-SR

The Women Who Inspired My BBQ Journey

By, Susie Bulloch

When I first started my BBQ journey in 2012, the industry was dominated by men. But that never stopped the incredibly talented women who were out there, holding their own and showing the world that great barbecue isn’t bound by gender. From competition legends to modern online BBQ content creators, women have always played a crucial role in shaping the world of live fire cooking. These women have not only inspired me in my own BBQ career, but also paved the way for others to find their place behind the grill.

The FireStarters: Women Who Shaped Competition BBQ

One of the first women I admired in the world of BBQ was Leanne Whippen. A fierce competitor and pitmaster, Leanne has built an impressive career, from winning titles on the competition circuit to running successful restaurants. I first saw her on the TV show BBQ Pitmasters holding her own against a group of entirely male competitors. There was a moment when I started my own website where I told myself, “if Leanne can take up space in the BBQ space, so can I.” Her dedication and passion for the craft made me believe that women could compete and win at the highest levels of barbecue.

Another name that immediately comes to mind is Melissa Cookston. Known as the “Winningest Woman in BBQ,” Melissa’s success in competition BBQ is nothing short of legendary. A seven-time world champion and owner of Memphis BBQ Company, her skill with pork, particularly whole hog, is unmatched. Her cookbook, “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” was published the year before I started Hey Grill Hey and became a pivotal publication in my BBQ education. Watching her dominate competitions, expand her brand, and shift her focus to education and the next generation of young pitmasters made me want to push myself further and continue honing my own skills.

Then there’s Megan Day, a powerhouse pitmaster who has seamlessly blended competition BBQ with an approachable, fun style that inspires home cooks and competitors alike. Megan’s passion for sharing knowledge and making BBQ accessible has always resonated with me, especially as I built my own platform to encourage more people to fire up their grills. Megan is an approachable resource and a solid friend who also makes some of the most delicious Kansas City style BBQ on the market, Burnt Finger BBQ Sauce. In fact she won Best BBQ sauce on the planet in 2024.

Of course, I can’t forget Amy Mills, whose work in preserving BBQ history and tradition has had a lasting impact. As the daughter of legendary pitmaster Mike Mills, she carried on his legacy while also making a name for herself as an author, educator, and advocate for great barbecue. We met on the set of a competition BBQ show on the Food Network and I was instantly impressed. Her dedication to storytelling and preserving BBQ culture reminds me why I love sharing recipes and techniques with the world.

The TorchBearers: Social Media Influencers and Live Fire Cooks

While competition BBQ legends inspired my early journey, a new wave of women is making waves in live fire cooking and social media. These women have taken BBQ beyond the competition circuit and into the homes and hearts of people worldwide.

Jess Pryles is a force in the BBQ world. As the founder of Hardcore Carnivore and a meat scientist, she has changed the way people think about grilling, meat selection, and seasoning. Her deep knowledge and ability to educate have influenced how I approach teaching BBQ techniques to my audience.

Another incredible woman in BBQ is Christie Vanover. Her dedication to making BBQ approachable and fun through her Girls Can Grill website and competition BBQ team has inspired countless women to step outside and start grilling. She’s an amazing teacher, and her love of experimenting with flavors is something I truly admire. She’s also a huge BBQ community builder, hosting the largest KCBS competition on the west coast and starting the Girls Can Grill Pro Team (more on that later!)

Mary Cressler, co-founder of Vindulge, is another inspiration. She seamlessly blends wine and BBQ, creating a unique space where live fire cooking meets sophisticated pairings. Her storytelling and recipe development, highlighting the unique ingredients of her Pacific Northwest has created a new regional style of American BBQ. She is also a published cookbook author of Fire and Wine, with her second cookbook coming out soon.

And finally, Breanna Stark, who has taken social media by storm with her bold, live fire cooking. Breanna’s fearless approach to grilling and her engaging content have inspired a whole new generation of women to take up the tongs and explore the world of BBQ with confidence. Her recipes have gone viral, reaching millions of people who are brand new to BBQ.

The Future of Que: A New Generation of Pitmasters

As more women step into the spotlight, a new generation of young female pitmasters is making waves in the BBQ world. These talented young women are proving that the future of BBQ is bright and inclusive.

The Girls Can Grill Pro Team, led by Christie Vanover, is nurturing and showcasing the next wave of female BBQ talent.

