St. Louis–style barbecue is getting its share of the spotlight on the new season of Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire, with all of Season 4 shot at Union Station, which Raichlen recently told Carol Daniel of St. Louis Talks on KMOX 1120, is an “absolutely spectacular space,” adding that “St. Louis is one of the most exciting barbecue cities in the country.”
Filming in its “first-ever urban setting,” the new season will premiere April 16 and revolve around cooking techniques for grilling and smoking St. Louis–style barbecue. (For a season preview, click here.) One of “the greatest joys was rediscovering St. Louis barbecue,” Raichlen told Daniel…”pork steaks, St. Louis-cut ribs, snoots, turkey ribs…these are barbecue treasures.”
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A five-time James Beard Award–winning author, Barbecue Hall of Famer, and author of more than 30 books, Raichlen is joined by several of St. Louis’ top pitmasters and chefs, as well as local barbecue influencer Scott Thomas of @grillinfools. Thomas explains that the whole concept of Grillin’ Fools was based on what Raichlen did in his book, How To Grill, a step-by-step guide to grilling. “Since our platform was 100 percent digital, we could run images of every item every step of the way,” says Thomas.
“Of the few people in the industry I’d never met, Steven was one,” Thomas adds, “so when he called to invite me to do a segment on the show, I thought I was getting punked. And when he said he wanted me to cook seafood in landlocked St. Louis, I thought he was kidding. But he wasn’t.” Thomas ended up adapting a recipe that Sugarfire Smoke House‘s Mike Johnson had used in a competition, making a taco shell out of woven bacon, crisping it in a smoker, and stuffing it with smoked lobster and roasted corn salsa. (Thomas appears with four other barbecue influencers in Episode 12 of the series, who are responsible for showcasing some of the most exciting, cutting edge barbecue food in the country, Raichlen told Daniel.)
Also appearing in this year’s 13-episode series are Edo and Loryn Nalic from Balkan Treat Box; David Sandusky from BEAST Craft BBQ; Earline Walker, formerly of Smoki O’s; and John Matthews, co-founder and owner of Pappy’s Smokehouse.
After being asked to join Raichlen, Matthews says he jumped at the opportunity. “They approached us, and we were delighted to be able to showcase St. Louis barbecue. Honestly, the guy’s quite a legend in food television,” he says of Raichlen. “It was a no-brainer.”
After being presented with the option of preparing pork steaks or spare ribs, Matthews opted for the former. Although the dish isn’t offered as a menu item at Pappy’s, Matthews’ familiarity and affinity for the dish aided the decision. “I’ve probably cooked a few thousand pork steaks at home and for friends, and they’re obviously an iconic barbecue item here,” Matthews says. “If you’re going to showcase St. Louis ‘cue, it’s pork steaks all the way.”
He first smoked the center-cut steaks, with a combination of Pappy’s rib rub and pork rub, and then finished them on the grill with some of Pappy’s Original BBQ Sauce, a tomato-based sauce that’s a little sweet and a little smoky and produces “the right combination of flavors and caramelization” for pork steaks.
For more St. Louis–style barbecue recipes and the techniques surrounding them, tune in beginning April 16 at 11:30 a.m. on Nine PBS and via livestream.
