fiery-foods.com
A Food History/Cookbook of the Southwest

BBQ Divas





Recipe 1: Fireworks Rub

Recipe 2: Cedar-Planked Shrimp Chimichurri

Recipe 3: Smoky Chipotle Corn Pudding

Recipe 4: Bone-In Rib-Eye Steaks

Recipe 5: Bananas with Dulce de Leche


By Molly Wales
Food Photo by Norman Johnson

 

Some might say that BBQ is for men. Meat, fire, competition--a man's territory. To those people, I say: Read on.

Below are brief profiles of six ladies who have made their mark in the BBQ world, on the circuit, in cookbooks, through successful product lines, and by working behind-the-scenes for the companies that make BBQ happen. Sure, some women might feel like they, in this stereotypically male-driven industry, have something to prove. But in these cases, there's much more to it than sparkle and sex-defense. With resumes so tough that any man would be pressed to challenge the validity of their new titles, the Fiery Foods 2005 BBQ Divas are enjoying the smoky view from high atop their thrones.

Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (The BBQ Queens)


These ladies take their crowns very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they've been known to wear glitter-covered tennies to BBQ cook-offs. Now that's royal. But such showmanship is nothing new for these two, as their very journey began in defiance of a Kansas City DJ who proclaimed, "Women can't barbecue!" And so Karen Adler's and Judith Fertig's all-female barbecue team was born, a group that still meets once a year, in all of their girly glory.

Karen Adler grew up in Kansas City. In the mid 80s she started repping cookbooks for large and local companies, and a few years later she formed the publishing company Pig Out Publications. Her own first book, which she published herself in 1992, wasHooked On Fish On the Grill. "Here I am in Kansas City, writing a grill book on fish," she said. "Fed Ex had been around for 3 or 4 years, and we were finally getting fresh fish. There was an aura of mystery around grilling fish, so I taught myself to do it." That book sold 70 to 80 thousand copies--quite an achievement for such a small publisher.
Soon thereafter Karen met Judith Fertig. Judith had grown up in Cincinnati with a father who liked to grill, though it wasn't until she moved to Kansas City that she was "taken with the idea of smoking" and became part of an all-woman BBQ team. "In Kansas City," she said, "you're spoiled. You can find equipment easily, and so you're encouraged to experiment." She started with smoking and planking--leading, eventually, to cookbooks, articles, columns, classes, and special event appearances.

As Karen tells it, "Judith and I became friends in a very odd way." When they met in the 90s, they had competing restaurant recipe books, and were, to quote Karen, "prepared to dislike each other." But, against the odds, a friendship blossomed. Since then they have competed together on the BBQ circuit and collaborated on multiple book projects, including their latest,The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue, the first in a 4-book deal. Explained Karen, "It's laid out according to how women cook. The recipes are divided by meat and cut, versus technique. So, if you want to cook chicken, all of the chicken recipes are together."

And, added Judith, "Whereas men tend to do something over and over until they perfect it, women will experiment with different kinds of foods like goat cheese, peaches, veggies," all of which can be found in the flavor-full book. "Women are coming back to this, after a bit of a hiatus," she continued. "Who do you think cooked over an open fire on the Santa Fe Trail?"

Stephanie Wilson

The Kansas City Barbecue Society's stated mission is:"To celebrate, teach, preserve, and promote barbecue as a culinary technique, sport and art form. Our goal is to have barbecue recognized as America's Cuisine."

That's a mighty task, one KCBS continues to accomplish with great success, via contests, cooking classes, etc., year after year.Just imagine the work and dedication required to run such an organization, especially an organization so important to the BBQ world...Stephanie Wilson is one of those to whom we owe thanks. For 7 years, she has been the office manager and paper editor at KCBS.It's a role without a lot of fanfare--but where would BBQ be without her?

When asked about her life in BBQ, Stephanie takes most pride in her team."It started in 1996," she shared, "when my brother and cousin started a team.I was their party coordinator.After the American Royal in 1997, they asked me to be a part of the team."Tragically, her brother died in 1998.But, to keep the name going, she started Tom & Josh's Orgasmic Slabs (otherwise known as The Slabs), who now have an award-winning rub and sauce.They compete 22 to 24 times a year."We've been fortunate to have competed in a lot of different places," Stephanie said, "to have done well and used a lot of different equipment."

