pitmaster

noun

pit·​mas·​ter ˈpit-ˌma-stər 

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

Three more Maryland restaurants and a local pitmaster were named semifinalists in this year’s RAMMY Awards, highlighting the region’s growing fast-casual and barbecue scenes. —Jane Godiner, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026

An upcoming not-for-profit barbecue and music festival called Syndicate Smokedown & Music Festival on April 18, 2026, will bring two-dozen pitmasters to Fort Worth for an evening headlined by country-rock band Whiskey Myers. —Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026

Best Restaurants ​​Lewis Barbecue Greenville Led by legendary pitmaster John Lewis, Lewis Barbecue brings serious Central Texas-style barbecue to Greenville. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026

Often the meats are wrapped in agave leaves and cooked in underground ovens, though some pitmasters substitute banana leaves. —Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pitmaster

• bandmaster
• broadcaster
• cadastre
• disaster
• forecaster
• headmaster
• newscaster
• paymaster
• pilaster
• postmaster
• roadmaster
• schoolmaster