Chef Stef, Cook and Author
This podcast episode features a lively discussion between JT, Chef Stef, and Leanne Whippen, focusing on the evolving landscape of barbecue and the importance of creativity in cooking. Chef Stef shares her journey of healing and how it led her to refine her digital presence and enhance her cooking skills, particularly in meal prep and recipe creation. The conversation touches on the significance of using social media for sharing innovative cooking ideas and the balance between technique and flavor. Leanne offers insights into her culinary inspirations and the techniques that drive her creativity, emphasizing the role of spices and fresh ingredients. As the episode wraps up, they explore how modern technology in grilling and smoking is reshaping the barbecue experience while still honoring traditional methods.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission
- Painted Hills Natural Beef
- I Can Cook That
- Pit Boss
- Camp Chef
- Heritage Steel
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
It's time for Barbecue Nation with jt so fire up your grill, light the charcoal, and get your smoker cooking.
JT:Now from the Turn It Go Burnett studios in Portland, here's jt.
Speaker B:Hey, everybody.
Speaker B:Welcome to the nation.
Speaker B:I'm JT along with hall of famer Leanne Whippen coming to you from our Turn It Dump Mordant Studios, respectively, across the country.
Speaker B:We'd like to thank the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission and Painted Hills Natural Beef for supporting our shows here.
Speaker B:Well, she's back.
Speaker B:Chef Steph from I Can Cook that.
Speaker B:We haven't seen her for a while.
Speaker B:She was kind of gippy, I'll put it that way.
Speaker B:But she's healed up and she's rolling.
Speaker B:Steph, how are you?
Chef Steph:I'm literally healed up.
Chef Steph:Yes.
Speaker B:So you're okay?
Speaker B:You can walk and run and throw things at the husband and all that stuff?
Chef Steph:I don't know about running, but the other stuff.
Chef Steph:Yes.
Speaker B:Okay.
Leanne Whippen:And more importantly, she could cook.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Chef Steph:She can cook.
Chef Steph:Yes.
Chef Steph:Yes.
Chef Steph:It's amazing when you are not mobile, what other parts of the business you can you try to work on.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:Keep your butt in that chair.
Speaker B:And all of a sudden, social media, you pay a little more attention to it and stuff.
Speaker B:I know.
Speaker B:So what have you been doing?
Speaker B:We haven't had you on for a year or so, so I was checking that out.
Speaker B:And what's been going on with Chef Stephen?
Chef Steph:Well, you know, I've been, like I said, not being mobile.
Chef Steph:I'm not in the kitchen as much, so I've really, you know, I can cook.
Chef Steph:That was.
Chef Steph:I think we talked about this the last time, the difference between cooking and baking, which is why I'm not.
Chef Steph:I can bake that because, you know, I never measure anything.
Chef Steph:I'm just kind of like, oh, I wonder what this flavor profile will do.
Chef Steph:So I really started using this time to kind of hone in and make some recipes so I could create some digital downloads, digital cookbooks.
Chef Steph:I've been working on my getting my reels on Instagram into a little bit better of a place.
Chef Steph:So really just kind of back end stuff, trying to put things together so that all the people that are not as skilled in the kitchen have, you know, a more of a directional guide that they can start to follow.
Chef Steph:So I had to do something.
Speaker B:Right, Right.
Speaker B:So what did you learn?
Chef Steph:I learned a lot.
Chef Steph:I mean, if you look at my.
Chef Steph:I probably shouldn't even be saying this, but if you look at Instagram page from a year or two years ago, it was really pretty bad because I had no idea how to edit.
Chef Steph:I didn't know how to do a lot of the things.
Chef Steph:And in comparison to what you see on Instagram, like how beautiful some of the content really is, mine was always just kind of dusty and dirty.
Chef Steph:So what I learned is diving into getting better at my content creation.
Chef Steph:Still a way to go, but I feel like I've really learned more of the digital side of content as opposed to just cooking.
Speaker B:Well, I would submit to you, and I think Leanne would probably agree with me that I think you did it the right way versus we see a lot of people, and I'm sure all of our feeds and stuff are different for the most part, but you see a lot of people that really aren't that skilled, but they make great videos.
Speaker B:You know, they've got the, the aspect of the editing and the sound and stuff down, but the content isn't that deep.
Speaker B:I would personally, I would rather see somebody that's really far into the cooking and not afraid to try new flavor profiles and things.
Speaker B:And I'm very forgiving, you know, kind of growing up in this business a bit if their editing skills aren't, you know, Academy Award winning like that, which.
Chef Steph:Is probably one of the reasons we've been friends for so long.
Speaker B:So what have you been working on, though?
Speaker B:I mean, give us some particulars.
Speaker B:Anything you've created that you went, wow, that is really good.
Chef Steph:As far as the.
Chef Steph:As far as, like, the digital products or as far as the actual, like, new flavors.
Speaker B:New flavors.
Chef Steph:I'm trying to think not so much.
Chef Steph:I've been really playing around with su, well, SUV and then smoking and then meal prep type things.
Chef Steph:So not so much on the new flavors as so much as honing in and perfecting that.
Chef Steph:Because what I learned not being mobile is that meal prep was really like one of my best friends now, you know, a lot of people do it for diet or, you know, whatever the reason is.
Chef Steph:But I was to a point where it was like, okay, I can get in for a couple hours and start knocking out some creative things.
