The South’s Best Butts: Pitmaster Secrets for Southern Barbecue Perfection

Meet the legends. Master their butts.

Matt Moore heads straight into the smoke for this one—traveling across the Barbecue Belt to learn from the guys who’ve been doing it right for a long time. The South’s Best Butts isn’t just a cookbook, it’s a look at how real barbecue gets made, from the pits to the plate.

Inside, you’ll find recipes and techniques pulled straight from some of the South’s most respected pitmasters—covering everything from wood choice and fire management to rubs, sauces, and the kind of patience most people don’t have anymore. It’s backed by the stories and traditions that make Southern barbecue what it is, along with the sides that round out a proper plate.

This is the kind of book you don’t just read—you end up cooking from it, arguing about it, and eventually getting it a little dirty in the process.