United States
Known by the handle Grillthissmokethat, J. Hughes is a U.S.-based outdoor cooking creator whose content spans grills, smokers, and griddles — with a particular affinity for Big Green Egg and Blackstone flat-top cooking.
Total Followers +0.3%
1.3M
Across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
Primary Platform
YouTube
211K followers · 17% of audience
Engagement
3.2%
vs. 1.5% category median
Sponsorship Tier
Macro
Est. $5.2K–$12K / IG post
| Window | YouTube | TikTok | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last 7 days | +0 +0.0% | +619 +0.2% | -214 -0.0% | +405 |
| Last 30 days | +0 +0.0% | +4K +1.3% | -500 -0.1% | +4K |
| Last 90 days | +2K +1.0% | +23K +6.8% | +2K +0.3% | +28K |
| Last 365 days | +2K +1.0% | +23K +6.8% | +2K +0.3% | +28K |
Daily follower snapshots from CreatorDB's longitudinal index.
| Brand | Type | Platform | Date | Performance vs. baseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Stove Sponsorship | Sponsored content | YouTube | Sep 2025 | — |
| Big Horn Outdoors Sponsorship | Sponsored content | YouTube | Jul 2025 | — |
| Smithfield Foods Food & Beverage | Sponsored content | Long-term | — | |
| Amazon Influencer Program E-Commerce / Affiliate | Channel sponsor | YouTube | Long-term | — |
Known by the handle Grillthissmokethat, J. Hughes is a U.S.-based outdoor cooking creator whose content spans grills, smokers, and griddles — with a particular affinity for Big Green Egg and Blackstone flat-top cooking. A teacher by profession, Hughes brings a structured, how-to sensibility to his videos, walking viewers through recipes with the patience of an educator rather than the flash of a food entertainer. His sister channel, TightwadDIY, reflects the same practical, value-oriented philosophy — doing more with what you have. Content ranges from smoked meats and creative griddle breakfasts to novelty recipes like bacon-wrapped Oreos, striking a balance between approachable weeknight cooking and weekend-project ambition.
His audience skews heavily American and trends older than most food creators, with a notable proportion of viewers in the 35-and-up demographic — a cohort with real purchasing power and genuine interest in backyard cooking equipment. Engagement runs well above category median across all platforms, with TikTok performing especially strongly, suggesting his short-form tutorials translate effectively to quick discovery. Sponsorships from Solo Stove and Big Horn Outdoors reinforce his positioning in the premium outdoor-cooking equipment space, and the Smithfield Brand association connects him to mainstream grocery — a combination that makes him a credible fit for both hardgoods and consumables as the outdoor cooking category continues to grow.
Grillthissmokethat reaches an audience concentrated in United States primarily through YouTube, and is best activated via long-form YouTube integrations, Instagram Reels and Stories, TikTok branded content. Their sponsorship history skews toward Food & Beverage, E-Commerce / Affiliate, a clear signal of fit for brands in those categories. Demonstrated partners include Solo Stove and Big Horn Outdoors. Engagement on YouTube runs around 3.2%, which points to an audience better suited to category-relevant, mid-funnel campaigns than to pure-reach buys. The channel's mix of long-form YouTube integrations and Instagram Reels and Stories lets a sponsor choose between short awareness placements and longer, more detailed integrations. Because the audience follows food content rather than arriving through untargeted reach, sponsorships that match the channel's subject matter tend to convert more efficiently than broad placements. A consistent, on-topic posting focus gives sponsors a predictable, brand-safe environment, lowering placement risk compared with broad, general-interest channels. Campaigns here are best measured on qualified engagement and consideration within the niche rather than on raw impression volume. For United States-focused brands in Food & Beverage and related categories, Grillthissmokethat offers a defined, creative-fit audience rather than broad, low-intent impressions.
Benchmark estimates for a creator at Grillthissmokethat's tier (Macro, 1.3M combined followers, United States). Pulled from CreatorDB's category benchmarks.
The CreatorDB Agency runs end-to-end influencer campaigns globally — shortlisting, outreach, contracting, and performance reporting. Talk to our team about building a campaign around creators in this niche.
He goes by J. Hughes, as referenced in his Instagram bio. He runs two separate channels — Grill This Smoke That for his cooking content and @TightwadDIY for his DIY projects, with his Amazon storefront also listed under the TightwadDIY name.
Yes — he describes himself as 'a teacher by trade' in his YouTube channel description. He credits that background as part of why his content leans so heavily into the how-to and tutorial style, showing viewers step-by-step techniques rather than just finished results.
He runs a second channel called @TightwadDIY alongside Grill This Smoke That. The DIY channel covers home improvement and hands-on projects, while Grill This Smoke That stays focused entirely on his passion for cooking outdoors on grills, smokers, and griddles.
His YouTube bio references cooking on a Big Green Egg, the popular kamado-style ceramic charcoal cooker, and his TikTok bio lists griddles, smokers, and grills as his main setups. Blackstone griddle content also appears regularly across his posts based on his hashtag usage.
Yes — bacon-wrapped Oreos is one of his signature recipes, with the hashtag #baconwrappedoreos appearing regularly across his content. It sits right at the crossroads of smoker cooking and indulgent sweet-and-savory flavors, which is very on-brand for his style.
He does — his Amazon store is linked under the @TightwadDIY handle and features grilling, smoking, and griddle products he personally uses. He plugs it directly in his YouTube channel description as a place viewers can find his go-to gear recommendations.
He has partnered with Solo Stove and Big Horn Outdoors on sponsored YouTube content, and has previously created branded posts for Smithfield based on his tagged content. His deals closely align with his niche — outdoor cooking equipment and quality meat products.
TightwadDIY is his companion channel focused on DIY home projects, separate from the cooking content on Grill This Smoke That. He links both channels together along with a shared Amazon storefront, suggesting the two audiences overlap around a hands-on, build-it-yourself lifestyle.
He leans into comfort-food staples on the flat-top, including breakfast sandwiches loaded with sausage and hashbrowns, which he's featured in recent posts. Blackstone-style griddle cooking sits alongside his smoker and charcoal grill content as part of his broader outdoor cooking lineup.
It's a signature hashtag he uses across his grilled and smoked meat content — essentially a personal brand slogan that captures the channel's core identity. It threads through everything from low-and-slow smoker recipes to bacon-wrapped creations, reinforcing his reputation as a dedicated backyard pitmaster.
Stats (followers, engagement, audience demographics, growth) are pulled live from the CreatorDB API covering YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Bio and FAQ content is AI-assisted; news items are sourced from cited public press at generation time. Read the full methodology →
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