Chef Steph:So I did like a duck, a sous vide duck breast that I smoked and then I fro and then I chilled it down.
Chef Steph:And so, like, you know, when you think meal prep, you think of ideas that are maybe bland, right?
Chef Steph:Everybody's like, oh, I have bags of trail mix and I have trays of celery sticks and I maybe have some chicken that doesn't bore me.
Chef Steph:But I really started learning and creating New recipes for elevated meal prep, so that if you do find yourself not being able to move around, you're not.
Chef Steph:You're not a prisoner of having to, like, be doing grubhub and Uber Eats and all of the things, you know, that you do when you're sedentary.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, where I live, grubhub comes on a camel, so it's okay.
Speaker B:But that leads me to a question for you, Leanne.
Speaker B:When you're creating something, what do you find over the years of doing it that it actually inspires you?
Speaker B:Is it something that you just.
Speaker B:You're working on, something you've done a hundred times, and you went, what if I did this?
Speaker B:What if I added more cilantro or orange juice?
Speaker B:Or.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter.
Speaker B:But how does that inspiration come to you?
Speaker B:Is it just kind of an aha moment, or is it something you plan because you do a lot?
Leanne Whippen:Yeah, it's aha moment.
Leanne Whippen:And it's not just about flavors.
Leanne Whippen:It's about techniques too.
Leanne Whippen:And I'll give you just a recent example of pasta.
Leanne Whippen:Okay.
Leanne Whippen:You have that pretty much ready to eat pasta that you can get at Sam's Club.
Leanne Whippen:And rather than just tossing it in, you know, in boiling water and throwing a sauce on it, dipping it in egg and coating it with breadcrumbs and baking it and then turning it into an appetizer, things like that.
Leanne Whippen:So it's.
Leanne Whippen:It's sometimes a combination of technique and flavors.
Leanne Whippen:There's a lot of spices out there, and I'm not just talking barbecue spices.
Leanne Whippen:I'm talking about just, you know, like, rosemary, garlic spices, cilantro, lime spices, and those combination of flavors inspire me sometimes.
Leanne Whippen:So that's a couple of examples.
Chef Steph:Yeah, I agree with that 100%.
Chef Steph:All.
Chef Steph:All the stuff that, like, I call it the weird stuff that I do, but all of the weird stuff I do is usually coming out of, like, how do I create this into a hack or how do I create this into a shortcut?
Chef Steph:Like, I'm a big fan when you talk about pasta.
Chef Steph:I am a huge fan of the cold water method and also par cooking it in advance when I have a break in my day.
Chef Steph:And then, literally, I don't have to save the starch water.
Chef Steph:So I realize if I park hook it, there's so much starch that still explodes that I can do shortcuts like that.
Chef Steph:So, yeah, I love what you said.
Chef Steph:Mm.
Speaker B:I mean, you guys finish this show.
Speaker B:I'm gonna go cook some pasta and dip it, so that that makes me really hungry.
Speaker B:But I just think that creative cooks, and whether you're at a grill or a smoker in the kitchen or wherever, I think when they see something and it kind of strikes their fancy, if you will, I think those are the people that are on the road to being a great cook.
Speaker B:If they follow that and sometimes they don't work.
Speaker B:You know, I've made dishes many times that I thought, well, man, this is really going to be good.
Speaker B:And it kind of comes out like, yeah, you can eat it.
Speaker B:It tastes okay, but it's nothing that really lights you up.
Speaker B:And in the.
Speaker B:In the flavors, and say, yeah, I want to.
Speaker B:I want to do that again.
Speaker B:I want to serve that at my next party.
Chef Steph:You know, I think that happens to everyone.
Chef Steph:I can't tell you how many times I'm like, man, I thought this was gonna be so good, and I'll.
Chef Steph:I'll dump it.
Chef Steph:And my husband just looks at me like I'm nuts, you know, I gotta make it again.
Chef Steph:No, that wasn't good.
Chef Steph:I gotta do it again.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:My.
Speaker B:My biggest tasting where I see the results is my wife's kind of quiet.
Speaker B:Leanne's better.
Speaker B:I mean, she's kind of a quiet person.
Speaker B:And every once in a while, she'll look at me at dinner and she'll go, that's really.
Speaker B:This is really good.
Speaker B:And I think, okay, I got something there.
Speaker B:And then other times, I'll say, how's the food?
Speaker B:It's okay, you know, so when I get that, it's okay.
Speaker B:It's like, no, that's going down the end of the counter there.
Speaker B:It's not coming back.
Speaker B:So, anyway, I just think that.
Speaker B:I think people that are serious about their cooking and wanting to expand their cooking vocabulary, I think they do get inspired by different things.
Speaker B:So that's just me, unless you're playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Speaker B:And there's nothing.
Speaker B:Nothing's going to inspire you right now.
Speaker B:So, Steph, are you a Rams or a Chargers fan?
Speaker B:Or maybe you're not a fan of football at all?
Chef Steph:Oh, Lord.
Chef Steph:I play the fifth, I guess.
Chef Steph:You know, it's funny that you asked me that, actually.
Chef Steph:I'm not a football fan.
Chef Steph:I'm sorry.
Chef Steph:I'm just.
Chef Steph:It's just not my.
Chef Steph:My, My thing, but I should.
Chef Steph:It's funny you said Rams or Chargers because I'm initially from St.
Chef Steph:Louis.
Chef Steph:Is that why you said that?
Chef Steph:Well, yeah.
