pitmaster

noun

pit·​mas·​ter ˈpit-ˌma-stər How to pronounce pitmaster (audio)
variants or pit master
plural pitmasters or pit masters
: a person who oversees the cooking done in a barbecue pit : a professional or skilled barbecuer
"This is good, really good," Allan says, tasting pitmaster Scott Smith's first cured pork belly. "I wouldn't change a thing."— John T. Edge
He was one of Houston's most celebrated pitmasters and helped to kick off the barbecue renaissance here.— J. C. Reid
Robert Polk, the pit master I met earlier this morning, comes in carrying a gorgeous brisket fresh from the smoker and hands it off to Smitty, who starts slicing it to make sandwiches and plates.— Patricia Sharpe

Examples of pitmaster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This group of philanthropic pitmasters are asking not only for monetary donations but for local volunteers as well. Find out more information or donate to their efforts here. — Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025 That commitment has earned Ben’s Backdraft Barbecue a spot at the Carolina BBQ Festival in Charlotte in April, where the team will join other top pitmasters from across the state. — Tamia Boyd, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2025 That year, the magazine decreed that the best brisket in Texas was being served in the hamlet of Lexington, at Snow’s, a humble spot whose smoked meats were overseen by a no-nonsense seventy-three-year-old pitmaster named Miss Tootsie. — Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025 On Saturday, April 29 there will be a pitmaster showcase on the North Lawn starting at noon. — Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pitmaster

Word History

Etymology

pit entry 1 (in barbecue pit) + master entry 1

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pitmaster was in 1984

Rhymes for pitmaster

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Browse Nearby Words

pitmaster
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Cite this Entry

“Pitmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitmaster. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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