Barbecue University®

Barbecue University® 2026: The Ultimate Live-Fire Experience

When the sun rises over California’s 10,000-acre Alisal Ranch on September 7, the air will fill with the scent of hardwood smoke. Steven Raichlen and his team are firing up 30+ grills and smokers for the most anticipated event of the culinary year.

Welcome to Barbecue University®—the unique school Eating Well magazine called a “fantasy camp for coal heads” and the Food Network named the #1 barbecue experience in the U.S.

From September 7–10, you can experience the lore, the hands-on learning, and the barbecue legend himself. This isn’t just a demonstration; it’s a masterclass in the art of the flame. You will learn to operate every imaginable grill and smoker in our massive outdoor classroom, including:

• The Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill (the $30,000 gold standard)
• Horizon Offset Barrel Smokers
• The latest Weber Stainless Steel Supergrills
• Kamados, Pellet Grills, Wood Burners, and Hibachis

Of course, you’ll master the five methods of live-fire cooking: direct grilling, indirect grilling, smoking, spit-roasting, and Steven’s signature “Caveman Grilling”—cooking meat directly on the glowing embers.

This year’s announced menus feature the blueprints for barbecue greatness. You’ll learn to grill a beef tomahawk, smoke a shrimp cocktail, and barbecue the baby back ribs Steven cooked to beat the Iron Chef in Tokyo. From “Dinosaur Bones” (monster beef ribs) and lomo al trappo (beef tenderloin grilled in a salt and cloth crust) to sesame-seared tuna and Oprah’s grilled chicken, you certainly won’t go hungry at BBQ U.

You’ll have a lot of fun grilling alongside your fellow students because you do the cooking under Steven’s supervision. Each class ends with a festive, legendary lunch. (And who knows? Maybe you’ll even find romance—Steven’s classes have resulted in two weddings!)

But it’s not all smoke and fire. At Barbecue University®, students have the afternoons off to enjoy the luxury of the Alisal Ranch. Ride among a herd of more than 100 horses, play championship golf, relax at the spa, or go wine tasting at the more than 100 wineries in the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley. If the area looks familiar, you likely recognize it from the movie Sideways, set in the charming town of Los Olivos just a few miles away.

Your tuition includes all classes, world-class meals, luxury accommodations, and your official Barbecue University® diploma.

Barbecue University®: Where the only marks you get are grill marks.

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Barbecue University 2026: Frequently Asked Questions