Leanne Whippen:So that would be the newbie Rams fan.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well, Leanne, she's a Die Hard kind of Bucks fan, and her friend John is a Rams guy.
Speaker B:And I'm a Kansas.
Leanne Whippen:I am loving the Ravens.
Speaker B:The Ravens are hot, Ravens are hot.
Speaker B:And I'm a Kansas City.
Speaker B:Even though I didn't grow up there or anything, I just like the Chiefs, so.
Leanne Whippen:So, Steph, even though you aren't a football fan, I feel like people come together even if they don't like the sport, when it comes to the World Series, etc, and they have their parties.
Leanne Whippen:Do you have any recipes that you can think of that would be great for Super Bowl?
Chef Steph:Yeah, came up with one.
Chef Steph:It was a while ago, and actually it was.
Chef Steph:I thought it was going to be like one of those things where people looked at me like I was crazy, but they actually liked it.
Chef Steph:I came up with.
Chef Steph:So for potato skins, doing a buffalo, like a hot wing Buffalo chicken.
Chef Steph:The chicken was boneless buffalo chicken, potato skin with like a drizzle of ranch on it.
Chef Steph:So that's kind of fun.
Chef Steph:And then there was.
Chef Steph:I think it was for pit boss.
Chef Steph:Several years ago, I did football sliders.
Chef Steph:So I stuffed ground beef with cheese and then I made the little football, you know, stitching out of hatch chilies.
Chef Steph:And then I smoked those and served that at a party.
Chef Steph:And I had like a whole, you know, football spread.
Chef Steph:It was pretty fun.
Speaker B:There you go.
Speaker B:We're going to take a break.
Speaker B:We're going to be back, and I have got a question for the ages when we get back.
Speaker B:You're listening to Barbecue Nation.
Speaker B:Stay with us.
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Speaker B:Welcome back to the Nation.
Speaker B:I appreciate everybody taking time to listen to our show and letting us into your world.
Speaker B:I'm JT along with Leanne Whippin.
Speaker B:She's a hall of famer.
Speaker B:I'm just a hall monitor.
Speaker B:So we can do that.
Speaker B:So the.
Speaker B:The big question is, what is the deal with calling chicken nuggets boneless wings?
Speaker B:That drives me nuts, you know, and so I want to get your take on that.
Chef Steph:Is this because of that whole potato skin thing?
Chef Steph:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:No, no, no, not at all.
Speaker B:You just made me think of it.
Chef Steph:I mean, I guess it's just marketing, right?
Chef Steph:I mean, because there's not such things as a boneless swing.
Chef Steph:There's no such Thing as a lot of things that people say that there are.
Chef Steph:So I don't know, maybe Leanne has a better answer to that one.
Leanne Whippen:I feel like some of these boneless wings, they really do try to mimic a wing with the skin around.
Leanne Whippen:It isn't just a boneless, you know, breast.
Leanne Whippen:It's like they are trying to take the bones out of it however they do it.
Leanne Whippen:I mean, come on, look at the McRib sandwich.
Speaker B:Oh, God.
Leanne Whippen:Is it really rib meat?
Speaker B:Maybe it's, it's pressed meat.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah.
Speaker B:I talked to the guy one time that up in North Carolina that made those, and they're pressed meat.
Speaker B:University of North Carolina did that.
Speaker B:And I've got a brother in law who lives for the McRibs when they come out every year.
Speaker B:So he's just like, you can really.
Leanne Whippen:Make a true McRib sandwich yourself.
Leanne Whippen:That is quite good.
Leanne Whippen:You have to overcook the ribs, obviously, to pull the bones out, but it is obtainable and, you know, why wouldn't it be good?
Leanne Whippen:You know, throw rib meat on a sandwich.
Chef Steph:Sure.
Chef Steph:Would you.
Chef Steph:Cult following for the McRib.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:But Leanne, as a hall of famer in barbecue, would you do that?
Leanne Whippen:I have never, ever attempted it.
Leanne Whippen:But it's not to say that I won't attempt it.
Leanne Whippen:I won't put sauce on it.
Leanne Whippen:It'll be a dry McRib.
Chef Steph:Oh, there you go.
Speaker B:I, I, I don't know.
Speaker B:I'm, we're getting kind of off in the weeds here.
Speaker B:But my point is, I just, I don't know.
Speaker B:I can't, you know, McRib sandwich.
Speaker B:I can honestly say I've never had one.
Speaker B:I have never eaten one.
Chef Steph:Oh, you should just experience the dark side.
Chef Steph:Yeah.
Chef Steph:I mean, it's, I mean, I don't want to offend any, you know, anyone, but it's not good.
Chef Steph:I mean, it's not like.
Chef Steph:Well, it's just, there's nothing about it that says rib.
Speaker B:It's just pork meat slathered in sauce, I think, because I think they actually put that meat in a press and make it look that way.
Chef Steph:Well, the sauce isn't good either.
Chef Steph:It's very, I don't know.
Speaker B:Okay, well.
Speaker B:Okay, so wings in my book have to have bones, and McRibs are McStuff.
Speaker B:That's what they should call it, a McStuff sandwich.
Speaker B:Like that.
Speaker B:So, Leanne, speaking of super bowl, we do have a Super bowl coming up in a few weeks here.
Speaker B:What is your favorite thing to put on a Super bowl spread?
Leanne Whippen:So What I do is I take the two teams that are in the super bowl and I do a dish that is in, you know, indigenous or what they're known for, like buffalo.
