Ep 1. Old School, New School

In the season 6 premiere of Man, Fire, Food, host Roger Mooking explores the contrasting styles of barbecue in two very different places: the Carolinas and California.

The episode, entitled "Old School, New School," showcases the traditional slow-cooked pit barbecue of the Carolinas, where whole hogs are smoked for hours over wood fires. Mooking visits the Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina, which has been serving up its famous pork barbecue since 1947. He watches as the pitmasters, who have been cooking whole hogs since they were boys, shovel hot coals under the meats to create a pit fire, and then place the hogs carefully on the rack over the fire. The meat is basted with a vinegar-based sauce, which gives the pork a tangy, smoky flavor.

Mooking also samples "burnt ends," a crunchy, tender delicacy made from the ends of beef brisket that are trimmed off before cooking. He visits B's Cracklin BBQ in Savannah, Georgia, where he watches as pitmaster Bryan Furman cooks up a batch of burnt ends in his massive offset smoker. Furman uses oak and pecan wood to smoke his meats, and he's known for his inventive sauces and rubs. Mooking tries a few different sauces and is impressed by the unique flavor combinations.

Next, Mooking heads to California to check out the state's budding barbecue scene. He visits a food truck called Bigmista's Barbecue in Long Beach, where he meets pitmaster Neil Strawder, who got his start smoking meats in his backyard. Strawder uses a combination of mesquite and oak wood to smoke his meats, and he's known for his Texas-style brisket, which he cooks for up to 16 hours. Mooking samples the brisket and declares it "melt-in-your-mouth delicious."

Finally, Mooking visits another California food truck, called Bludso's BBQ, which is known for its Texas-style barbecue. The truck is owned by Kevin Bludso, who grew up in Texas but moved to California as a young man. He brought his family's secrets with him, though, and he now serves up brisket, ribs, and sausage that would make his Texas kin proud. Mooking watches as Bludso cooks up a batch of brisket in his custom-built steel smoker, which he nicknamed "The Beast." He then samples the tender, smoky meat and declares it some of the best brisket he's ever tasted.

Throughout the episode, Mooking marvels at the different techniques, flavors, and histories behind these diverse styles of barbecue. He reflects on the "old school" techniques of the Carolinas, where pitmasters have been perfecting their craft for generations. He also appreciates the "new school" approach of the California food trucks, where passionate chefs are using inventive techniques and bold flavors to push the boundaries of barbecue. Ultimately, Mooking celebrates the rich and varied world of barbecue, and he encourages viewers to explore and appreciate all the different styles and flavors that this beloved cuisine has to offer.