As for her experience as a woman in BBQ, she said:"It's pretty cool.There are a lot of women behind the men.It's very hands-on--I'm not afraid to get dirty.If I comb my hair before the awards, that's a big step!It's just great to be out there."

According to Stephanie, though, the best part "is being able to include the whole family."

Cheryl Jamison


Growing up in central Illinois, Cheryl Jamison said, she "had no clue what real BBQ was--if anything, I thought it was a Sloppy Joe." Then, on a family trip down south during her 7th grade year, she ate a pork sandwich with vinegar sauce, a moment that she calls her BBQ Epiphany. "I was amazed, and stunned, and completely taken by the idea."

She went on to a career in arts management, and ended up in Texas, where she saw "more and more BBQ of different varieties." She and her husband, Bill, got into travel writing in the early 90s, which inevitably blended with their passion for food, and soon they took on a book project with the restaurant Rancho de Chimayo in northern New Mexico. The book was well received, and next cameTexas Home Cooking, inspired by a bowl of Tex-Mex chili. While writing it, Cheryl explained, "We kept wrestling with what to do about BBQ. We still believed you couldn't do it at home very successfully." But, after researching various pits on the market, she continued, "We realized, yes, you could do this. It was a real revelation to see it could be made in your own backyard."

Cheryl, now a James Beard Award-winning author, has written 5 cookbooks with Bill, and they are currently working on the sixth about outdoor grilling. "It's feasible for both men and women to barbecue," she said. "Historically, the men went out hunting and got all the glory, while the women had to clean up... But we [women] can have just as much fun!"

Marsha Russell

As a receptionist for Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Marsha Russell is immersed in BBQ. Between their BBQ Up on the Hill (for tourists), fund-raisers for schools, or the Jack Daniel's cook-off every October, it comes as no surprise that Martha's first BBQ cooking experience was on, as she said, "The big cooker made out of a Jack Daniel's bottle." And so it began.
In 1999 she decided to get a pit, and, with partner John Hale, the Late Night Whiskey Smokers competed for the first time in Decatur, Alabama. Since then they have competed in 38 to 40 competitions, winning various awards along the way.
Marsha's favorite eats are pork and brisket, so she takes care of those, while John covers chicken and ribs. But it doesn't stop there. In 2004 they won 7 first place awards in the Anything But category. "The girl in me likes the presentation," Marsha explained. "And the desserts!"

Marsha says she has made great friends at the competitions over the years, and that the best part is simply getting to see everyone. But is she intimidated by the "old boy" attitude so prevalent in the BBQ industry? "Some of the guys think, I'm so bad," she comments. "But they don't scare me."

You go girl.

Mary Ellen Baran


Mary Ellen Baran's love of BBQ goes back 8 years, when she and her then-husband were on the BBQ circuit. As she put it, "The marriage didn't work out--but business was good." Being an artist at heart, she combined her feelings about the divorce with her sense of design, and so Deception Hot Sauces were born. From there she added more and more products, including BBQ sauces and spicy nuts, and today Mary's Gourmet Foods has four different product lines. Included in those are her Razz-B-Q BBQ Sauce, Original BBQ Sauce, Pineapple-Teriyaki Marinade, and various rubs. The newest additions are Dr. BBQ's No More Wimpy BBQ products, from cookbook author and expert grill-guy Ray Lampe. "I met Ray on the circuit," Mary explained, "and he's been a mentor along the way. He's a great friend, and now I've incorporated his BBQ sauce and dry rub into my product line." Mary designed his labels, as she does with all of her own products.

Mary doesn't BBQ as much as she used to, as "my ex got the smoker and I got the van." But she has her eye set on a Cookshack smoker, and seems confident she'll be back at it soon.

"You know," she said, "women do get treated differently sometimes [in BBQ], but that's because of people's perceptions. And I always say, 'Trying to be better than someone else never works.' No matter what business you get into, if you love what you're doing and you do your best, you'll succeed."