Leanne Whippen:We do the wings, you know, So I try to incorporate the dishes from the two teams into the meal.
Leanne Whippen:So it's different every year.
Speaker B:What do you do for the Rams?
Leanne Whippen:It would probably be something southwest, you know, I don't know, because they, like.
Leanne Whippen:I don't know.
Leanne Whippen:I'd have to think about it.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Leanne Whippen:And in an out burger.
Leanne Whippen:I don't know.
Chef Steph:Yeah.
Speaker B:We'Ve got two new in and outs coming in up here in Portland, so I'm.
Speaker B:I'm really happy you can.
Leanne Whippen:You can mimic that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Steph, what about you?
Speaker B:What's your go to thing for, you know, party platters, if you will, or like a Super bowl party?
Chef Steph:You know, it just depends really on also who I'm having over because, you know, so many people nowadays are gluten free or they don't eat this, they don't eat that.
Chef Steph:Like, it really.
Leanne Whippen:I don't have friends like that.
Speaker B:Neither do I.
Leanne Whippen:Sorry, you're not invited.
Chef Steph:That's actually really funny.
Chef Steph:But, yeah, I do try and cater to my people.
Chef Steph:But, yeah, if it was just gonna be me, like, I love doing pork butt.
Chef Steph:I love doing pork butt.
Chef Steph:Like, it's one of my favorite things to do.
Chef Steph:And I think.
Chef Steph:I know it's pretty, you know, easy in the world of barbecue, like, compared to, like, you know, brisket or that type of thing, but I love a good pulled pork and I love to repurpose it.
Chef Steph:So I'll do like, a pulled pork, and I'll do, like, carnitas or whatever.
Chef Steph:And then I've been known to do, like, pulled pork crunch wraps and, you know, just like, crazy things with all the leftovers.
Chef Steph:I think that's one of my favorite things, too.
Chef Steph:Everyone does ribs, Everyone does wings.
Chef Steph:I know a lot of people do the pork butt, but I don't know, there's just something.
Leanne Whippen:It's a long, you know, it's a long cook.
Leanne Whippen:So most people appreciate it and they don't do it at home.
Speaker B:So that.
Leanne Whippen:That's always a good go to for sure.
Speaker B:Yeah, Yeah, I think so.
Speaker B:I think.
Leanne Whippen:And it kind of looks like a football.
Chef Steph:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker B:Well, you can.
Speaker B:If, you know, you can pull.
Speaker B:Pull all the stuff out and then reform it as a football, you know, you.
Speaker B:You know, you could do that.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think it's good.
Speaker B:I think, of course, we have a lot of seafood up here, so I Usually do one.
Speaker B:Maybe it's a pork butt, maybe it's some tri tips, maybe it's some ribs.
Speaker B:It doesn't really matter.
Speaker B:And then I try to do one seafood thing, you know, and you can do the straight shrimp cocktail with the big jumbos and make your own sauce or something like that.
Speaker B:But I tend to like you.
Speaker B:I like to get something in the form of a.
Speaker B:A wrap, if you will, and make it with some shrimp and diced green onions and things like that.
Speaker B:I try to get.
Speaker B:So you got a kind of a really nice cross section of flavors, the shrimp and a little bit of cocktail sauce if they want it.
Speaker B:And yet it doesn't just look like you're eating, you know, number six at the Chinese menu at your local place.
Speaker B:There, you know, that's a big bowl.
Leanne Whippen:Of chili is always good to serve, you know, because it's cold in most places.
Leanne Whippen:And then you can do a topping bar.
Leanne Whippen:And I like being interactive and having different toppings so people can kind of make it their own.
Leanne Whippen:That's fun.
Speaker B:I've done that with baked potatoes, too.
Speaker B:I've done it with.
Speaker B:For super bowl parties.
Speaker B:I'll remember at Christmas, I was telling you how you and me did how I make the twice bakers cut them in half, cook them meat side down, and I'll pull those out and kind of score the meat side of the potato and open them up, and then they can do a topping bar with a potato, too.
Speaker B:But yet it's not a whole great big baked potato, so that they just fill up on that and.
Speaker B:And do that.
Speaker B:Anyway, we're going to take a break.
Speaker B:We're going to be back with Chef Steph and Miss whipping, and she's going to tell us about pink powder when we come back.
Speaker B:Don't go away.
Jeff:Hey, everybody, it's JT And I have eaten.
Jeff:If you've ever looked at me, you know that.
Jeff:But I have eaten seafood all over the world, and I can tell you there's no place better than here in Oregon and our Dungeness crab.
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Speaker B:Welcome back to the nation.
Speaker B:I'm JT along with Leanne, and Chef Steph is with us today.
Speaker B:We thank you for inviting us into your eardrums, or if you watch the videos on this pig powder, you Got some news.
Leanne Whippen:I do pig powder.
Leanne Whippen:New labels coming out.
Leanne Whippen:Andy kind of modernized him a little bit, but it still has the famous pig that my dad drew years ago sprinkling himself.
Leanne Whippen:Almost looks like a shower of pig powder.
Leanne Whippen:But we have spicy pig powder coming out.
Leanne Whippen:So I will be ordering my pallets in the next month, and I'll make it available on the website on Pigpowder.com and I might even be doing a flash sale just to get it going a little bit quicker, because I have a couple cases left.
Leanne Whippen:And so you can use BBQ Nation Save to get 10% off.
