Ep 2. Meat Masters

Man, Fire, Food is a television series that explores outdoor cooking techniques from around the world. In each episode of the show, host Roger Mooking travels to different locations across the United States, learning about unique cooking styles and meeting expert chefs who specialize in innovative outdoor cooking techniques.

Season 9, episode 2 of Man, Fire, Food is entitled 'Meat Masters'. In this episode, Roger Mooking explores the art of meat cooking over an open flame. He travels to several locations across the United States, meeting chefs who are masters of the craft.

The episode starts with Roger visiting a restaurant in Big Sur, California, called Big Sur Smokehouse. Here, he meets the owners, who specialize in cooking meats over an open fire. Roger watches as they cook pork belly, beef brisket, and chicken thighs over a large fire pit, using wood from the surrounding forest to infuse the meats with a rich, smoky flavor.

Next, Roger travels to Miami to visit a popular restaurant called El Bagel. Here, the chefs specialize in a unique style of cooking known as 'jerk', which involves marinating the meat in a flavorful blend of spices and smoking it over hot coals. Roger watches as the chefs prepare a variety of jerk dishes, including chicken wings, pork ribs, and beef brisket.

From Miami, Roger travels to Austin, Texas, to visit a renowned barbecue restaurant called Franklin Barbecue. The restaurant is famous for its brisket, which is smoked for up to 18 hours over a blend of oak and pecan wood. Roger meets the head chef, Aaron Franklin, and learns about the process of smoking meat to perfection. He watches as the chefs prepare the brisket, rubbing it with a blend of spices and smoking it low and slow until it is tender and juicy.

Roger's next stop is New York City, where he visits a popular eatery called Fette Sau. The restaurant specializes in traditional barbecue techniques, using a custom-made smoker to cook a range of meats, including beef short ribs, pork shoulder, and lamb belly. Roger meets the head chef, Joe Carroll, and learns about the importance of choosing the right wood and spices to enhance the flavor of the meat.

Finally, the episode concludes with Roger visiting a local farmer's market in Austin, where he meets a vendor who is selling grass-fed beef. The vendor shows Roger how to prepare a ribeye steak over hot coals, using a simple spice rub and a dash of olive oil to enhance the flavor of the meat.

Overall, 'Meat Masters' is an exciting and informative episode of Man, Fire, Food, exploring the art of cooking meat over an open flame. From California to Texas and New York, Roger Mooking meets some of the most innovative chefs in the country and learns about their unique cooking techniques. Whether you're a barbecue enthusiast or simply curious about outdoor cooking, this episode is sure to provide plenty of inspiration and food for thought.