Those seem the perfect last words for this woman's look into the world of BBQ. For it is, as these ladies prove, an industry that has accepted and will continue to embrace women at every level, despite the machismo so commonly touted in stories and stereotypes. Driven by spirit, by hard work, community, tradition, and good fun eatin', BBQ Divas are here to stay.

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Recipes

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Recipe 1: Fireworks Rub

 

The spiciness and heat of this rub makes it a good seasoning for just about anything. We use it on grilled fish tacos, smoked brisket, grilled chicken wings, and even grilled pork tenderloin. If you like really hot stuff, double the amount of red pepper flakes..
Combine all the ingredients in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Secure the lid and shake to blend. This rub will keep in the cupboard for several months.
Yield: About 1 cup
Heat Scale: Medium

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Recipe 2: Cedar-Planked Shrimp Chimichurri

 

This is a delicious way to serve shrimp (or scallops) on a plank. The sauce is made with four different fresh herbs, along with garlic and sherry vinegar.

Chimichurri Sauce:

1 pound shrimp or scallops

Make 1 recipe Chimichurri Sauce. To make the sauce, in a food processor combine all ingredients. Process until smooth. (The sauce is best served the same day but will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)
Place the peeled and deveined large shrimp in a sealable plastic bag and drizzle with half the sauce. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Bring the shrimp outside. Prepare a cedar plank (see book for detailed instructions). Place the shrimp in a single layer on the prepared plank. Cover the grill and cook until the shrimp are opaque all the way through, 6 to 8 minutes. To serve, drizzle with some of the reserved sauce and pass the rest at the table.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Mild

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Recipe 3: Smoky Chipotle Corn Pudding

 

Leftover smoked corn never tasted so good as in this piquant corn pudding. This is a delicious side dish to serve at Thanksgiving, too. Turn up the heat by adding more chipotles, but be careful. The remaining chipotles can be stored in individual sealable plastic bags. Label, date and place in the freezer, where they will keep for several months.
Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the corn, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, green onions, flour, sugar, salt and cornstarch. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the cream. Pour into the corn mixture and mix well, then spoon into the prepared baking dish. Place the dish in a larger, shallow pan and add water to a depth of 1 inch. Place both pans in the oven and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Heat Scale: Mild

 

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Recipe 4: Bone-In Rib-Eye Steaks


 

For us, a bone-in rib-eye is the ultimate grilling steak. Retaining the hefty bone contributes another element of flavor, evoking a sense of western ruggedness. We like to accent that character with a hearty dry spice rub such as this smoky chile and sage mixture. Spanish smoked paprika can be ordered fromspanishtable.com.

Dry Rub:
Stir together the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub generously over all surfaces of the steaks. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Fire up the grill for a two-level fire capable of cooking first on high heat (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test) and then on medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Grill the steaks uncovered over high heat for 2 1/2 minutes per side. Move the steaks to medium heat, turning them again, and continue grilling for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Turn the steaks three times, rotating a half-turn each time for crisscross grill marks. If juice begins to pool on the surface, turn more frequently.
Plate the steaks, immediately top with a tablespoon of butter each, and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings
Heat Scale: Mild

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Recipe 5: Bananas with Dulce de Leche

 

Like apples, you can find bananas anywhere, any time of year, and always at reasonable prices, making them perfect for the grill repertoire. Warming bananas makes them meltingly luscious, so appealing that people who don't like them raw may end up eating a bowlful. Put a few extras on the grill; they'll likely disappear.


Warm the butter and sugar together in a small skillet over medium heat, until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat, but keep warm.
Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Just before grilling, halve the bananas lengthwise, still in their skins. Brush the cut sides of the bananas with about one-half of the melted butter. Warm the dulce de leche sauce in a small pan over low heat, either at the edge of the grill or over the stove.
Transfer the bananas to the grill cut side down. Grill the bananas for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the bananas skin side down and brush the cut surfaces with the remaining butter. Grill for 2 to 3 additional minutes, until soft and lightly golden. The skins will be sagging by this time. Remove the skins from the bananas and cut into chunks. Arrange in bowls, spoon sauce over equally, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

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