Chef Steph:And I will say I'm not even an affiliate for you.
Chef Steph:I wish it was, but that is one of my most favorite spices, and I have a lot of spices.
Chef Steph:And I will tell you, I love it.
Chef Steph:It is the absolute best.
Leanne Whippen:So I will tell you that the Philadelphia Eagles, their stadium, uses pig powder.
Speaker B:Really?
Chef Steph:So good.
Leanne Whippen:They.
Leanne Whippen:They order.
Chef Steph:And I.
Chef Steph:I've even used it on salmon.
Leanne Whippen:Like, it's just on seafood.
Leanne Whippen:I used to use it on shrimp at the restaurants.
Leanne Whippen:It's great.
Chef Steph:It's amazing.
Leanne Whippen:Thank you.
Chef Steph:One of my favorites.
Speaker B:I didn't know the Eagles used it.
Leanne Whippen:Yes, they do.
Speaker B:Got to get Jason, Kelsey and, you know, to do something with you.
Leanne Whippen:I don't.
Leanne Whippen:I don't really go there, you know, with them on.
Leanne Whippen:On that note, you know, I just try to keep it strictly biz, but.
Leanne Whippen:And it's hard because sometimes I always, you know, when they order, I'm like, go, Eagles.
Leanne Whippen:And I think, well, maybe two tickets.
Leanne Whippen:But no.
Speaker B:Well, I'm sure if you ask them, they would really.
Chef Steph:I don't know.
Leanne Whippen:They are good, too.
Speaker B:Can you sing?
Leanne Whippen:Can I sing?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Leanne Whippen:No, I cannot sing.
Leanne Whippen:Dance.
Leanne Whippen:I can barbecue.
Leanne Whippen:That's about it.
Speaker B:Well, I thought if you could sing, maybe they'd let you come up and do the national anthem.
Leanne Whippen:National anthem?
Leanne Whippen:No, that would not be good.
Speaker B:Maybe one of their preseason games, Intramural games.
Leanne Whippen:No, it might go viral, though.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah, it's not bad.
Speaker B:That's good.
Speaker B:So, Steph, what do you see out there in the barbecue world?
Speaker B:It's been a while since, like I said at the top of the show, since you've been on the show, actually.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And so it's.
Speaker B:It's been a while since that.
Speaker B:A lot of changes we come through.
Speaker B:The COVID stuff and the overstocking of where the manufacturers got a little over their skis.
Speaker B:They had a lot of grills and smokers and stuff in the warehouse.
Speaker B:I think that's kind of leveling out now.
Speaker B:But what are you seeing out there with the people you interact with and the companies you interact with?
Speaker B:As far as the state of the world of barbecue, you know, I mean.
Chef Steph:For me, I feel I almost.
Chef Steph:I actually got into barbecue during COVID Like, I was always like, you know, the back backyard barbecue girl.
Chef Steph:But I started really getting into smoking and learning about that during COVID So for me, I almost feel like that was a time where barbecue was like picking up because people had all day to smoke pork.
Chef Steph:But.
Speaker B:Right.
Chef Steph:You know, but what I will say is I had some very specific brands of grills and smokers that I worked on and worked with.
Chef Steph:And I branched out to some new lines that I hadn't even heard of that I've been very impressed with.
Chef Steph:So I feel like there was, you know, there's always like Pit Boss and Traeger.
Chef Steph:You know, everybody knows in Green Egg and everybody knows that.
Chef Steph:But I mean, there were some brands and maybe it's just that I don't know all the brands, but there were some brands that I got access to that I was very impressed with.
Chef Steph:So I'm kind of seeing a shift in some of the new guys or newer guys that don't have the reputation getting.
Chef Steph:Getting out there a little more.
Speaker B:Who are they?
Chef Steph:Camp Chef is one that I've been messing around and I really like it.
Chef Steph:Have you used the Camp Chef before?
Speaker B:I have not, but I know Meathead has given it high marks.
Chef Steph:Yes.
Chef Steph:And I talked to him briefly about it, but I love it.
Chef Steph:It's got a sidekick on the side, so you can switch it from.
Chef Steph:Like if you want to sear something, if you want to griddle something, you can.
Chef Steph:Not only is the.
Chef Steph:The is it's pellet, but it also has a built in area so you can put wood chips in it.
Chef Steph:So I mean, it's really.
Chef Steph:It's a really interesting piece of barbecue technology.
Speaker B:Well, that's good though.
Speaker B:That's good.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I'm probably due for some upgrades around here, so it's good to know.
Speaker B:Might reach out to them.
Speaker B:You never know.
Leanne Whippen:I feel like some of these smokers and the marketing and everything and what they're coming out with is kind of like cars, you know, the cars come out with latest technology and it's like, why didn't we see this five years ago?
Leanne Whippen:And they all have this new thing all in the same year.
Leanne Whippen:It's kind of like that way with smokers and technology.
Leanne Whippen:If, you know, if somebody comes out with something, you see it being in the other brands, they're going to integrate it, which is great, because, I mean, obviously the first one that comes out with it is tested well, and that's exactly it.
Chef Steph:Right?
Chef Steph:So, like, I had a smoker that had, you know, quote unquote, wireless capabilities, but it was terrible.
Chef Steph:Like, the signal always dropped.
Chef Steph:Like, you know, if I wasn't standing right next to the smoker, it didn't work on my app.
