Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve catch up on their winter cooking adventures and make their NFL predictions for the respective AFC and NFC championship games.
As a new season begins, a big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners:
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked
The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417
Marty "Sign Man" Prather Domino’s #pizza
Remember, you can find us on your favorite #podcast platform by searching Tailgate Guys BBQ - where all 289 editions are archived.
Have a great week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm