East Idaho Eats: Mouthwatering BBQ at Pitmaster BarBQue Company

IDAHO FALLS — The smells and flavor of Pitmaster BarBQue Company in Idaho Falls draw a crowd every day of the week.

In 2008, owner Rob Harding and his family started traveling the country competing in a variety of barbecue competitions.

“(We) won a quite a few awards,” Harding said. “People really liked it so we thought we had a pretty good product and that we could open a restaurant.”

The company is now in its third year, although Harding said he has been cooking professionally for some 20 years. He boasts everything in his restaurant is made from scratch.

“The recipes and things we have at Pitmaster BarBQue Company is a combination of a lot of eating,” Harding said.

Harding and his employees treat every meal prepared like a barbecue competition — everything is calculated even down to the wood they use.

One of the restuarant’s most popular dishes is the St. Louis cut spare rib. First the fat is peeled off the back of the ribs, next honey mustard is added to help bind the signature rib rub.

They don’t actually rub the meat because it can clog the pores and the meat won’t be as juicy, Harding said. After being seasoned, the meat is left to sit for a few minutes, and then tossed into the smoker for five hours at 225 degrees. When the meat is cooked it is grilled with their competition sauce to finish.

A first time customer said he ordered “The Baxter,” and it was better than he expected.

“Sometimes barbecue can be a little too smoky for me. I thought this was perfect,” Ryan Balzarini said, “It was just a nice hint if smoke.”

Harding said he’s put a lot of time and effort into his barbecue and it’s truly his passion.

“This is an extension of me personally. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into this,” he said.

Pitmaster BarBQue Company is planning on expanding and will soon have 2 locations in town. They can be found at 1305 Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, or check them out on Facebook.