pitmaster
noun
pit·mas·ter
ˈpit-ˌma-stər 
variants
or pit master
plural pitmasters or pit masters
: a person who oversees the cooking done in a barbecue pit : a professional or skilled barbecuer
"This is good, really good," Allan says, tasting pitmaster Scott Smith's first cured pork belly. "I wouldn't change a thing."—
John T. Edge
John T. EdgeHe was one of Houston's most celebrated pitmasters and helped to kick off the barbecue renaissance here.—J. C. Reid
J. C. ReidRobert Polk, the pit master I met earlier this morning, comes in carrying a gorgeous brisket fresh from the smoker and hands it off to Smitty, who starts slicing it to make sandwiches and plates.—Patricia Sharpe
Patricia SharpeExamples of pitmaster in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2022, Donald founded the Carolina BBQ Festival, which brings pitmasters from around the Carolinas to Charlotte each April.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Each chef on each team will make a dish featuring one cut of meat (shoulder, loin, belly, ham, and chopped), and their dishes will be presented head-to-head to the judges and to dozens of pitmasters.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Two years after opening Smoke Queen Barbecue’s first brick-and-mortar location in Garden Grove, Winnie Yee, one of the country’s few female pitmasters, still sometimes catches herself looking around the restaurant in disbelief.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
Detectives continue to look for leads in a fatal hit-and-run crash over the weekend on Kansas City’s East Side that killed a 60-year-old pitmaster for Gates Bar-B-Q, a police spokesman said Thursday.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
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Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Each chef on each team will make a dish featuring one cut of meat (shoulder, loin, belly, ham, and chopped), and their dishes will be presented head-to-head to the judges and to dozens of pitmasters.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Two years after opening Smoke Queen Barbecue’s first brick-and-mortar location in Garden Grove, Winnie Yee, one of the country’s few female pitmasters, still sometimes catches herself looking around the restaurant in disbelief.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
Detectives continue to look for leads in a fatal hit-and-run crash over the weekend on Kansas City’s East Side that killed a 60-year-old pitmaster for Gates Bar-B-Q, a police spokesman said Thursday.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pitmaster
Cite this Entry
“Pitmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitmaster. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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