The Art of BBQ

The Sonny’s Way of Smokin’ and Servin’ Southern BBQ

The Art of BBQ

The Proof Is On the Plate

There are many different BBQ styles and techniques, and while we appreciate ’em all, we have a certain way of doing things that’s given our BBQ its signature flavor since 1968. We call it The Art of BBQ.

Sonny's BBQ Certified Pitmaster

The Pitmaster

Founded by a Pitmaster in ‘68.
Led by Pitmasters Today.

At the heart of every restaurant is a certified Sonny’s Pitmaster® who’s constantly perfecting their craft.

P.I.T. Academy

Our Pitmaster In Training (P.I.T.) Academy, is an intense education and training program all Pitmaster hopefuls must pass before becoming a certified Sonny’s Pitmaster®. The program consists of hands-on learning, written and practical exams, head-to-head competitions and more.

Learn More

Sonny's Pitmaster studies in P.I.T Academy Class

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Pitmaster Profiles

International Women’s Day with Sonny’s: Meet 4 Powerful Female Pitmasters 

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Inside the Pit Academy: How a Sonny’s Pitmaster is Certified

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The Sonny’s Pitmaster® Recipe

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Pitmaster Spotlight: Meet Tara Boyle

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Pitmaster Spotlight: Meet Josh McCall

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Meet Pitmaster Beth Kanupp

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All Pitmaster Profiles

Since '68 graphic

The Meat

Meat Matters

BBQ begins and ends with meat. So selecting the right cuts is key. As is knowing how to smoke 'em. Here are a few tips for some of our top meats.

Learn about cuts of meat
Graphic showing the common cuts of pork for BBQ

Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs come from the top portion of the rib cage below the loin muscle. They have meat between the bones and on top of the bones and are shorter, more curved and often meatier than spare ribs. Once completed, baby back ribs should have an internal temperature between 190-195°F.

  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Temp: 250°

Spare Ribs

Spare ribs extend from below the baby back ribs to the belly side of the rib cage. They typically have less meat than baby backs, but greater fat content, which makes them more tender when smoked. Our Sweet & Smokey and House Dry-Rubbed Ribs are spare ribs trimmed “St. Louis Style” with no rib tips. Once completed, spare ribs' internal temperature should be between 200 and 250°F.

  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Temp: 250°

Pork Collar

The upper portion of the pork shoulder that runs from the neck to the loin, pork collar is the cut we use for our Sliced Pork. It’s a tougher cut of meat with an internal fat content that’s perfect for smokin’ low and slow. Once complete, pork collar’s internal temperature should be 165°F.

  • Cook Time: 3.5 hours
  • Cook Temp: 250°

Pork Shoulder

There are two cuts of meat in a pork shoulder—the Boston butt and the picnic ham. The Boston butt comes from high on the hog above the shoulder blade. The picnic ham comes from below the Boston butt and contains the shank or hock. We only use Boston butts in our restaurants for our Pulled Pork. It has a generous amount of marbling, which, when slow smoked for hours, makes it extra tender, moist and perfect for pullin’ apart by hand. Once the pork shoulder has been cooked, the internal temperature should be 195 °F.

  • Cook Time: 1-12 hours
  • Cook Temp: 210°
From the Smoker

How to Build a Delicious Backyard BBQ Menu in 4 Steps 

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How to Smoke Pulled Pork

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Top BBQ Questions Answered by Pitmaster Shannon Snell

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How to Smoke St. Louis Ribs

Sweet and Smokey Ribs by the pound at Sonny's BBQ
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How to Smoke Chicken

Smoked Pulled Chicken by the pound at Sonny's BBQ
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How to Smoke Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs by the pound at Sonny's BBQ
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How to turn a grill into a smoker: Tips from a Sonny’s Pitmaster

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4 Sonny’s Pumpkin Stencils to Get in the Halloween Spirit [Downloadable PDFs]

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4 Sonny’s Pitmaster-Approved Recipes to Score Big at Your Next Tailgate

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All BBQ Tips and Techniques

Smoke rises from a smoker

The Wood

Oak-Fueled Smoke. Flavor-Filled BBQ.

BBQ We smoke with oak because it's a hard wood that burns slow and gives our BBQ that famous smokey flavor you love.

The Smoker

Always Loaded, Always Fresh

At the heart of every Sonny’s is a smoker, fully loaded with meat and oak so the BBQ’s always fresh when you get here.

Firebox & Dampers

The firebox is where wood and embers or charcoal are burned to produce smoke that is distributed to the main chamber of the smoker. Dampers control airflow to the firebox to help regulate the heat.

Smokestack

The smokestack channels smoke from inside to outside of the smoker. It can be opened and closed to varying degrees to help control the draft of the heat and smoke.

Temperature Gauge

Used to monitor the temperature of the cooking chamber, the temperature gauge helps you know when to to increase or reduce heat levels.

Main Chamber

The area where the meat is smoked, and the magic happens.

Sonny's Smoker
Features and components of a BBQ smoker
BBQ sauce is drizzled on pulled pork sandwich

The Sauce

The Final Touch to Perfect BBQ

There are many different BBQ styles and techniques, and while we appreciate ’em all, we have a certain way of doing things that’s given our BBQ its signature flavor since 1968. We call it The Art of BBQ.