PAYING HOMAGE TO THE “LITTLE GUY”

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in the world of culinary entertainment as barbecue pitmasters have risen to celebrity status. Once considered a niche passion, barbecue has now become a mainstream phenomenon, with individuals displaying their skills on television shows, live events, and social media. This surge in popularity has transformed these pitmasters into household names, attracting a dedicated fan base and diverse opportunities for collaboration and branding.

Introducing Bill Marshall and his co-pitmaster, Joe Martin. Together, they are Rollin Coals RI BBQ, a Rhode Island-based competition BBQ team. Although short on experience as competitors, they are long on passion, dedication, and focus as they embark on their arduous journey into the world of competition BBQ.  I took a ride on a recent Sunday afternoon to meet them and hear their story. It was a gray and damp day in Warwick that afternoon. As soon as I arrived and exited my vehicle, I was immediately greeted by the sweet and savory aroma of a charcoal fire laced with wood chunks. It was obvious what was occurring at that moment, and the day suddenly turned bright, as if the sun had come out.   

Bill and Joe are both Rhode Island natives. Both are fathers of 2 children, with Bill being a single father. They met about a year and a half ago through a mutual barber. The trio shared a common love for BBQ. When asked, “What got you started in BBQ?” Bill replied, “We just love to eat BBQ.” One would be hard-pressed to think of a better reason than that.  Bill was already into BBQ, performing backyard cooks on his Oklahoma Joe offset. Joe was getting into the game and soon acquired his first Masterbuilt electric smoker.  Their paths merged as they became a team of two collaborating as one. It wasn’t long before they decided to take their game from casual backyard BBQ to the rigors and challenges of high-stakes competition BBQ. When asked, “What inspired you to take the leap from BBQ enthusiasts to competition BBQ.?  Bill replied, “I started watching competitions on YouTube and had to try it out. Once I did, I was hooked for life!”  Such is the genesis of Rollin Coals RI BBQ.  Their style of BBQ is a work in progress as they continue to develop and experiment with various flavor profiles. Sauces have been different combinations of various products. Rubs are mainly salt/pepper/garlic for brisket and variations of Blues Hogg BBQ seasonings for pork. With chicken, they “keep it simple” with basic salt and pepper applications. Beef brisket is their favorite meat to smoke. Although they continue to work in partnership as a team, they get special assistance from Bill’s 4-year-old daughter, Ava, who loves to help with her favorite category, which is ribs. She calls them “Ribby’s,” according to her father, Bill. In preparation for the road ahead, Bill picked up and transitioned to an Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco drum smoker. These are basically a 55-gallon steel drum and would be the vehicle they would use going into competition with.

 With only a year of experience as backyard BBQ enthusiasts, Rollin Coals RI BBQ entered their first competition, the Baby Mac’s Smoker Challenge at Wood’s Tavern in West Greenwich on October 21, 2023. This event was a Northeast Barbecue Society sanctioned event to benefit A Wish Come True Inc. Categories included chicken, pulled pork, baby back ribs and a special fourth category…ancillary appetizer. This event included 9 competitors with Rollin Coals RI BBQ taking 5^th place, HOWEVER….Rollin Coals BBQ took FIRST PLACE in the ancillary appetizer category with an entry of a shrimp stuffed with pineapple/habanero and wrapped in bacon!  Sounds delicious!  Congratulations and well done!  Quite an accomplishment on their very first competition!

The next event for Rollin Coals RI BBQ would be the Rhode Island State BBQ Championship, which took place on July 5-6, 2024, in Warwick.  RIBBQ news covered the event and had the pleasure of meeting Bill and his team representing Rhode Island on their home turf..  With over 20 competitors and officially sanctioned by Champions Barbecue Alliance , CBA, the team made a giant leap in only their second competition. Very ambitious indeed and quite commendable.  They were about to face some stiff competition as nationally ranked teams came in to compete from as far away as Texas. Bill and Joe were about to face off against teams that had given them the greatest inspiration in their journey…Smokin Hoggz BBQ, out of Abington Ma., and Chicken Fried BBQ, with Bill Purvis, out of Magnolia, Texas. Although they did not place in any category with all four of their entries: chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket, the experience of competing against highly notable teams was immeasurable as they added to their expertise and resume moving forward. As of this writing, Bill and Joe already are taking their next leap as they venture forward. They have purchased a custom-built 500-gallon trailer pull offset smoker and are prepared to tackle the challenge of such a significant upgrade. What makes this task even more daunting is the fact they wish to enter their next competition in only 3 WEEKS, on September 14 in Cranston, RI. The Millers Crossing annual BBQ event benefits the Friends of Jake organization. Sanctioned by the Northeast Barbecue Society, this contest qualifies for the 2024 Ken Dakai cup. We hope to see Bill and Joe in this event with their new rig representing Rhode Island as Rollin Coals RI BBQ! 

Hat’s off to Bill and Joe! They are Rollin Coals RI BBQ. New to the competition BBQ circuit but have the courage, temperament and determination to make their mark. Just keep in mind that no matter how big we become, we were all a “little guy” at one time.            

Tom Pino

Tom’s journey as a butcher began during the years in the mid-70s, marking the onset of a remarkable 49-year career in the meat industry. Starting as an apprentice in 1981, he immersed himself in the art of butchery amidst supermarkets. His career trajectory took him from mastering meat cutting to assuming management and merchandising roles across five major companies in southeastern New England. His expertise in meat and his dedication to the craft led him to embrace the BBQ fever in the early 2000s. He acquired a basic horizontal offset smoker and began his journey as an amateur pit master. Tom’s passion for BBQ grew as he experimented with modification techniques to enhance smoker performance. Tom’s profound knowledge of meat and his love for BBQ have seamlessly merged.

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