Young women like MacKenna York from Team Moodyteenbbq of Herriman, Utah, are showing exceptional skills and dedication to the craft at such a young age.

Raelyn Barker from Team Chupacabra of Three Rivers, Texas, is another rising star, making a name for herself with her competitive fire and passion for live fire cooking.

Sisters Sammie, Katie, and Abby Hoffman from Team Lucky Ladies BBQ of Las Vegas, Nevada, are proving that BBQ is a family affair, competing together and continuing the tradition of great pitmasters.

And from Team Moodswing BBQ of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Jocelyn, Brooklyn, Addy, and Katie Moody are carrying the torch forward, demonstrating that young women belong in the world of BBQ just as much as anyone else.

These young women are not just the future of BBQ—they are the present, and they are already making an incredible impact on the industry.

Women Are Leading the Way in BBQ

For decades, women have been behind the scenes in BBQ, but today, they are stepping into the spotlight more than ever. The influence of these incredible women, from competition champions to digital creators, has helped shape my own career and style of cooking. Whether it’s appearing on TV, sharing recipes online, or helping others find their confidence at the grill, I’ve made it my own mission to continue opening doors for more women in BBQ.

BBQ isn’t just about fire and smoke—it’s about community, tradition, and passion. And now, more than ever, women are taking the tongs and redefining what it means to be a pitmaster. The women in this article have become more than inspirations to me. They’ve become a huge part of my own extended BBQ family. Seeing more women step up, share their love for live fire cooking, and inspire the next generation makes me incredibly proud to be part of this movement.

So if you’ve ever thought about stepping into the backyard but weren’t sure if BBQ was for you, let me assure you—it absolutely is. The women of BBQ, past and present, have proven that the grill belongs to everyone. It’s time to light the fire and make your mark.

About Susie Bulloch

Susie Bulloch is a passionate BBQ expert, recipe developer, and founder of Hey Grill Hey, a popular online platform dedicated to helping people master the art of live fire cooking. With years of experience behind the grill, Susie has become a trusted voice in the BBQ community, sharing mouthwatering recipes, grilling tips, and techniques that inspire both beginners and seasoned pitmasters. She has appeared on national television, judged prestigious BBQ competitions, and played a pivotal role in encouraging more women to step into the world of barbecue. Whether she’s firing up a smoker in her backyard or teaching others how to build

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First of all, I’d like to tip my fedora to all the women throughout the world who mastered live-fire cooking in their fireplaces or in fire pits. I cannot imagine producing meals for families each day under such primitive circumstances. Starting and banking the fire. Controlling the heat. In some parts of the world, of course, cooking is still done this way. The closest I have come to imitating this method of live-fire cooking has been camp cooking.

But I digress. Below are profiles of women who have made names for themselves in barbecue.

The Women of Barbecue

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This book, by Rodney Scott, stopped me in my tracks. Part memoir, part recipe book, I read this book cover to cover in one night. I loved it.

Rodney is a James Beard award winner and the owner of three outstanding restaurants in Charleston, Birmingham, and Atlanta. I didn’t need Black History Month (February) to write about this amazing pit master. I knew Black Americans jump-started America’s love affair with barbecue.

Rodney barbecued his first whole hog when he was eleven years old. Yes, you read that right. I wasn’t even allowed to light a match at that age. And how can you not love someone whose motto is “Every Day is a Good Day?”

Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ Book Review

As soon as I read the first few pages, I was all in. Rodney’s recipes are simple, but sublime. Take a look at this recipe for Spareribs!

“One constant in the South is that everywhere you go, pork is king,” Here, too, Rodney. I now live in Iowa (again). Rodney makes me want to build a barbecue pit from cement blocks in my back yard. He gives clear directions in this book.

And that’s really the thing. Rodney’s book is so inspiring! In this barbecue tome, Rodney shares everything he knows about barbecue. He even divulges his trick for lighting a fire—one I used with great success last weekend: I smeared some bacon fat (you could use shortening, like Crisco) over some cardboard, then lit it on fire under my chimney starter. This summer, I intend to cook my way through this marvelous book, recipe by recipe. Even the Banana Pudding,

I don’t have a lot of shelf space, but this book will have pride of place.

Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day: A Cookbook

Buy Now ‣

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 by Adrian Miller. 
 
