Swampscott firefighter has taste for smoke

SWAMPSCOTT – When he’s off duty, one Swampscott firefighter is dragging around a custom made barbecue smoker instead of fire hoses.Anthony Pierro, 39, who has been with department for seven years, is a master barbecue chef and, in his spare time, travels around the country entering barbecuing contests.The winner of numerous barbecue contests, Pierro named his team Eatin’ Smoke.”Because firefighters are called smoke eaters, the name seemed to fit,” he said. “I have a motor home and trailer so I carry my equipment around with me. I’m married and have three children so it’s fun for the whole family because a lot of the contests are centered around festivals and fairs.”Pierro said his barbecue has an Italian flavor with a Southern twist.”Growing up Italian, a lot of my cooking is based on Italian style,” he said. “I have barbecued my whole life. I did a lot of traveling down south and barbecuing is a lot more traditional down there but I’ve always liked to cook. When I turned 30 I started getting interested in these contests.” Pierro said his success is in his homemade sauces, rubs and using quality charcoal.”I make my own sauces and rubs,” he said. “I use charcoal and wood. That’s the real secret. You can’t use gas. I don’t even own a gas grill. Even if I’m just grilling up hot dogs I fire up the charcoal. You need to be patient too. Pulled pork can take up to 16 hours to cook at 225 degrees.”Pierro said he had a barbecue smoker custom made in Louisiana, which he uses for competition and he has taken to the firehouse on occasion.”When I dragged that thing in (to the fire station) one weekend that really got their attention,” he said. “Now the guys at the station want me to make them ribs all the time. Brisket and pulled pork are my favorite though.”Pierro said the majority of the competitions are sanctioned by Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) and he is a member of the New England Chapter of that organization.”Guys take these competitions very seriously,” he said. “You enter local competitions to qualify for the state championships. Last year I made it to the state championship. I take it seriously and would like to make National Championship in Tennessee.”Pierro said every contest has the same four categories and there are usually 40 to 50 teams in each competition.”You enter in every category – chicken, ribs, pork and brisket,” he said. “Some contests have a chef’s choice category too.”Pierro is also a KCBS certified barbecue judge.”When I go to friends’ houses for burgers or steaks, I take a bite and they just look at me waiting for me to critique it,” he said.Pierro encouraged everyone to try their hand at barbecuing.”I really enjoy it,” he said. “Just because we’re from New England doesn’t mean we can’t barbecue with the best of them. I wish more people would try it.”