Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice by Tony Ramirez – Hardback Cookbook

Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice is Tony Ramirez's hardback cookbook of Filipino- and Cajun-inspired recipes for the smoker, grill and firepit, from the Bay Area cook known online as TFTI BBQ. It's a big, generous party of a book, built around the two food cultures he grew up with.

Adobo meets the bayou, and the smoker's invited

Tony Ramirez taught himself barbecue over nearly 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, leaning on his parents' Filipino and Cajun cooking. His TFTI (Thanks For The Invite) recipes are known for bending the rules in ways that actually work. This book is the first time he's put the whole playbook on paper, and it brings flavours most backyard cookbooks never touch.

What's inside

The contents run in six chapters: BBQ and Smoking My Way, Filipino Favorites, Cajun Fire and Smoke, Wings Every Which Way, Party Food, and Smoke It. Up front there's a practical guide to charcoal and wood, then it's straight into the cooking.

Standouts include Spicy Filipino BBQ Chicken Skewers, a Tocino Pulled Pork Sandwich, BBQ Adobo Spareribs and his Dynamite Lumpia, plus Cajun Honey Butter Shrimp and Crispy Cajun Garlic Drumsticks. The wing chapter covers five ways to cook them, from Sinigang Wings to Sticky Adobo Wings, and the big-cook chapter lands Pastrami Beef Ribs, Foil Boat–Method Brisket and Bacon-Wrapped Pork Belly Lollipops.

Who it's for

Anyone who owns a smoker or kettle and wants new flavours rather than another brisket lecture. It suits confident beginners right through to seasoned cooks, and it's a winner for people who entertain, given there's a whole chapter of party food.

About Tony Ramirez

Tony Ramirez is a self-taught pitmaster from the San Francisco Bay Area who cooks as TFTI BBQ (@tfti.bbq). His food draws on his family's Filipino and Cajun traditions, and he's worked with brands including Chargriller, Camp Chef and Nomad. You'll also find him on Embers TV, cooking alongside other well-known live-fire creators.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

This is the one that drags adobo and Cajun spice into the smoke and makes them shake hands. The Smuggler's favourite page is the wing chapter, five different methods, and Sinigang Wings that borrow the sour punch of the classic Filipino soup. Grab it and your next cookout gets a whole new accent. Shelve it beside Wing Crush for even more wing firepower, and Food x Fire for global live-fire ideas. Dust your drumsticks with Heavenly Hell Soul Creole and pat the skin bone-dry first so it crisps.

Questions answered

Who wrote Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice?

It was written by Tony Ramirez, the self-taught Bay Area pitmaster known online as TFTI BBQ, whose cooking draws on his family's Filipino and Cajun roots.

What recipes are in Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice?

Six chapters cover Filipino favourites, Cajun dishes, wings, party food and big smokes, with recipes like BBQ Adobo Spareribs, Dynamite Lumpia, Cajun Honey Butter Shrimp, Pastrami Beef Ribs and Foil Boat–Method Brisket.

Is Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice good for beginners?

Yes. It opens with a guide to charcoal and wood and keeps the methods approachable, though the flavours will keep experienced cooks interested too.

Is it a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 224-page paper-over-board hardback published by Harvard Common Press, an imprint of Quarto, in 2025.

Does Backyard BBQ with Fire and Spice cover chicken wings?

Yes. Wings Every Which Way is a full chapter showing five ways to cook wings, with flavours like Sinigang, Bloody Mary and Sticky Adobo.