I’ve acknowledged the enormous Black contribution to American barbecue in previous books, of course, and have written about African American pit masters in newspaper articles and blogs.   But I was never quite able to put names and faces to these legions of “barbecue kings” (as pit masters were called in the 19th century) who laid the foundation for modern American barbecue.
 
Lawyer, public policy adviser, and soul food scholar Adrian Miller has done just that in his fascinating book, and in the process, has rewritten the history of American barbecue.   His stories are mouthwatering, sometimes heartbreaking, and always inspiring.   Black Smoke is a must read for anyone who cares about this distinctly American culinary art.  The recipes, like Old Arthurs’s Pork Belly Burnt Ends are pretty awesome, too. 
 
SR

I know you’re a certified barbecue judge and great barbecue enthusiast.    Did you grow up in a barbecue family?   What prompted you to write this book?   Why now?
 
OK. I have to admit something that might lose me all street cred on this subject: I grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. Hold on, let me win you back. My late mom is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and my dad is from Helena, Arkansas, so, barbecue was a vibrant part of my family’s food traditions. We rarely went out for barbecue. We cooked it at home on the major holidays, family reunions, and church outings during the summer. I was moved to write this book after noticing that African Americans were notably absent from television shows on, and magazine articles about, barbecue. Given barbecue’s tremendous popularity, I wanted to remind people of the significant contributions that African Americans made to this cuisine.

Adrian Miller, author of Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue

What are some of the most important contributions the Black and African American communities have made to the United States of Barbecue?
 
By the 1700s, African Americans were southern, or pit, barbecue’s “go-to” cooks. This type of barbecue fused African, European, and Indigenous meat cooking and seasoning techniques, and enslaved African Americans perfected it over a couple of centuries. After Emancipation, African Americans were recruited and sent to every part of the country to make authentic southern barbecue at all kinds of special events. In many cases, they stayed and kick-started a community’s barbecue restaurant scene.

What were some of the most surprising things you discovered about African American barbecue over the centuries?

A few things come to mind, and some are “duh” moments. I didn’t know how deeply barbecue was tied to slavery. Old school barbecue is so labor intensive—digging the pits, chopping the wood, butchering, processing, and cooking the animals—that the massive feasts were mainly possible because enslaved African Americans did the work. I had previously bought in to the idea that “southern barbecue” was all about pork. I was surprised that any whole animal could wind up on the pit including: cows (usually quartered), goats, possum, racoons, and sheep . . . anything. I was astounded that the barbecuing smaller cuts of meat, like brisket and spareribs, has only been a thing since the turn of the 20th century. It was also cool to find so many Black women who were top-notch barbecuers. That really upends the idea of barbecue as an “all boys club.”

Tell us about a few of the interesting people and pit masters you uncovered in your research.

Ah, man! So many interesting people. My short list begins with Mary John, an enslaved woman who “superintended” barbecues in 1840s Arkansas and eventually bought her freedom. She was the equivalent of what we’d call a pitmaster today. I also think of “Old” Arthur Watts. A man who was once in charge of maintaining fires on a Missouri plantation and then went on to become a legendary barbecue man in central Illinois. He lived to be 107 years old. I’ll always have a soft spot for Columbus B. Hill. Hill moved from West Tennessee to Denver in the late 1870s. He regularly did barbecues for thousands of people.

What are your six favorite African American owned barbecue restaurants in the U.S.?

Ooo, you’re really trying to get me in trouble. Here’s my list: Bludso’s Bar & Que (Los Angeles, CA), Burn’s Original BBQ (Houston, TX), Cozy Corner Restaurant (Memphis, TN), Gates Bar-B-Q (Kansas City, MO), Grady’s Bar-B-Q (Dudley, N.C.), and Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ (Charleston, S.C.).

What sort of response are you getting to the book?

The response has been tremendous! I’m getting a lot of emails and social media posts thanking me for writing this book and sharing a rich history that they didn’t know

You point out that even now, African American pit masters often face obstacles (financial, geographic, attitudinal, etc.) not experienced by white pit masters.   Would you tell us about these obstacles? What can white barbecue enthusiasts do to help support Black pit masters and restaurant owners?

The biggest obstacle for Black entrepreneurs is the lack of adequate funding to start and maintain their business. They often have to set up shop in run-down buildings with minimal interior decorating, they operate with limited hours, and they lack the staff to help with things like public relations. The best way to help is to patronize these restaurants and help them generate revenue. Spread the word to others. Another creative way that people can help is to volunteer professional services to restaurants they see are undercapitalized and struggling. Offer to run social media accounts for them or provide public relations work.