Chef Steph:And, you know, now that some of these companies have had time to really test it, get their MVP out, I feel like, you know, a lot of those problems aren't as bad as they used to be.
Leanne Whippen:I agree.
Speaker B:I'm not one that uses the wireless technologies in that because I'm very close.
Speaker B:Leanne's been here, and I'm very close to where all the.
Speaker B:The cookers are.
Speaker B:So I just kind of wander out there and check them frequently like that.
Speaker B:But I can see where the wireless technologies are important to people, and I understand why they do it, and I think that's a really good thing.
Speaker B:Do you ever think that we could overdo the technologies to move us beyond the point of really smoking, grilling, barbecuing to where it's.
Leanne Whippen:I definitely do, because the AI pit masters are coming.
Chef Steph:Well, I think it also depends on who you ask.
Chef Steph:Right?
Chef Steph:I mean, there's some old school, like, no, you know, they won't even touch a pellet.
Chef Steph:You know, it's like, no, you know, if you're not rubbing two sticks together, you're not barbecuing, you know?
Speaker B:Right, right, right.
Chef Steph:There's definitely some.
Chef Steph:Some truth to all different types of barbecue, I believe.
Chef Steph:Anyway, just depends on who you ask.
Chef Steph:And I think it's also, like, dependent on the technology.
Chef Steph:Right.
Chef Steph:Like, launching something before it's really been tested is not, in my opinion, the smartest move.
Speaker B:No, no.
Speaker B:Well, I can remember.
Speaker B:Well, it's been quite a while now, but because of where I live, I remember when Traeger came out, okay.
Speaker B:And prior to that, it was all either charcoal or stick burners, and that was it.
Speaker B:He had gas grills.
Speaker B:But of course, the sentiment then was, if you're cooking with gas, you're doing strictly for convenience, and you're really not barbecuing.
Speaker B:Okay, I disagree with that.
Speaker B:But that's just my.
Speaker B:My take on things.
Speaker B:But now pellet grills are so common, not just in my neck of the woods, but all over the world.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:And they're easy and they're.
Speaker B:They're quick.
Speaker B:You can do.
Speaker B:They're pretty versatile for the most part.
Speaker B: ing able to sear something at: Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:And maybe I'm showing my age here, and if I do, I don't care.
Speaker B:But the point is, I just think that we get off of that instead of maybe rein that in just a skosh to keep moving forward.
Chef Steph:And it's all about the food tribe for everyone.
Chef Steph:Right.
Chef Steph:I mean, like, that's what you're describing is that's me.
Chef Steph:That's.
Chef Steph:I can cook that.
Chef Steph:Right.
Chef Steph:I'm just the girl, like, that didn't have a culinary background that just wanted to throw something on the grill.
Chef Steph:And it got more interesting to me as the years went on.
Chef Steph:And so I started learning more.
Chef Steph:I started trying to get some of the science behind it.
Chef Steph:But I think pellet grills are really for people that, like, it's okay if you don't know how to properly stack your briquettes.
Chef Steph:Like, some people just want to plug in the machine and throw some good steaks on, you know?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:What do you think, Leanne?
Leanne Whippen:I agree 100%.
Leanne Whippen:I do.
Leanne Whippen:However, I'm an old school barbecue person and, you know, I love pellets for convenience, but I just.
Leanne Whippen:I love that real authentic smoke flavor.
Leanne Whippen:A lot of people sometimes feel that it's too much smoke for their palate, so a pellet grill is perfect for them because it's light smoke.
Leanne Whippen:So.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah, I love that too.
Chef Steph:I love that.
Chef Steph:Like, everybody asks me, well, what do you use when you actually.
Chef Steph:It's mesquite.
Chef Steph:I love it.
Chef Steph:I like the heavy smoke.
Speaker B:No, I think that's true.
Speaker B:And I think.
Speaker B:I mean, I've got a very deep appreciation and affection for charcoal grilling, whether it's in, you know, a kamado style or a Weber kettle style or whatever.
Speaker B:You've got open grates and all that stuff.
Speaker B:I mean, I've done all that.
Speaker B:We've all done all that.
Speaker B:Time is really, I think, our most important asset anymore.
Speaker B:That's just me.
Chef Steph:Yeah.
Chef Steph:I mean, not everyone can be a Leanne and a Jeff.
Chef Steph:You know, that's how I feel about the sous vide, too.
Chef Steph:Like, honestly, I hope you don't, like, block me from ever coming back as a guest, but I can do a mean pair of ribs in a sous vide, like.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Chef Steph:And sear it, you know, on the smoker when it's done.
Chef Steph:But, I mean, some of the most even precision cooked ribs that you can do in a suv.
Chef Steph:It doesn't have the smoke quality if you put them on a smoker.
Chef Steph:But to your point, Jeff, it's like people want convenience, and, yeah, they're sick of, like, having the same chicken dinner every single night.
Speaker B:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker B:We're going to take one more break, come back and wrap up the show with chef Steph and my dear friend and co host, Ms.
Speaker B:Leanne Whippen, right after this.
Speaker B:Stay with us.
Jeff:Hey, everybody, it's JT.
Jeff:You know, I talk about Painted Hills all the time, and we always say beef the way nature intended.
Jeff:But it's more than that, because each bite of Painted Hills will make your taste buds explode.
Jeff:Put a big, bright smile on your face, and whoever's at your dinner table will have a big, bright smile on their face.
Jeff:And you can thank me for that later.
