Pit masters

With tailgating season now in full swing, 225 Dine sat down with a few of Baton Rouge’s barbecue masters to talk technique. Tony Idank, Kickers BBQ After years of moving from state to state, retired fireman and chef Tony Idank decided to put down roots and start a business in Baton Rouge. Yes, Idank is settled, but his business is movable. He is the owner of the popular food truck Kickers BBQ, known for its tasty, ready-to-eat barbecue and service with a smile. The meat of the matter: “I’m a hard [and] fast meat man,” Idank says, noting that he doesn’t marinate his meat because it distracts from the natural flavor. His trick: sublime cooking, a 12- to 14-hour process of cooking meat indirectly over the heat source at 215-230 degrees. But Kickers just wouldn’t be Kickers without the sauce, and Idank has something cooking that will please his regulars: A plan to sell Kickers sauce at local grocers is currently in the works. “We cook stuff that we like to eat … and I like the sauce, and it seems like everyone else does, too,” he says. “[Customers] drink it by the gallons.” Favorites: The Kicker (a fried hot dog), brisket fries and, of course, the sauce. Read more by clicking here.—Caroline Gerdes