We know about the different regional styles of American barbecue.   Is there such a thing as an African American style of barbecue?
  
Even with all of the caveats and exceptions, I think there is. African American barbecue tends to feature pork (ribs and shoulder), chicken, and hot links (a very spicy sausage) The meat is less butchered (e.g., rib tips remain attached to spareribs), cooked directly over coals to give a charcoal flavor, and is served sauced. Soul food side dishes like greens and mac ‘n’ cheese accompany the standard baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. Add some banana pudding or a cobbler, and that is a delicious meal!

You have unearthed a treasure trove of information about African American pit masters—much of new to me (and I’ve read a lot about this history of American barbecue).   What were some of the most valuable source materials and where did you find them?

Historical newspapers are the biggest boon to my research. Newspapers capture the daily life of a community, and I’m so lucky that reporters took the time to describe gargantuan barbecues in great detail and interview the cooks.

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Visitors to this website—and Barbecue University®—are no strangers to journalist and travel and food writer Larry Olmsted. Larry wrote the must-read exposé Real Food, Fake Food (Algonquin) and his numerous articles about Barbecue University in publications like Forbes.com make you feel like you’re right in the front row of the class.

So when Larry told me about his new book, Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding from Algonquin Books, it reminded me of the intimate and enduring connection between sports and barbecue. For me, that connection starts with the seminal book, Alice Let’s Eat, in which Calvin Trillin introduced the world to the burnt ends at Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, and continues today with the extravagant tailgating that has become such an essential part of the football experience across the U.S.

I asked Larry if he’d be willing to write a guest blog for barbecuebible.com and he graciously obliged with this fascinating article called Sports and Smoke. So fire up your smokers: game on!

Sports and Smoke

Gates BBQ is not only a Kansas City classic, but one of America’s most famous slow smoking eateries, since 1946. Three quarters of a century later, it stands out among the city’s many great BBQ joints for one unique claim – crafting the only pulled pork sandwich to have been sold at both Royals baseball and Chiefs football games, in Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums respectively.

Gates’ story is hardly unique, and increasingly, fans can enjoy local barbecue – often from the city’s top joints – while watching live sports. Lion’s fans can partake in Detroit’s home grown Slow’s BBQ, Cincinnati Reds fans the Montgomery Inn, Braves supporters Atlanta’s beloved Fox Brothers BBQ and Houston Texans fans Goode & Co. brisket and sausages. In baseball season, the Houston Astros go one better with outposts of two different local faves, Killen’s and Jackson Street BBQ. While the Big Apple recently lost its flagship Blue Smoke, one of the pioneers of the modern barbecue renaissance, the concept lives on at the Mets’ Citi Field. And as if Yankees fans didn’t have enough going right for them, they now get Mighty Quinn’s excellent smoked brisket, pork, wings and ribs. National chains are represented as well, with Coors Field offering Famous Dave’s and LA Angels stadium Dickeys BBQ.

Open Pit at the Salt Lick

But it’s not just slow smoked meat – all kinds of fiery cooking are adored by sports fans, some of whom happen to be celebrity chefs. TV food star Andrew Zimmern’s planned Canteen Rotisserie for Minneapolis’ new Bank of America stadium, will be serving rotisserie beef, lamb, poultry, pork and goat. Zimmern’s stadium spot in Kansas City offers his take on Montreal smoked beef, aka Canadian pastrami.

But arguably the most famous pit master in all of sports has a niche specialty, Baltimore Pit Beef. At the old Memorial Field, Orioles MVP first baseman Boog Powell become revered by teammates for his post-game backyard-style grills after games and practices, and when Camden Yards was built, he went public with a dedicated open air fire pit take out stand. Camden Yards was the groundbreaker that ushered in the modern stadium concept 30 years ago, and Boog’s BBQ was there when it opened. It has long been a rite of passage for fans – and athletes – to eat there, and in his late seventies, Powell still often mans it himself. In 2016, Orioles star Adam Jones walked up and ordered smoked turkey, only to find himself chastised by the legend, who exclaimed, “You can’t hit no damn home runs on turkey! I’m gonna give you some beef.”

