The Pitmaster

Henry Spivey served in WWII as an Army cook in Greenland and the Philippines. Before and after the war, he was a butcher and farmer. He raised two boys, Curtis and Richard, who would grow up in the meat market and learn the trade. Curtis began the tradition of hosting an annual BBQ for his friends and family in 1974, a couple of months before Jeremy was born.

That makes Jeremy Spivey the 3rd generation "meat head" in his family. His passion for making BBQ began tending the late-night hickory wood bonfire that would produce the coals to pit-smoke hams and shoulders for those annual BBQs. Those long nights at the open pit taught him the patience needed to wait for the perfect time to take the meat off the smoker. He proudly continues this process today on a home-build trailer smoker that uses the same principles to make mouth-watering BBQ.

The Tools

Our pit is a single-axle trailer with two levels of cooking grates and about 20 square feet of cooking surface. The firebox is six feet long and can burn for 12 continuous hours without a recharge.

The Process

Low and slow, with a light dry rub of Spivey-Q rub. We use a combination of hickory, oak, pecan, mesquite, and charcoal to provide a flavor profile that is reminiscent of old-school pit-cooked BBQ.

The Awards

Spivey-Q, competing as Sloppy Jones BBQ, has taken home 1st place trophies in all categories and is a Grand Champion of the MN Renaissance Festival. We have also competed in KCBS-sanctioned competitions against the world's best teams.