Jeff:Just go to painted hillsbeef.com and find out more.
Speaker B:You won't regret it.
Jeff:Hey, everybody, J.T.
Speaker B:Here.
Jeff:I want to tell you about Hammerstahl knives.
Jeff:Hammerstahl combines German steel with beautiful and functioning designs.
Jeff:They're part of the Heritage steel group, which also does their pots and pans.
Jeff:So go to heritagesteel us.
Jeff:Check out the Hammer Stahl knives.
Jeff:If you're really into cooking, I think you're really gonna like them.
Speaker B:Welcome back to the nation.
Speaker B:I'm JT along with hall of famer Leanne, television star extraordinaire.
Speaker B:Unfortunately, she's a Buccaneers fan, but that's Baker Mayfield.
Speaker B:Tried.
Speaker B:I'll just say that.
Speaker B:And we've got chef Steph from I can cook that word.
Speaker B:What are you doing?
Speaker B:What are you coming out with this year, Stephen?
Chef Steph:I don't know.
Chef Steph:Actually, you know, I shouldn't say I don't know.
Chef Steph:I do know.
Chef Steph:I.
Chef Steph:Now that I am mobile again, I want to start to do.
Chef Steph:And I can cook that digital course teaching people, you know, 101 type things.
Chef Steph:And, you know, my.
Chef Steph:My.
Chef Steph:My market is more for the novice, but, yeah, I think I want to start doing some digital courses.
Chef Steph:Everything from how do you butcher your own chicken to save money?
Chef Steph:To how do I smoke some ribs?
Chef Steph:Or whatever it is.
Speaker B:Sure, sure.
Speaker B:I think that's a good idea.
Speaker B:I really do.
Leanne Whippen:Everybody had to start somewhere.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Leanne Whippen:It has to hit home somewhere.
Chef Steph:Yeah.
Speaker B:What's the one thing that you found that when people interact with you and they.
Speaker B:They watch your reels and they do all that, and they'll send you a note or they'll make a comment, but what's the one thing that they seem to find that they really like about what you're doing.
Speaker B:I'm not going to ask you what they don't like.
Speaker B:I'm going to ask you what they do like.
Chef Steph:Yeah, no, I think that it's my weird spin on classic flavors and making it quick.
Chef Steph:So, like, I really like to, you know, aside from, like, the 12 hour pork butter or that type of thing, some of my other meals, some of my other flavor profiles are really interesting spins on everyday classics, but also making them relatively quick and easy.
Chef Steph:So you're not spending all day in the kitchen.
Chef Steph:And I think people really appreciate that because every.
Chef Steph:Because people are going back to work now that Covid's over.
Speaker B:Yeah, they are.
Speaker B:Have you been affected by the fires?
Speaker B:I know you're south of there, but.
Chef Steph:I mean, knock on wood.
Chef Steph:No, it's.
Chef Steph:But it's just like, look at the footage up there.
Chef Steph:And it's pretty much, you know, hell on earth up there.
Chef Steph:I know Andrew Gruel and a couple other chefs are doing a lot of great work up there, so I've reached out to them and let them know if they need anything.
Chef Steph:I'm, you know, just a couple hour drive away.
Chef Steph:But knock on wood, I've been lucky down here.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:The footage I've seen, it looks kind of like Hiroshima.
Chef Steph:Oh, it's just awful.
Speaker B:It's pretty rough.
Speaker B:I lived down there for a couple of years, and I remember all those places vividly.
Speaker B:And of course, I've been.
Speaker B:That was in college, and I've been back 100 times since.
Speaker B:But, you know, you're coming down I5, and you go through Santa Clarita and that, and then you kind of go over the hill, and it looks like there's nothing left there for a while.
Chef Steph:Yeah, it's just.
Chef Steph:It's terrible.
Chef Steph:It's just.
Chef Steph:It's heartbreaking how many people lost their homes, you know, I wish there was more I could do.
Speaker B:Well, I think we'll.
Speaker B:We'll figure out how to help them.
Speaker B:We always do.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Leanne, what have you got going?
Speaker B:Whip?
Leanne Whippen:Even though I am going to be in Lakeland, Florida, for the Florida State State barbecue championship on Friday and Saturday.
Leanne Whippen:Let me see.
Leanne Whippen:I think that's the 24th and 25th.
Leanne Whippen:Cooking up some pork butts, just like you were talking about, giving out nice samples with pit boss.
Leanne Whippen:So I'll be out there for the whole weekend.
Chef Steph:Nice.
Chef Steph:How is that from where you are?
Leanne Whippen:It's only about an hour and a half.
Leanne Whippen:I usually.
Leanne Whippen:I competed there a couple years ago.
Leanne Whippen:I've judged there.
Leanne Whippen:It's a really nice event.
Leanne Whippen:They have stuff going on all day Saturday.
Leanne Whippen:You can bring the kids.
Leanne Whippen:They have face painting.
Leanne Whippen:And I'm sure the weather will be nice, as usual.
Leanne Whippen:It might be a little chilly, but.
Speaker B:Yeah, hold on a second, Steph.
Speaker B:Leanne thinks anything below 85 is chilly.
Speaker B:Okay.
Chef Steph:Yeah, she's a smart lady.
Speaker B:Yeah, she is.
Speaker B:Yes, she is.
Speaker B:But she showed.
Speaker B:She showed up here when we were filming the cooking segments for that show and she has her.
