I Wrote My First Book

The Backyard BBQ Field Guide Cover

Writing my first book is something I wanted to accomplish in my lifetime, and two of my friends, Ruben Ramirez and Mike Rice, gave me the motivation to get it done. Ruben just published his first book titled “The Zero Effect” and had a book launch party at Critical Grind Board Cafe in Shorewood, IL. Our mutual friend Dana Bauxbaum is the owner of that amazing cafe. I highly recommend the Wizard’s Brew drink.

Mike Rice has written two books in his field, covering topics in Medicare. After a presentation to the Above and Beyond Networkers group about Wood selections and pairing it with meat for smoking, he recommended I offer courses on backyard BBQ. The idea stuck with me and I thought the best way to share my knowledge of BBQ was to write a field guide that people could follow on their backyard BBQ journey.

“The Backyard BBQ Field Guide” covers topics spanning from choosing the right grill, wood selections, meat selections and trimming, and the science behind managing and maintaining clean fires. I also added a couple of recipes. The book is not meant to be a step-by-step instruction manual to smoking meats, it is meant to serve as a guide to reference. The subtitle reads “Your Backyard. Your BBQ. Your Rules. Our Guide.”

The book will be self-published on Amazon, and the goal is to have it published and for sale by May 1, 2025. Just in time for the BBQ season. Stay tuned for updates and release information on our website and social media channels.