Moe Cason Is the Midwestern BBQ Ace Helping Select the Ultimate 'Pitmasters'

As Moe Cason confidently weaves through the set of Pitmasters spilling tips like he’s seasoning his signature Memphis-Style Chicken, you might think that he picked up this wisdom through some intense training or yearslong courses. But “Big Moe” readily admits that he learned everything he knows by putting in the reps.

It’s been 20 years since he first attempted to cook over a live fire. By burning more steaks than he’d like to count and turning out chewy, tough ribs a time or two (or 12), Moe slowly became a more confident barbecue buff.

“My first contest, I was third from the bottom,” Moe explained on an episode of Destination America’s barbecue competition show Smoked. “And now I’m in the top 1% in the country.”

Read on to learn more about how Moe rose to barbecue fame and the family members who have supported him each bite along the way, plus where to find his products and more episodes of his shows to help take your brisket and burnt ends to the next level.

History and Background

Several times, Marlando “Big Moe” Cason has described himself as “born, raised and corn-fed out of Des Moines, Iowa.” This heartland city is the capital of the state that happens to be home to the most pigs (there’s one for every seven residents) and the most corn (Iowa farmers harvest 2.6 billion bushels each year).

Moe’s passion for the pit started very early. “We always cooked around the house, and we did a lot of grilling. About the time I turned 10, my mom handed me the grilling duties at camping and picnics, and that’s how I really got into it. I just loved it,” Moe told Big Green Egg, reminiscing about those first few hot dogs he proudly tended to with pride.

He had a long pause between that first spark and taking to the pit full time, though. After school, Moe joined the Navy and served on the USS Missouri during the Gulf War’s Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s.

“The Navy was the best decision for me because it taught me the life lessons I needed to really grow up. It made me into a man,” Moe has said.

After saluting for the final time, Moe picked up a new job as a water treatment operator at Des Moines Water Works. On nights and weekends, he picked up some new hobbies, too. First, collecting muscle cars. Then, competing in truck-pulling contests at county fairs. And eventually, he landed back where he was at age 10: behind a grill. Inspired by watching cooking competition shows on TV, Moe entered his first barbecue contest in 2006, and “I have been addicted ever since,” Moe dished to Big Green Egg. “My wife says ‘obsessed’ is more like it … I live it. I breathe it. I am barbecue.”

Along the way, he founded Ponderosa BBQ, a team that became a household name among those in the competition circuit for its pork shoulder, ribs, brisket and chicken in particular, all cooked over clean-burning woods like white oak and pecan. According to Moe, a pitmaster is just as it sounds: someone who can “manage and master your pit. Cooking in 0-degree weather to 100-degree weather and turn out great smoked meats.”

After repeated TV appearances and competition award ceremonies, Moe became a brand himself. These days, his team can be found at food festivals and events rocking T-shirts with logos boasting “Moe Cason BBQ.”

Family Life

One of Moe’s biggest culinary inspirations is his grandmother Margaret Cason, who had 17 children. Despite having a very full plate (and kitchen of kiddos!), to save money, Margaret managed to make pies, cakes and homemade dinners from scratch, Moe noted. Margaret taught Mary, Moe’s mom, how to cook. And Mary then passed the lessons along to her two kids: Moe and his sister.

Moe met his wife, Angelena (Nena), in 1993, and together they had four daughters, who are now 16 to 30 years old. Sadly, Nena passed away in 2023 from kidney cancer.

Moe's Cookbook, Spice Blends and Sauces

In 2017, Moe debuted his first branded products. Available online and in select supermarkets, you can now purchase Moe’s barbecue spice rubs and sauces to coat your meat in the same magical mixtures that have earned Big Moe hundreds of awards.

If you’d like to steal even more of Moe’s secrets, check out his 2024 cookbook Big Moe's Big Book of BBQ: 75 Recipes From Brisket and Ribs to Cornbread and Mac and Cheese. Not all of the recipes require staying up all night to tend to a smoker. In fact, some of the biggest fan favorites are family-friendly weeknight recipes like Hawaiian burgers and spicy mac and cheese. (“The recipes are easy to follow and he fully describes his techniques so that a novice can become a pro overnight,” one five-star reviewer raved.)

Moe's Awards and Accolades

Myron Mixon, the five-time barbecue World Champion who has earned the tagline of “winningest man in barbecue,” was blown away by Moe’s cooking so much that he told the pitmaster, “You can cook on my team any time.”

Moe has the accolades to back this up. After participating in more than 270 competitions across 35 states, he boasts multiple Grand and Reserve Grand Championship wins. (Peek at his hands to spot some of the supersized rings he earned as a result!) Moe’s proud that he’s no one-trick pony, and has scored a perfect 180 in chicken, ribs and pork shoulder to date. In addition, his sauce ranked second at the 2012 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational.

Moe's TV Appearances

Moe’s most recent starring role is as a Pitmasters judge alongside Ernest Servantes, Jess Pryles and host Andrew Zimmern. We’re guessing that the teams are glad Big Moe’s a judge rather than a competitor!

This isn’t Moe’s first rodeo as a judge. In fact, he has been part of the powerful panel that selected the winners for two episodes of Chopped.

While he’s comfortable sharing constructive criticism and advice, Moe has certainly spent a fair share of time competing and showing off his skills on TV himself. You can watch Moe in action on nostalgic episodes of Food Network’s BBQ Pitmasters, Chopped: Grill Masters and Destination America’s BBQ Pit Wars. His succulent, flavorful barbecue chicken made Sunny Anderson swoon and Geoffrey Zakarian jealous during a 2018 episode of The Kitchen.

Craving even more Big Moe? You can join him and reigning BBQ Brawl Season 7 champion Bob Trudenak virtually or in person for a class. The BFFs can coach you through basics like meat selection and trimming, plus more advanced topics like whether you should or shouldn’t wrap your ribs, the proper way to season and the little finishing touches that can help make your 'cue rival what might take home an award at a competition.

Fun Facts About Moe

• Birthday: November 8, making him a Scorpio
• In 2017, Moe starred in a Little Caesars' ad for a smokehouse pizza. A few years later, a Des Moines pizza restaurant, Dough Co., debuted a Moe Cason BBQ Pizza topped with Moe’s smoked barbecue beef, barbecue chicken and his I-80 BBQ sauce.
• His car represents, with personalized “BBQ MOE” license plates.
• Moe used to explain that his nickname was a hat-tip to the fact that he was more than 400 pounds. In early 2026, Moe announced that he had lost 100 pounds and feels “SO much better.”
• Besides barbecue and his daughters, Moe’s other passions include shoes and cigars.
• One of his favorite unexpected barbecue tools is a meat tenderizer, which he relies on to puncture chicken skin before brining, seasoning, smoking and saucing for the best and crispiest results.