Inside the Small Batch World of Oakridge BBQ with Mike Trump

Welcome to another episode of the BBQ Beat Podcast… I’m your host…  Kevin Sandridge.

You know, more and more in today’s BBQ world, you hear people use words like hand-crafted and small-batch… so much so that it’s hard to tell if we’re all really on the same page when using these terms.

In today’s episode, I’m talking with Mike Trump of Oakridge BBQ, maker of rubs that fit the definition of words like hand-crafted, small-batch, and even batch-aged.

I’ve been a customer of Mike’s without his knowledge now for at least six or seven years. Many of you already love his rubs, brines, seasonings, and injections.

Names like Secret Weapon, Game Changer, Dominator, Black Ops, and Carne Crosta bring a great big smile to your face. They do this because you’ve delighted everyone from yourself, to BBQ judges, to the most important group of all – your friends and family – with the results you get from using these blends.

As I talk with Mike, you’ll hear the origin story of Oakridge BBQ, you’ll become intimately familiar with the painstaking effort he takes to source and use only the finest spices on the planet, and … if you’re like me… you’ll come away with even greater respect for Mike and what he’s doing at Oakridge BBQ.

Now understand, Mike’s hands touch ever rub and seasoning blend that comes out of his shop. If you see a bag of Oakridge BBQ Rub anywhere from California to Maine to England or Australia, it’s come through one central Oakridge BBQ facility in Kearney, Missouri operated and managed by one Mr. Mike Trump.

Because of Mike’s intense focus on his product, he’s had limited opportunity to get out into the world of social media, get out to visit retail shops or some of the nearly 90 cook teams he sponsors here in the US and across the globe.

This interview is one of those “pull back the curtain” experiences that I love to see come together. If you have an interest in how a business like Oakridge BBQ comes together and operates, what it takes in terms of day-in and day-out focus, you’re in for a real treat.

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