5 New BBQ TV Shows You Need to Check Out
One thing that has dramatically raised the profile of smoked meats and pitmasters is barbecue featured on television and streaming services. Shows like BBQ Pitmasters and Chef’s Table: BBQ helped put some of the biggest current names in barbecue on the map and have encouraged a lot more people to try smoked meats from local restaurants.
In 2021, several new BBQ-focused TV shows will make their debut while others will feature exciting new seasons with new competitors. Here are five new and upcoming BBQ TV shows you should check out soon.
Moonshiners: Smoke Ring
The Discovery Network series Moonshiners was previously focused on alcohol but has changed direction with the new show Moonshiners: Smoke Ring, a new barbecue competition series. The show pits relatively unknown cooks against one another, where they rely on their own heritage, secret recipes, and regional specialties to put forth the best barbecue entries. The show features hosts Stephen Ray Tickle and Tank Jackson along with an all-star list of guest judges, who venture throughout the south to crown the next barbecue royalty. You can stream Moonshiners: Smoke Ring on the Discovery+ service. LEARN MORE HERE.
Fire Masters: Season 3
The third season of the Canadian cooking competition series Fire Masters premiered on the Cooking Channel last month. On this show, three chefs battle it out in a series of live-fire culinary challenges. After two eliminations, the final chef faces one of the veteran Fire Masters judges for a chance to win the title of Fire Master and a $10,000 prize. LEARN MORE HERE.
Steven Raichlen's Project Fire: Season 3
In the PBS TV show Project Fire, author and grillmaster Steven Raichlen talks all about the latest in grilling today and explores how we’ll grill and smoke tomorrow. Innovators of live-fire cooking stop by the show to talk with Steven and they share new techniques that will elevate your backyard barbecue experience. Season 3 is airing now on PBS and you can watch episodes online as well. LEARN MORE HERE.
BBQ Brawl: Season 2
On season two of the show BBQ Brawl, twelve contestants vying for the title of BBQ Brawl Champion will be split into three teams. This season, the teams will be led by celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, and Eddie Jackson. A number of well-known pitmasters will appear on the show, including David Sandusky, Ara Malekian, Megan Day, and Chris Prieto. BBQ Brawl Season 2 is set to premiere next month on the Food Network. LEARN MORE HERE.
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
In the new Netflix mini-series High on the Hog, chef and writer Stephen Satterfield explores Black food traditions from Africa to Texas. During the show, Satterfield sits down to talk with a wide variety of guests including “Soul Food Scholar” Adrian Miller, author Michael Twitty, and Greg Gatlin of Gatlin’s BBQ in Houston. The show will debut on Netflix on May 26. LEARN MORE HERE.
--
If you have any other favorite new BBQ programs, let us know yours on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist) and Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
At FOGO, we believe charcoal is the First Ingredient, and that is why we focus on flavor and longevity. We use a blend of hardwoods, which give your finished product a mild smoky flavor. We also hand pick the charcoal to offer you consistent big size lumps that are perfect for your everyday grilling and smoking sessions. Learn more about FOGO here.
—Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, one of the top BBQ joints in Texas, will move from a food truck to a physical location within the next year.—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
This week, Austin’s acclaimed barbecue joint Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ announced it will be moving into a physical location in Buda, Texas later this year. Pitmaster Miguel Vidal opened Valentina’s in 2013 and has operated as a food truck since that time. Their brick-and-mortar location will be part of a mixed-use development Buda Mill & Grain located at 306 South Main Street in Buda. Valentina’s will also open a location in the Q2 Stadium (home of Austin's soccer team) this year as well. READ HERE.
Last week, pitmaster Bryan Bingham announced his departure from the iconic Bodacious Bar-B-Q on Mobberly in Longview, Texas. The longtime restaurant, which opened in 1968, will be temporarily closing to make repairs. Bingham will soon be opening a new joint called Sunbird Barbecue along with his wife Kimmy and partner David Segovia. Sunbird’s opening will be announced soon but in the meantime, Bingham plans on doing pop-ups, having recently collaborated with Wright On Taco & BBQ and Hurtado Barbecue. READ HERE.
Sean Ludwig of The Smoke Sheet and NYC BBQ spoke with up-and-coming pitmaster Ruben Santana of Bark Barbecue. Santana is hosting regular pop-ups in Queens, NY that feature Central-Texas-style meats and Dominican-influenced side dishes. With every pop-up selling out, it’s no wonder there’s a ton of buzz surrounding Bark Barbecue in New York City. "Barbecue in NYC is strong," Santana said. "It might not be like other regions. But I'm of the belief that even though we are so diverse culturally and there are so many different flavors and styles of food, BBQ still seems to be that one food that can bring all those different people together. Every Saturday you will see all types of people making a line for our barbecue and I love that." READ HERE.
A new report from the website BBQ Revolution shows Texas barbecue is currently by far the most popular style of barbecue in the United States. According to the report, Houston ranks as the top city for barbecue joints in the country, beating spots such as Austin, Kansas City, and Memphis. The survey used information from TripAdvisor on the number of restaurants located in each city. It’s not a perfect survey by any means but it does show where barbecue is red hot today. READ HERE.
In Texas Monthly, writer Jennifer Simonson dug into one of the most unique barbecue events in Texas — the Texas State High School BBQ Championship. The most recent championship featured 61 teams from schools across the state and over a 10-hour period they tested their mettle, all in hopes of earning $6,000 in scholarship money. The event was created by Chuck Schoenfeld, a pitmaster with 40 years of experience on the competition barbecue circuit, with the intention to welcome in younger people. “As a competition cooker, I didn’t see the younger kids getting involved anymore; it was just us older guys that have been doing it for a long time. I wanted to get the younger crowd involved,” Schoenfeld said. READ HERE.
