Erica Roby, Pitmaster on Beef for Tailgating and Your Next Meal

Tech of Sports

Rick is joined by noted Pitmaster and TV and online sensation, Erica Roby.

As fall temperatures creep in and families get back into a routine, it’s no surprise that Americans are gravitating to what’s comfortable – and that means turning to some of their favorite home-cooked meals like pot roast and beef stew. In fact, meatloaf is currently rated the number one recipe on beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

While many home chefs are looking to recreate their childhood favorites, they’re also adding different flavors, like chilis, or even putting an international spin on nostalgic recipes with ingredients like chili powder, gochujang (a red chili paste) and black sesame oil. As more and more cook at home, trend experts say they’re seeing more interest in experimenting with unfamiliar flavors, which will have a huge influence this year.

And beef dishes are perfect for your next tailgate or football party.

Topics:

How are Americans changing their dining habits?
What types of dishes will be most popular this year?
How are you incorporating international ingredients into your favorite dishes?
What’s next for you as a pitmaster?
Where can we go to learn more?

Erica Roby is one of the country’s leading female pitmasters, an award-winning artist in the field of barbecue. However, being an acclaimed pitmaster is only one of her many accomplishments: Erica is also an attorney, a level-2 Certified Sommelier, United States Navy wife, and a mother. In 2020, Erica became a contestant on Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl,” becoming the Season 2 winner and earning the mantle “Master of ‘Cue.” After “BBQ Brawl,” Erica decided to document the world of barbecue in her award-winning digital series, “The Pit Stop with Blue Smoke Blaire.” In May 2022, Erica also competed at the world-famous Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest. Though it was only her second time as a competitor at this prestigious event, remarkably, she tied for 1st place in brisket and 4th in the rib division, a journey that was filmed for Food Network’s “BBQ USA”. Erica’s commitment to spreading love through barbecue has seen her travel with Operation BBQ Relief to provide meals to those in need. She is also a guest lecturer inspiring young people to pick up tongs and find joy through food and culinary passion. In October 2023, Blue Smoke Blaire’s Barbecue Academy will open its doors to support at risk youth in Houston, Texas.