I'm the the BBQ guy behind the Ole Blue Dog Smoking & Outdoor Cooking blog! My blog focuses on smoking, grilling, Blackstone griddle, and any other way you can cook outside! I'm based in Central Florida just outside the Tampa Bay area.
About Matt
As a young Marine I was stationed and living in North Carolina at Camp LeJeune. It was there that I developed a love for Eastern North Carolina Sauce that is used locally for whole hog smoking.
Once I moved to Florida he had to develop and improvise the vinegar- and pepper-based sauce that I had grown to know and love.
I am a 100% self-taught cook. My biggest influences have been Justin Wilson who was The Cajun Cook, Jim Zumbo, and Julia Childs. Wilson was a Southern American chef and humorist that specialized in Cajun cooking who was a big personality on his cooking shows in the 1960's through the 1990's.
Jim Zumbo was a big game hunter and cook. Zumbo was a hunting editor for Outdoor Life magazine, and also hosted Jim Zumbo Outdoors on the Outdoor Channel.
Of course, everyone knows about Julia Childs. She was the first influence who really got me interested in cooking. I've spent hours watching her cooking shows, and perusing her cookbooks.
What you'll find at Ole Blue Dog
You'll find detailed instructions with a huge focus on the beginner. We test our recipes not only on our big smoker, but also on the littlest cheapest one you can find at the store.
Of course, we are always trying new recipes and new ways to cook old recipes. If you're veteran or beginner we got you covered.
We hope you really enjoy the blog! Please feel free to look over our Recipes. Or you can search below!