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One of the top female pitmasters in the country, Erica Roby is a goddess when it comes to all things barbecue. She is best known for being the winner of Season 2 of Food Network's “BBQ Brawl,” where she earned the official title of “Master of 'Cue.” In May 2022, Erica also competed in the world-famous Memphis in May World Championship BBQ cooking competition. In her second time competing in this prestigious event, she placed 1st in the brisket division and 4th in the ribs division, which was filmed for Food Network's “BBQ USA.”
After appearing on BBQ Brawl, Erica decided to document the world of barbecue with her award-winning digital series, The Pit Stop with Blue Smoke Blaire. The hit show sees Erica travelling across America in her camper van, interviewing everyone's favourite culinary luminaries and highlighting the passion, struggles and dreams of pitmasters across the country.
Erica is committed to spreading love through barbecue as she travels the country, working with Operation BBQ Relief to feed those in need, and guest speaking to America's youth, inspiring them to pick up the tongs and find joy through their passion for food and cooking. Last year, Blue Smoke Blaire's Barbecue Academy opened, teaching a new generation of pitmasters the art of barbecue.
We are so excited to shine the spotlight on such an incredible woman who is not only a master chef and grill expert, but also has an incredible passion and heart for spreading so much goodness and inspiration as she travels the country.
Knowing that 96% of Americans plan to grill this summer, Robbie shared with us his best grilling tips and seven mistakes to avoid culinary disasters.
Start with a complex recipe
“Rather than jumping straight into making complicated grilling recipes, start with easy dishes like burgers, steaks and kebabs and build your confidence as you get used to using the grill,” says Robbie.
It's always best to start with something simple – one of the great things about grilling is that it doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious.
Not understanding the heat zones on your grill
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“Learn the difference between indirect and direct heat and how to control cooking on the grill,” says Robbie. “You should use a combination of both zones. Cooking only on high heat can cause the outside to burn before the inside is properly cooked. A good rule of thumb is to start the beef over direct heat, then move it to indirect heat to finish cooking without burning.”
Creating a heat zone can be done on both gas and charcoal grills. On a gas grill, turn on one burner and leave the other for indirect heat. For a charcoal grill, you can achieve the same effect by simply placing charcoal under one side of the grill grates.
Too much or too little seasoning
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“Too much seasoning will take away from the beef's natural flavor, and not enough will make the meat taste bland. The tip? Use plenty of salt and pepper. If the meat is thicker, you may need to season it more heavily so that the flavor gets distributed throughout rather than just on the surface,” says Robbie.
Turning too quickly and frequently
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Robbie says: “Wait until the meat has grill marks and a good crust before flipping it. If you flip it too many times, it won't get a good sear and will affect both the texture and flavor. You'll know the meat is done when it comes off the grill easily. As a general rule, you should only flip meat once while grilling.”
Guess when your food will be ready
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“To avoid this common mistake, invest in a meat thermometer, a reliable tool to ensure your meat isn't overcooked or undercooked. Chef's tip: Remove the meat from the grill when it's a few degrees below the target temperature and leave it there. After a few minutes, the meat should reach the target temperature, but check the temperature in the centre of the cut to be sure,” says Robbie.
Overcrowding the grill
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“Avoid overcrowding the grill and leave enough space between each food item to cook evenly, and cook in batches if necessary,” advises Robbie.
Whatever cooking method you use, you need enough space to cook your food. Whether you're cooking in a frying pan, oven or grill, make sure there is enough space for air to circulate around the food.
Press down the meat
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“Pressing burgers or steaks while they cook will cause the juices to run out of the meat and make them dry. Instead, cook the beef without moving it to lock in the flavorful juices. The only time you should press is when you first form the patties, and even then, a light press is enough,” says Robbie.
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