Jumbo Beef Ribs at the Salt Lick

Most nights the visiting team orders enough from Boog’s to feed the starting lineup, and its success spawned a genre of retired players turned fiery cooks, including Pittsburgh Pirates Manny Sanguillen, San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, and legendary Philadelphia Phillies slugger Greg Luzinski, whose Bull’s BBQ serves pulled pork, chicken, ribs, turkey legs, and kielbasa.

Current BYU star Quarterback Zach Wilson is projected to be the first or second pick in the NFL Draft, but he didn’t wait to go pro to sign a multi-year partnership with Traeger Grills, known for popularizing the now burgeoning pellet smoker category. Wilson was born and raised in Salt Lake County, where the company is based, and comes from a large, close-knit family where backyard cookouts around a Traeger were an integral part of his youth.

Zach Wilson

The smoky revolution in the new generation of stadiums is just a microcosm of the larger connection between smoke, fire and sports fans, which go together like – well like baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet. The heroes of Homeric Epics regularly feasted on roast lamb, pigs and goats, and when the Olympics rolled around, whole animal sacrifices were often followed by the Ancient Greek equivalent of a luau. One story recounts two prominent Olympic athletes devouring an entire bull in a single day, and the options for sports related dining have only gotten better since.

Tailgating, which has been given a big upgrade by better portable grills, smokers and high-efficiency coolers like YETI, revolves around live fire cooking, and so do Game Day backyard cookouts across America. Consider the humble chicken wing, perhaps the most iconic sports bar menu item. The true Buffalo original is deep fried, fine for restaurant kitchens, but less user friendly at home, so most home sports fans make wings – millions annually – on the grill or smoker. Ditto for the most ubiquitous stadium food item, the blasé boiled water hot dog, which almost no one enjoys that way at home – whether you prefer Nathans or Fenway Franks or any of the other Big League brands, a touch of fire is as necessary a condiment as ketchup or mustard. And for sports fans cooking at home there is virtually no limit to the pro or college team logo accessories you can ensconce yourself in, from vinyl grill covers to aprons to laser engraved spatulas.

Ñuke Gaucho Asado at My House

I have spent the past few years studying sports fans around the country, and few are as passionate as followers of college football. This history and decades of alumni traditions is inseparably wrapped up in food. There are few more ardent examples of fandom than the followers of the University of Alabama, and no food more closely associated with “Roll Tide,” than the uniquely superlative grilled-not-smoked ribs at Tuscaloosa’s Dreamland BBQ, a gameday tradition that goes back six decades. Generations of UT fans have flashed the “Hook ‘em Horns,” symbol while lining up for the wagon-train inspired open pit cooked brisket, sausages and signature jumbo beef ribs at the Salt Lick, and lucky LSU supports hit the Baton Rouge outpost of 110-year-old legend Acme Oyster for its famous chargrilled bivalves.

Tuscaloosa’s Dreamland BBQ

Everyone loves good food, but not everyone is a sports fan, so the eating, cooking and socializing is as big a part of the festivities as the game. More than the sum of their parts, these combine to create excuses for gatherings and fiery indulgence.

Where there’s sports, there’s smoke!

Larry Olmsted is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and BBQ enthusiast who has written USA Today’s regional food column, Great American Bites, for many years. His newest book, Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding, examines the many surprising benefits of sports fandom to us as individuals and to society, was released in March 2021.

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I first read those words the year I graduated from college. I was living in Paris studying medieval cooking and modern French cuisine. Those words changed my life.

I’ve spent much of my adult life in the pursuit of discovering new dishes, traveling the world’s barbecue trail to introduce my readers and viewers to such live fire masterpieces as babi guling, anticuchos, dibi, and tira de asado. (The first is Balinese roast pig; the second, Peruvian chili-marinated beef heart kebabs. Dibi is Senegalese mustard-grilled chicken, while tira de asado is cross-cut beef ribs—the one rib you can cook in minutes, not the usual six to eight hours.)

So, in a sense, my first reason for grilling has been for discovery: to learn about the planet we live on and how food—and especially barbecue—informs our lives.

In the process, I’ve discovered a myriad of ingenious grilling techniques—from reverse-searing to rotisserie-smoking to “cavemanning” (grilling in the embers)—which brings me to the second reason why I grill: live fire makes just about every food taste better. Whether you’re direct grilling a steak or spit-roasting a chicken or slow-smoking spareribs or brisket, they’ll definitely taste better than if you cooked them indoors.

