Ignite your passion for BBQ
This is a space to share more about the business: who's behind it, what it does and what this site has to offer. It’s an opportunity to tell the story behind the business or describe a special service or product it offers.
the
Colonel's
story
Our core values
Born under a smoky sky somewhere between the Bavarian Alps, the backstreets of Baton Rouge, and a bushfire-lit paddock outside Murrumbateman — Colonel Fatboy von Bootleg was destined for greatness… or at least great meat.
Raised on a strict diet of bratwurst, burnt ends, and backyard banter, the young Colonel spent his early years wrangling Weber lids and converting Grandma’s sauerkraut secrets into low-and-slow BBQ gold.
He allegedly once cold-smoked a whole wild boar using nothing but eucalyptus bark, a defunct BMW muffler, and the emotional trauma of Eurovision 1998. Though he’s never served in any official military, he proudly carries the title “Colonel” — leading his rebel BBQ empire with tongs in one hand, a stein in the other, and absolutely no regard for culinary borders.
His BBQ philosophy?
"Flavour is freedom. Smoke is diplomacy. And crackling is a human right."
The legend lives on — in every brisket, every brat, and every smoky tale shared by the fire.
Keep the smoke rolling.
Bootleg BBQ
How I Got Here
Slow, deliberate, and by hand. This whole thing started with a smoker, not a business plan. I’ve been cooking low and slow for about fifteen years, learning the hard way what works and what doesn’t. Over time, I began documenting everything — process, ratios, fire control, the lot; except I didn’t have a goal or purpose for doing it just my need to understand process.
That became *10 Steps to BBQ Greatness – 2025 Edition* — not a recipe book, but a manual for how to think about BBQ properly. It set a benchmark for how I do things: clear structure, no fluff, and everything built on actual cooks.
When the book hit Amazon’s top 3, it proved the idea had legs — people wanted authentic, not gimmicky.
The Old Canberra Inn Collaboration
Proof It Works in the Real World, after the book came the kitchen. Old Canberra Inn gave me a platform to take the Bootleg recipes from page to plate.
We built the menu around two hero dishes: The Bootlegger Texas Brisket Roll and The Triple Bootleg Tacos.
Everything was weighed, timed, and repeatable. Brisket from Andrew’s Meats, rolls from the local bakery, sauces and rubs all made in-house.
Nothing should hit a plate without control — the first day it was process-driven chaos but we will improve and it will only get better, just like my book preaches.
The collaboration proves three things: the recipes hold up under service pressure; customers connect to the story; and the Colonel persona gives the brand a face that people remember.
That’s where *Keep the Smoke Rolling* became more than a tagline — it became the rhythm of the work.
Proof It Works in the Real World, after the book came the kitchen. Old Canberra Inn gave me a platform to take the Bootleg recipes from page to plate. We built the menu around two hero dishes: The Bootlegger Texas Brisket Roll and The Triple Bootleg Tacos.
Everything was weighed, timed, and repeatable. Brisket from Andrew’s Meats, rolls from the local bakery, sauces and rubs all made in-house. Nothing should hit a plate without control — the first day it was process-driven chaos but we will improve and it will only get better, just like my book preaches.
The collaboration proves three things: the recipes hold up under service pressure; customers connect to the story; and the Colonel persona gives the brand a face that people remember.
That’s where *Keep the Smoke Rolling* became more than a tagline — it became the rhythm of the work.
A product line
Once I realized that people could be asking how to take the flavour home, I quantified my formulations into professional measures to create real, repeatable blends: Martin’s Magic Dust, Colonel’s Flavour Dust, Rosemary Salt – Garlic & Lemon Edition, Sweet & Savoury Pork Rub – Umami Edition, and Bootleg BBQ Sauce – Spiced Rum Edition
(plus its Gluten-Free version).
Every one of these has a master formulation, proper weights, yields, and production notes. They’re 100% original, created from scratch and tested through pit boss services.
Once I realized that people could be asking how to take the flavour home, I quantified my formulations into professional measures to create real, repeatable blends: Martin’s Magic Dust, Colonel’s Flavour Dust, Rosemary Salt – Garlic & Lemon Edition, Sweet & Savoury Pork Rub – Umami Edition, and Bootleg BBQ Sauce – Spiced Rum Edition
(plus its Gluten-Free version).
Every one of these has a master formulation, proper weights, yields, and production notes. They’re 100% original, created from scratch and tested through pit boss services.
