Chefs, Pitmasters, and Personalities
How to Cook with Wood
The wood burning oven at Hartwood. Photo by Gentl & Hyers. For years I’ve heard reports of a remarkable restaurant in Tulum, Mexico—run by American expats—where all the cooking is done over wood fires, and the flavors explode in your mouth like fireworks in a 4th of July sky. Well, now you can experience the restaurant Hartwood and the timeless wisdom of wood fire cooking from founder-chef Eric Werner in a stunning new book called Hartwood, published by our sister publisher Artisan....
Read more →10 Indispensable Tips from Brooklyn Sausage Master (and New York Times Rave) Jake Klein
“The Tokyo chicken number (juicy, salty and spicy from shishito peppers) is the most appealing chicken sausage I can remember,” wrote restaurant critic Pete Wells in a recent New York Times story. He went on to describe the double smoked brisket sausage as a “phenomenal piece of barbecue, packing more smoke into a sausage than I’d thought possible.” You got that right, Mr. Wells. Jake Klein, owner of Jake’s Handcrafted in South Slope, Brooklyn,...
Read more →The Sauce Doctor—May He Rest in Peace
Rich Davis died earlier this week. Not familiar with the name? You should be. Dr. Davis (he preferred to be called Rich) was one of the guiding lights of 20th century American barbecue, and his sauce—KC Masterpiece—came to define the quintessential American barbecue sauce. He was a gentle soul, a generous humanitarian and a great friend to Steven Raichlen. I first met Rich when I was writing BBQ USA. I interviewed him about the origin of KC Masterpiece...
Read more →Barbecue Hall of Fame: Acceptance Speech
On October 3, the American Royal Association announced the 2015 class of inductees to the Barbecue Hall of Fame. And I was lucky enough to be one of them. The formal induction ceremony took place on the main stage of the American Royal World Series of Barbecue® event at Arrowhead Stadium. I certainly was in good company. My fellow inductees were Big Green Egg founder, Ed Fisher, and Kansas City Baron of Barbecue, Paul Kirk. So many of you shared your...
Read more →Masters of Smoke: Ed Mitchell
Always wanted to open a barbecue restaurant? Talk to Ed Mitchell first. Mitchell has opened—and closed—some of the most celebrated barbecue joints in North Carolina. His latest venture was a slick neon and glass restaurant with a designer bar next to Bull Durham Stadium—about as different as his previous establishment—a cinderblock joint called The Pit. But whatever the vicissitudes of the business, one taste of Mitchell’s pulled pork—the meat moist, the smoke scent subtle but unmistakable, the vinegar sauce...
Read more →Ready, Set, Smoke! Steven Raichlen’s Project Smoke Coming to a PBS Station Near You
Excited? That doesn’t begin to express the emotion. After years of planning and months of shooting and editing, my new TV show, Project Smoke, launches on Saturday, June 27 (and in some cities July 4th weekend or later this summer). Our mission: to do for smoking what Primal Grill did for grilling. The 13-week series focuses on traditional and cutting-edge smoking techniques. New twists on the iconic smoked foods, such as Texas brisket, Carolina pulled pork, and Scandinavian smoked salmon. Dishes you would never dream you could smoke, from cocktails to dessert. ...
Read more →Feeding the Fire: Barbecue Lessons from Joe Carroll
Check out these espresso-crusted St. Louis cut spares. Then imagine yourself at Fette Sau BBQ, home to some of the spiciest, smokiest, soulful-est ’que in America’s newest barbecue capital: Brooklyn. Now Joe Carroll, the mastermind behind Fette Sau, has written a barbecue book that’s not just full of irresistible recipes, but is structured around 20 essential lessons for anyone who wants to cook with fire at home. Carroll delves into hot subjects...
Read more →PitmasterIQ BBQ’s 2014 World Food Championship Experience
It’s one thing to perfect your smoking and grilling skills at home. There comes a time when you want to see how you rank in the world of live fire cooking. Enter competition barbecue—where camaraderie meets cutthroat. We asked John Kennington of PitmasterIQ BBQ to describe his efforts to bring home the bacon (literally) at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. At stake? Bragging rights, not to mention a grand prize of $100,000! Do YOU...
Read more →Behind the Scenes on the Set of Project Smoke
“Quiet on the set, please. Cameras rolling. ACTION!” With these words, our Director of Photography, Richard Dallett, launched the taping of Steven Raichlen’s next Public Television show, Project Smoke. Three months ago, Project Smoke was barely an idea. (That idea was to do for smoking and smokers what Primal Grill did for grilling.) By nightfall, February 20, a crew of 20 checked into our home for the next two weeks—the scenic JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa on the outskirts of Tucson,...
Read more →Lights, Camera, Action: Project Smoke Is Coming to Public Television
It’s official! I’m going back on Public Television to create a new show—Project Smoke. Our mission: to do for smoking what Primal Grill and Barbecue University did for grilling. We start taping in Tucson, Arizona, next week. The show launches nationwide just in time for July 4th. What makes Project Smoke different? First, our content: this will be the first how-to show on to focus exclusively on smoking. Hot smoking. Cold smoking. Smoke-roasting and more. The...
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