But un-imparted knowledge and great-tasting food you eat by yourself are poor companions if you don’t share them with others.

Which brings me to the third reason I grill: for a sense of community. For barbecue is, above all a communal activity: I grill to share with others.

And that reason for grilling—and community—have been sorely tested during these terrible 15 months of Covid 19.

Like most of us, I cooked—make that grilled—even more than usual (and that’s saying a lot) during this year of social distancing. First, just for my wife, during those first surreal months of lockdown. Then for my family and neighbors—of course at a proper social distance.

And now, fully vaccinated, and as life slowly returns to normal, again I have started to grill for a larger community. On my Project Fire TV show (which we taped, fully masked, on a locked set at a secluded retreat center in Baltimore). At my Barbecue University cooking school, which resumes at a new location—Montage Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina—in June.

More than ever, this lonely year of Covid 19 has taught me about the most important reason why we grill. It’s to bring people together.

There’s another reason why I grill, and if it’s more prosaic: We need it more than ever after a year like this. Grilling is fun. Unleashing your inner pyromaniac is fun. Building a fire is fun. Waltzing the food from hot spots to cool spots is fun. Grilling is an interactive sport. Every grill session is different, and that alone makes it fun.

It’s fun and uncanny how grilling brings people together. No one gathers around the stove to watch a pot of stew simmer. Light your grill, people congregate, and you, the grill master, become master of ceremonies.

So as we move toward celebrating Back to Barbecue Day, let’s remember the best reasons for grilling: the comfort and joy, the sense of community it brings all of us.

Here is a recipe I developed for #WhyIGrill. Pamplona of Pork!

Pamplona is the name Argentineans and Uruguayans give to a cylindrical roast stuffed with bell peppers, ham, and cheese. This version starts with what may be the best luxury cut for the money: pork tenderloin. I stuff it with fire-roasted bell peppers, smoked ham, and creamy Boursin cheese. Then I smoke-roast it with hickory chunks to add an irresistible smoke flavor. Did I mention bacon? Lots of bacon? The latter looks great, adds flavor, and helps keep the lean pork moist during smoking.

Pamplona of Pork

Get the Recipe »

Steven Raichlen

Miami, Florida
April 18, 2021

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A refreshing beverage in hand while barbecuing is part of the experience, right? For me, it’s hard to imagine smoking a brisket or pork shoulder on a long summer day without a Mint Julep or a Tom Collins within an arm’s length. Or making Steven’s “Steak from Hell” without a sip of Oaxacan mezcal. (Smoke overload? Say it ain’t so!)

But are there are also occasions, away from mealtime, where you want to just grill your cocktail? Sounds a little weird to some, I know, but with the right approach, it really works. I’ve had some ideas marinating for integrating my two culinary passions of Bar and Grill while I’ve been working on the forthcoming third edition of my pocket cocktail guide “Home Bar Basics (and Not-So-Basics).” Somehow, kismet smiled on me one morning recently when I woke to an email from Steven asking if I’d like to pen a guest blog about grilled and smoked cocktails. Twist my arm!

3 Grilled and Smoked Cocktails

1. Charred Pineapple Zombie Cocktail

First, I drew inspiration from Steven’s first and favorite grilled fruit, a spiced pineapple. I found its otherworldly caramel and hint of char paired insanely well with the gunpowder molasses and tropical fantasy of Don the Beachcomber’s 1950 version of the Zombie. Part of the recipe, a homemade passion fruit syrup is no big deal if you’re dedicated enough to grill and then juice fresh pineapple, right? Saving chunks of pineapple as part of the garnish is a bit of lily-gilding I can get behind.

Get the Recipe »

2. Fire-Roasted Bloody Maria Cocktail 

Next, I combined two favorites: a homemade mix for Bloody Marys (or Bloody Marias) inspired by Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s recipe and the aforementioned Steaks from Hell salsa recipe. I’ve taken Steven’s mantra to heart: “grilling makes everything taste better” – and for years, I’ve stepped his recipe up one bit further by fire-roasting the tomatoes, onions, and garlic directly on raging-hot lump hardwood charcoal with a whiff of mesquite and pecan wood. The resulting salsa is now a standard summer recipe in our family.

So naturally, a homemade Bloody Mix using the same technique had to be tried… turns out, it’s wonderful as a Bloody Mary (with vodka) or a Red Snapper (with gin)… but seriously out of this world as a Bloody Maria (with tequila). ¡Que Sabor!

