Before the turn of the New Year, a minor Twitter cowshit storm was brought about by Waxahachie resident, Matt Pittman. The reason was to get his competition team, Meat Church, on the upcoming season of BBQ Pitmaster’s. The $50,000 cash prize and an invite to the Kingsford competition doesn’t hurt either.

Taking advantage of a few influential barbecue friends on social media (even the Dallas Observer), he and brother Josh Pittman, were able to generate enough interest to catch the attention of BBQ Pitmaster’s creator John Markus. Apparently everyone (and their barbecue-loving-mothers), pissed Markus off from the unbridled amount of Tweets aimed his way.

“Please, I am asking that you call off those lobbying us to put you on,” Markus pleaded in a direct message to Pittman’s Twitter account. “Enough, ok? Network has made decisions. So sight tight.” Needless to say, after Markus’s passive aggressive requests for calm from the Twitter barbecue cult, Meat Church was selected to prove their cooking skills.

When asked why he wanted to get on the program,“I’ve been to all the joints. Watched all the shows. Think I can beat anyone,” Pittman answered stoically, before swearing me to secrecy due to a non-disclosure act by the network. “I’m just a regular Joe trying to slay the dragon.” Smoking the dragon may be more appropriate in this case.

(Photo courtesy of Matt Pittman)

Pittman got his start smoking meat on the Big Green Egg and will be participating at The Texas Egg Fest down in Austin on April 26^th. Dallas’s very own, Kent Rathbun, Chef/Owner of Abacus, Jasper’s, and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, will be joining as well.

Pittman may have the best locks amongst the smoked meat community, but can he bring the heat? There will be a watching party –open to the public –this Saturday, April 19^th, at Lockhart Smokehouse. The show begins at 8 P.M.