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Ray W. Johnson, Senior vBulletin (Pitmaster Club) Developer

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RayJ (pronounced RayJay) is our lead vBulletin programmer, the software that runs the Pitmaster Club. It is heavily customized thanks to him. RayJay has 35 years of comprehensive computer knowledge, with extensive experience in hardware, software, networking, programming, and operating systems.

Areas of expertise include: C++, C, PERL, PHP, Basic, JavaScript, jQuery, XML, HTML5, CSS3, JSON, AJAX, DOM, SOAP, CURL, Google Maps API, MySQL, MSSQL and Code Igniter. He has coded custom software solutions for various businesses, non-profits, and special projects. He has experience installing and administrating Linux servers and desktops (Red Hat/CentOS, Mint, Ubuntu, and more), WHM/CPanel, WordPress, vBulletin (v3, 4, and 5), phpBB, FluxBB, Invision Power Board, and a tiny bit of Joomla and Drupal.

Spotlight on our favorite products

Our Favorite Backyard Smoker

The amazing Karubecue is the most innovative smoker in the world. At its crux is a patented firebox that burns logs above the cooking chamber and sucks heat and extremely clean blue smoke into the thermostat-controlled oven. Click here for our review of this superb smoker.

– THIS IS NOT AN AD –

A world traveler, he has visited Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong) and many states in the US, including many with great BBQ.

Published On: 12/10/2018 Last Modified: 2/18/2023

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  • Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer - Founder and publisher of AmazingRibs.com, Meathead is known as the site's Hedonism Evangelist and BBQ Whisperer. He is also the author of the New York Times Best Seller "Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", named one of the "100 Best Cookbooks of All Time" by Southern Living.

 

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Millions come to AmazingRibs.com every month for high quality tested recipes, tips on technique, science, mythbusting, product reviews, and inspiration. But it is expensive to run a website with more than 2,000 pages and we don’t have a big corporate partner to subsidize us.

Our most important source of sustenance is people who join our Pitmaster Club. But please don’t think of it as a donation. Members get MANY great benefits. We block all third-party ads, we give members free ebooks, magazines, interviews, webinars, more recipes, a monthly sweepstakes with prizes worth up to $2,000, discounts on products, and best of all a community of like-minded cooks free of flame wars. Click below to see all the benefits, take a free 30 day trial, and help keep this site alive.


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Spotlight

These are not paid ads, they are a curated selection of products we love.

All of the products below have been tested and are highly recommended. Click here to read more about our review process.

Use Our Links To Help Keep Us Alive

Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our “buy now” links. This has zero impact on the price you pay but helps support the site.


Is This Superb Charcoal Grill A Kamado Killer?


The PK-360, with 360 square inches of cooking space, this rust-free, cast aluminum charcoal grill is durable and easy to use. It is beautifully designed, completely portable, and much easier to set up for 2-zone cooking than any round kamado. Click here to read our detailed review of the PK 360 and get a special AmazingRibs.com price!


A Propane Smoker That Performs Under Pressure

The Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker is the first propane smoker with a thermostat, making this baby foolproof. All you need to do is add wood to the tray above the burner to start smokin’. Click here to read our detailed review.


The Pit Barrel Cooker May Be Too Easy


The PBC has a rabid cult following for good reason. It’s among the best bargains for a smoker in the world. This baby cooks circles around cheap offset smokers because temperature control is so much easier. Click here to read our detailed review and the raves from people who own them.


The Cool Kettle With The Hinged Hood We Always Wanted


It’s hard to beat a Weber kettle, but Napoleon holds its own and adds some unique features to make their 22″ Pro Cart a great alternative! Click here for more about what makes this grill special.