Get the Recipe »

3. Gibson Cocktail with Smoked Cocktail Onion

Thinking beyond the drinks themselves for one more recipe, I’ve always been smitten by the simple and somewhat neglected Gibson cocktail with its unique garnish. For those unfamiliar, it’s roughly similar to a Dry Martini (minus the Martini’s orange bitters), but festooned with a cocktail onion instead of an olive.

What would happen if the cocktail onion was homemade and graced with a puff of alder or oak smoke? Possibly my new favorite cocktail of the moment, that’s what. You might just agree as you marvel at that last briny, smoky sip… and start to wonder about your own “what if” drink recipe ideas.

Get the Recipe »

About the Book

Home Bar Basics (and Not-So-Basics)

Author, designer, and illustrator Dave Stolte has enlisted the help of award-winning bartender Jason Schiffer to refresh and refine his book Home Bar Basics (and Not-So-Basics) for an all-new (almost) tenth-anniversary edition. The new edition is now filled to the brim with over 200 recipes to help master your Margarita, perfect your punch, and sharpen your shake. Basically, with this handy pocket book, you’ll be stirring and straining like a pro in no time.

Now fundraising on Kickstarter.

Learn More »

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This week, she shares her recipe for Peachy Sriracha Sticky Wings. Give the recipe a try and let us know what you think!

Peachy Sriracha Sticky Wings

If you ask me, wings are meant to be a simple pleasure. I’m happy as long as they taste good, are easy to make, and hit these three marks: Spicy. Sticky. Messy.

If that’s enough to satisfy you, too, you’ll also love this simple, sweet-and- just-a-little- spicy recipe. If you want more than just a little spicy, simply add more Sriracha. That’s what I do when my kids are not around.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peach jam or Preserves
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha, plus more for spicier wings (see headnote)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed, plus more for brushing the grill
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 3 pounds chicken wings, wing tips removed and remaining wings split in two at the joint
• Freshly ground black pepper

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About the Book

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner by Stacie Billis

With this cookbook on your kitchen counter, you’ll prepare delicious chicken suppers with confidence and ease. Author Stacie Billis’ light, funny, and instructional tone takes the intimidation factor out of working with chicken, whether you’re breaking down a bird or roasting it whole. Each chapter is chock-full of tips and tricks that use a wide range of techniques, from braising and roasting to grilling, slow cooking, and sheet-pan cooking, and all fifty recipes focus on tender meat infused with flavor.

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Excerpted from Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner © by Stacie Billis, used with permission from Storey Publishing.

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3 Essential Southern Grilling Recipes from Sean Brock

1. Pit-Cooked-Chicken Sandwiches

Pit-cooked whole chicken slathered with Alabama white sauce is made into a delicious barbecue sandwich. Pair with a sour cabbage coleslaw. 

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2. Grilled Catfish with Barely Cooked Tomatoes

This dish captures the essence of picking a ripe tomato off the plant and eating it under the blazing-hot sun of the South.

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3. Grilled Chicken Wings with West African BBQ Sauce

Sean Brock combines his tried-and-true spicy barbecue sauce with West African flavors to make an incredible bbq sauce for wings. If you have any left over sauce, serve it alongside a piece of simply seared fish.

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About the Book

South by Sean Brock

In South, Sean Brock shares his recipes for key components of the cuisine, from grits and fried chicken to collard greens and corn bread. Recipes can be mixed and matched to make a meal or eaten on their own.

This is the book fans of Sean Brock have been waiting for, and it’s the book Southern-food lovers over the world will use as their bible.

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Excerpted from South by Sean Brock (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2019. Photographs by Peter Frank Edwards.

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The snake method is one way to perform a low and slow cook on a charcoal grill. It is a variation of the Minion method named after Jim Minion. The Weber kettle is often the grill of choice when utilizing the snake method. The inside of the kettle grill is lined with charcoal briquettes barely touching the next briquette to form a large “C” around the ring of the grill. Wood chips or chucks are worked in to create smoke. One end of the “C” is ignited, and in theory, the briquettes slowly burn around the periphery of the grill. The goal is to achieve a consistent temperature and a long burn for a true low and slow cook. Can it be done with the snake method?

