Cooking with Big Poppa

From championship barbecue to everyday family meals, Cooking with Big Poppa helps home cooks build confidence, master essential techniques, and create food worth gathering around.

Great food brings people together. Cooking with Big Poppa gives you the recipes, techniques, and confidence to make every meal worth gathering around.

World Champion pitmaster, two-time BBQ Hall of Fame inductee, entrepreneur, musician, and Big Poppa Smokers founder Sterling “Big Poppa” Ball has spent decades helping people become better cooks—not just better barbecue cooks. Now, he brings that experience into your kitchen with a cookbook that goes far beyond the smoker.

Inside youll find flavorful recipes for barbecue classics, hearty breakfasts, sandwiches, fresh vegetables, satisfying sides, desserts, and everyday family meals—all built around practical techniques that make cooking approachable and enjoyable. Whether youre smoking your first brisket, grilling dinner, or searching for a new family favorite, Sterling shows you how to create bold flavors with confidence.

More than a collection of recipes, Cooking with Big Poppa teaches the fundamentals behind great cooking. Along the way, Sterling shares practical tips, flavor-building techniques, and lessons learned from decades of competition, teaching, and cooking for family and friends.

Filled with inspiring photography, easy-to-follow recipes, and expert instruction, Cooking with Big Poppa is your guide to cooking with confidence, gathering with purpose, and creating memories around the table—one meal at a time.