This week on Okie Smokin’, we’re kicking off BBQ season the right way—but around here, grilling isn’t just a season… it’s a lifestyle.

We’re diving into some wild and delicious cooks including Pizza Spaghetti (yes, you heard that right) and Dolores's legendary Pickle Poppers stuffed with smoked meat and cream cheese. We also break down a killer weekend cook featuring massive ribeyes, honey-jalapeño seasoned corn, and asparagus done right on the grill.

John shares his experience cooking a Teres Major steak with a fresh marinade, plus we recap our trip to the RCOA Championship in Shawnee, Oklahoma—meeting other BBQ creators and seeing some next-level competition (including a kid-made pizza grilled cheese!).

We also talk about smoked bologna, YouTube haters, and why some people just don’t understand good BBQ.

🔥 Whether you're a weekend griller or a year-round pitmaster, this episode is packed with ideas, laughs, and real BBQ talk.

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OKIE SMOKIN LINKS

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Debra Erickson, founder of The Blind Kitchen, shares how her organization helps visually impaired people reclaim their passion for grilling and outdoor cooking through specialized tools and techniques. Having graduated from culinary school as one of the only blind students in her class, Debra now uses her expertise to help others navigate cooking with vision loss. • Adaptive tools for grilling include talking thermometers that announce temperatures aloud • Extended grilling gloves protect arms when reaching over open flames • Double spatulas help secure food when flipping, solving a major challenge for blind grillers • Double skewers prevent food from spinning when turned, making rotation predictable • Grill baskets contain multiple food items for easy flipping and tracking • Most legally blind people have some light perception, which provides useful information when grilling • Common fears include burning oneself, undercooking food, and producing unattractive meals • Many tools weren't specifically designed for the blind but naturally lend themselves to adaptive cooking • The aging population often experiences vision loss, making these tools increasingly relevant • The most rewarding feedback comes from people who thought they'd lost part of their identity Visit The Blind Kitchen's website at https://theblindkitchen.com or send an email to info@theblindkitchen.com to learn more about our products and services.

OKIE SMOKIN LINKS

• Okie Smokin Newsletter - Weekly email of our latest podcast episodes, YouTube videos, and more surrounding the BBQ community.
• Twitter (X) - We share our latest podcast episodes and talk to the community! Great place to become part of the podcast show by sharing your own stories and thoughts!
• TikTok - Follow for lots of food content, podcast clips, live cooks, and more.
• YouTube - Cooking videos, tutorials, and product reviews.
• Facebook - Follow us and keep up with the community!

Visit our website at okiesmokin.com.

Grilling knows no season! We're shattering the myth that outdoor cooking equipment should hibernate during winter months. After taking a short break, we're back with fresh insights on how we've kept our grills fired up despite Oklahoma's unpredictable weather patterns. The heart of this episode revolves around culinary creativity and repurposing. We share how our popular "Crack Burger" recipe (featuring ranch seasoning, bacon bits, and Dirty Bird hot rub) transformed into an addictive "Crack Dip" by incorporating cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and jalapeños. This happy kitchen accident demonstrates how leftovers can become entirely new culinary creations with just a few additional ingredients. Homemade condiments take center stage as we unveil our "fire" barbecue sauce recipe combining Whataburger spicy ketchup, the elusive Tabasco Scorpion sauce (which we highly recommend seeking out), brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. For our keto audience, we explore sugar alternatives like Swerve brown sugar and discuss Dolores' renewed commitment to her keto lifestyle with 310 shakes. We also review Rancher's Smokehouse Burn-In Sausages (brisket burnt ends flavor), tackling the eternal question of whether a dollar store bun can adequately support a premium sausage (spoiler: it cannot). The community Q&A section addresses smoker capacity, maintenance questions, and reactions to our previous ghost pepper challenge. Whether you're a fair-weather griller or dedicated outdoor cook, this episode celebrates the joy of year-round outdoor cooking. No matter the temperature outside, we believe the best flavors happen when you refuse to let your equipment gather dust. Join us for this flavorful conversation – and keep those grills fired up!

Left Over Crack Dip Video: https://youtu.be/9EninsCy3Vg?si=upaPtSEi33urqWGG Crack Burger Video: https://youtu.be/9GVglYqWbUo?si=IkGehjmIX2tUbOB1

OKIE SMOKIN LINKS

• Okie Smokin Newsletter - Weekly email of our latest podcast episodes, YouTube videos, and more surrounding the BBQ community.
• Twitter (X) - We share our latest podcast episodes and talk to the community! Great place to become part of the podcast show by sharing your own stories and thoughts!
• TikTok - Follow for lots of food content, podcast clips, live cooks, and more.
• YouTube - Cooking videos, tutorials, and product reviews.
• Facebook - Follow us and keep up with the community!

Visit our website at okiesmokin.com.