ADDITIONAL READS
BBQ on the Brazos, a popular barbecue joint in Cresson, has added an exciting new Thursday-only menu item: a barbecue torta with smoked brisket.
WFAA asked Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly about his pick for underrated BBQ in Dallas, and he selected Smokey Joe’s, which offers some of the best ‘cue in the city.
Pitmaster Myron Mixon stopped by the TODAY Show to share a few favorite keto-friendly barbecue recipes, including smoked pork shoulder.
Author Adrian Miller wrote an article in Bon Appétit about mainstream food media’s lack of Black barbecue voices and writing the next chapter of the story.
Pitmaster Matt Horn recently shared five common mistakes cooks make at home and offers tips on how to avoid ruining your barbecue.
Chefs and pitmasters share their favorite store-bought barbecue rubs, marinades, and sauces for grilling.
Thrillist has published its "definitive" guide to Texas-style barbecue.
If you are looking for the best spots for barbecue in each state, Travel Pulse recently shared a list of their favorites.
Barbecue and live music venue Soulbelly BBQ is coming to the Arts District in Las Vegas soon.
The BoutTyme BBQ food truck brings St. Louis-style barbecue to North Texas.
Thank you to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—The Bearded Butchers take you through the process of butchering, preparing, and cooking pork ribs.—
WATCH
BBQ Pork Spare Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs — The Bearded Butchers
This video from The Bearded Butchers is all about pork ribs. Host Seth starts by cutting the spare rib off of the pork belly, then turns the pork spare ribs into St. Louis-style ribs. Next, you'll get to see the pork tenderloin and baby back ribs, and even the country-style pork ribs. After cutting the ribs, they show you how to prepare, season, and smoke pork ribs using the 3-2-1 method on a Traeger grill. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Bryan Bingham of Sunbird Barbecue — Kevin’s BBQ Joints
In this episode of Kevin’s BBQ Joints, host Kevin Kelly is joined by pitmaster Bryan Bingham. Until recently, Bingham had been at the helm of Bodacious Bar-B-Q in Longview, Texas, which landed at number four on the prestigious Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints list in 2017. Now, Bingham is striking out on his own to open Sunbird BBQ in Longview with his wife Kimmy and partner David Segovia. Sunbird BBQ recently participated in the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival in Tyler, Texas. Bingham discusses his departure from Bodacious and what he has planned for the future with his new venture. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Keto BBQ: Real Barbecue for a Healthy Lifestyle — Myron Mixon
After more than 30 years of winning contests for his smoked hogs, briskets, ribs, and chickens, Myron Mixon knows a whole lot about barbecue. So what does the “winningest man in barbecue” know about living a healthy lifestyle? As someone who was overweight and unhealthy before losing more than 100 pounds, he’s figured out how to cook and eat the foods he loves and still live healthfully. Having kept those pounds off for more than two years, Mixon is living proof that you can eat barbecue and be healthy if you know how to do it right. This is Keto done the way we all want to live; the recipes in Keto BBQ are the ones Mixon uses to enjoy the barbecue lifestyle without gaining weight. Like Mixon, you get to eat the foods you love — including bacon-wrapped chicken breasts, smoked pork shoulder, baby back ribs, and even barbecue sauce — if you follow the recipes in this book. In Keto BBQ, Mixon shares a series of real changes you can make to your diet while still enjoying barbecue and other Southern foods in a healthier way. BUY IT HERE.
When it comes to measuring cooking temperatures with speed and accuracy, Thermapen Mk4 is in a class by itself. Click here to learn more.
—This recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chicken is full of delicious flavor.—
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
By Ballistic BBQ
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose this video recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chicken from Ballistic BBQ. You will love the smell of the herbs and spices from the jerk chicken mixing with the smoke while cooking this dish. Greg even shares a tip for getting the smoky “pimento wood” flavor.
Dalstrong creates best-in-class tools at unrivaled price points. Click here to learn more about Dalstrong Knives.
—Early 2021 may be light on larger barbecue events, but we expect many to happen later in the year.—
May 7-8, 2021: The BBQ Fest on the Neuse — Kinston, North Carolina
The 39th annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse kicks off soon in Kinston, NC. The 2020 version of the event was canceled due to COVID-19, but it’s back in 2021 with a slightly different setup for safely. The festival will include barbecue, food competitions, shopping, arts and crafts, wine garden, children’s activities, and more. Expect a good time for families and BBQ enthusiasts. MORE INFO HERE.
May 12-15, 2021: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest — Memphis, Tennessee
This four-day competition will be held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. Teams travel from around the world to compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money. Teams will compete in the championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” MORE INFO HERE.
June 4-5, 2021: Hogs For the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
The bug Hogs For the Cause barbecue competition and festival is back in 2021 with a few changes. Proceeds still go to fight pediatric brain cancer, but this year's event will be held at a 15-acre site in Belle Chasse on the east side of the city. Organizers are limiting ticket sales to only 25% of the venue's capacity, and they will make the event cashless. MORE INFO HERE.
July 9-11, 2021: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival — Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and typically features the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. Read our to learn about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
NOTE: Due to the pandemic, it’s possible these dates and details might change. For the latest details, please check out our full events calendar.
Thanks for reading our newsletter!
Want to be featured in or sponsor The Smoke Sheet?
Email us here!