I wanted to see if I could utilize the snake method for a low and slow cook of a whole 14-pound brisket in the kettle grill. I was curious to see if I could obtain a temperature between 250 and 275 degrees and pinpoint the length of time required to produce smoke, bark, and a juicy brisket. Some barbecue enthusiasts claim the snake will last 8-plus hours. I wasn’t sure. I did not want to risk an expensive brisket on my first go with the snake, so I ran 3 tests.

Testing the Charcoal Snake Method

I ran 2 tests with just briquettes (for 1/3 of a full snake) to determine how long it takes to come up to temperature and predict total cooking time for a full snake.

The first test was set up with a 3-briquette configuration and the second test with a 5-briquette configuration. Top and bottom row of briquettes with small wood chunks or chips in between the 2 layers. I decided on chips and small chunk pieces, since larger wood chunks could cause temperature spikes and speed up the snake if resting across multiple briquettes.

The first test was started with 4 lit briquettes. It took 1.5 hours to get to 200 degrees. The 1/3 snake lasted 3 hours. The temperature (on the lower end of the smoking range) was a disappointment, but the time was promising. A 2- or 3-briquette set-up might be a better option for cold-smoking for salts, nuts, cheeses, or salmon, or jerky.

Eight lit briquettes were used to start the second test to get up to temperature sooner. Temperatures at the one-, two-, and three-hour marks were 248, 290, and 263. The temperature may have stayed consistent at the 290 range, but I only had 1/3 of a snake set up. Again, the snake lasted 3 hours. The temperature was hotter than I wanted, but now knew I could control the temperature with briquette configuration and the vents.

Test three was a full snake for a 5-pound pork butt. The snake was set up in a 4-briquette configuration with soaked hardwood chips and small hardwood chunks as described above.

The pork butt was lightly rubbed with yellow mustard, seasoned with a homemade barbecue rub, and refrigerated overnight.

One cool technique I discovered during my research was flipping over the chimney starter and using the smaller bottom when only lighting a few briquettes. Eight briquettes were started in the bottom of chimney starter, and 12 minutes later, they were added to the unlit snake.

It took 30 minutes for the snake to come up to 250 degrees. Hot water was poured in the drip pan and the pork was placed in the center of the grill. Temperatures were monitored with 3 probes— one probe in the pork and two on the grill. The top vent was positioned opposite the snake to draw the smoke up over the pork.

After an hour, the temperature over the snake was 337 degrees, and 257 under the vent. Two hours in the snake was at the first turn and the grill temperature was at 286 over the snake and 264 under the vent. Three hours in, the snake was at 262 and the pork butt was at 144 (internal temperature).

The pork butt was sprayed with some of Steven’s cider squirt mop sauce at the 3-hour mark. I continued to spray the pork butt every hour. The grill and pork butt temperature at the 4-, 5-, and 6- hour marks were as follows: grill, 228, 263, 235; pork butt, 146, 150, and 168.

The snake was coming to the end at the six-hour mark. I knew I would need more time to finish the pork, so I added 8 unlit briquettes to the snake (I wrapped the pork at 160 degrees). At the 7-hour mark the grill temperature was fading at 221 and the pork was 190. I added an additional 8 briquettes and reversed the snake. I was able to bring the temperature back up to a consistent 240 and finished at 7 hours and 45 minutes when the pork butt hit 203.

The bone pulled right out of the pork. The pork was pulled and tossed with Steven’s Carolina Vinegar Sauce. Sandwiches were topped with Steven’s Mustard and Brown Sugar Sauce and homemade slaw. Homemade sides included smoked potato salad and dill pickle spears.

Testing Results for the Snake Method

The results? The snake method lasted a solid 6 hours. Not long enough for a whole brisket. So, it might be better for pork ribs than a brisket. Reversing the snake at the end to extend the cook time could make it possible to cook a pork butt (shoulder), pork belly, lamb shanks, or a brisket flat.

If you were going to run a snake at higher temperature as in test two, you might consider chicken or turkey. Higher temperatures are needed to crisp the skin (325 and above). The snake can be a “no fuss” way to smoke once you dial in your temperature and cook time. No briquettes or wood to add. The grill lid was only opened to spray the pork. The temperature was monitored with a with a remote thermometer.

My last suggestion will surely ignite some debate. Burn the snake to the end to obtain a smoky flavor and develop bark on your food. Wrap, if desired. If the food requires more time, move it to a gas grill, set up for indirect grilling, and dial in your temperature to finish the cook.

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