Standing six foot four and pushing three hundred pounds, the late Big Bob Gibson was a large presence in Decatur, Alabama, in the 1920s. But it wasn’t his size that got him noticed. It was his barbecue. When people began lining up outside his backyard to get a taste, Gibson decided to quit his day job at the railroad and go into the ‘Q business full time. So he founded Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in 1925. More than eighty years later, folks are still lining up for a taste at what has become a north Alabama institution.

Now, just in time for grill season, comes Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book, a compendium of recipes and secrets from current executive chef/pitmaster Chris Lilly (who happens to be married to Big Bob’s great-granddaughter). The book covers everything from the restaurant’s signature white sauce to its championship pork shoulder, winner of six straight first-place finishes at the Memphis in May contest, otherwise known as the Superbowl of Swine. But just as useful as the recipes are Lilly’s tips on wood selection and how to transform even the most run-of-the-mill kettle grill into a true barbecue machine (hint: Think indirect heat). “Most grills nowadays are backyard, direct-fired,” he says. “My intention was to show people how to turn an ordinary backyard grill into a low-and-slow barbecuer.” In other words, become your own pitmaster.