Leanne Whippen:Oh, it's freezing.
Speaker B:Cute little pedal pushers on and stuff like that, or capri pants, whatever you want to call them.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And it's, it's.
Speaker B:Sun's out, but it's only like 55 degrees, right?
Chef Steph:Yeah.
Speaker B:And she's just standing there shaking.
Leanne Whippen:It was bad for me.
Chef Steph:It was bad.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah, go ahead.
Chef Steph:No, I was just wondering, you know, where you are in Florida that it's always so warm.
Chef Steph:Do you get from novice grillers, do you get a lot of questions about how the warm weather impacts the time of your smoke and that type of thing, or do people pretty much have that figured out in Florida?
Leanne Whippen:Never.
Leanne Whippen:Never weather related.
Leanne Whippen:I get questions from all over the country.
Leanne Whippen:I just had one.
Leanne Whippen:Sorry to bother you, but, you know, what temperature should I bring my pork butt to?
Leanne Whippen:How long is it going to take to cook?
Leanne Whippen:And, you know, I'll ask them where they're from because, you know, I grew up in Jersey and I know, it's funny, I had a bullet and I had this green blanket and I would wrap it when it got cold out and I would call it the green monster when I would cook on it.
Leanne Whippen:But it definitely held the temp.
Leanne Whippen:It had burn marks on it all the time.
Leanne Whippen:But it definitely does affect your cook as well as wind and rain and all that stuff, the elements.
Leanne Whippen:And that's the interesting part about barbecue.
Leanne Whippen:You get all kinds of things that can throw your cooks on or off.
Leanne Whippen:Even I lived out in Colorado.
Leanne Whippen:And the altitude affects it.
Leanne Whippen:Frisco barbecue State Championship.
Leanne Whippen:You know, I remember that's when I was first learning about cooking with, you know, the difference in altitudes.
Leanne Whippen:So it does make a big difference.
Leanne Whippen:And.
Chef Steph:But you don't get a lot of people asking about it.
Leanne Whippen:No, I do not.
Leanne Whippen:It's.
Leanne Whippen:Which is interesting.
Chef Steph:That is interesting.
Speaker B:Up here.
Speaker B:We get a lot of.
Speaker B:We get a lot of moisture, of course, respectively, though we're not the highest in the world as far as moisture.
Speaker B:Year.
Speaker B:We get about 40 inches of rain a year, give or take.
Speaker B:And there's other places in the country that get just that much or rain and Snow combined.
Speaker B:But, yeah, you learn about using the quilts, you know, especially if it's very cold and dry, it can really affect the cook because most of the heat is going away trying to get warm itself.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Leanne Whippen:Right.
Speaker B:And so, you know, you do that up here, and a lot of people don't think about it, especially if they're working on a gas grill, you know, but if they're working on a pellet or charcoal or something, they can certainly.
Chef Steph:Have my smoker, like, in the perfect spot on my outside where I know the sun hits directly.
Chef Steph:So I have to do a quick cook.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah.
Speaker B:And you're out there in your, you know, sun suit and having.
Speaker B:Having a drink and watching the deal.
Speaker B:Yeah, I could do that.
Chef Steph:There's worse things.
Speaker B:There is worse things like that.
Speaker B:So last question, Steph, where would you like to be with your.
Speaker B:I can cook.
Speaker B:That career, say, five years from now?
Chef Steph:You know, I just.
Chef Steph:I.
Chef Steph:I would love to just be established and for it to be my main thing, because right now it's still, you know, aside growth.
Speaker B:Right.
Chef Steph:I've been working on for.
Chef Steph:I don't even like the last 15 years.
Chef Steph:So I think, you know, Jeff, we talked a little bit about me starting spaces on X.
Chef Steph:So between that and hopefully some digital courses and some digital download, because I really do believe we are in a digital world now.
Chef Steph:I'm hoping that I can reach more people and help more people.
Speaker B:Okay, and where can they find you now?
Speaker B:What's your websites and your Instagram, what do you go by and give all that out?
Chef Steph:Okay, great.
Chef Steph:Thank you.
Chef Steph:So my website, I just launched a special area.
Chef Steph:The store is not active yet, but it will be active next week.
Chef Steph:Some of my most popular requested recipes.
Chef Steph:The recipe that is an Andrew Gruel's calico fish house restaurant.
Chef Steph:So some very vap.
Chef Steph:It's called the Chef's Pantry.
Chef Steph:And you can get that on my website.
Chef Steph:It's www.I can cookthat.com.
Chef Steph:and then at the top of the page, you see something called Chef's Pantry.
Chef Steph:So all of that VIP stuff will be in there.
Chef Steph:And then the usual players.
Chef Steph:You can find all my social on my website.
Chef Steph:Instagram, X, gosh, Facebook, you name it, I'm on it.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:And Leanne, you're cranking out stuff all the time, I see.
Leanne Whippen:Yeah, I got YouTube and then Instagram, Facebook, all the usual stuff.
Leanne Whippen:I'm trying to do more videos with pig powder involved because I really haven't focused on that.
Leanne Whippen:That's one of my goals.
Leanne Whippen:This year, a lot of people buy it, but.
Leanne Whippen:And they ask me, well, what else can I use it on?
Leanne Whippen:So I'm hoping to do some more of that video content this year.
Chef Steph:What do you find that most people gravitate?
Chef Steph:What, like, what's their go to with that pig powder?
Chef Steph:Is it just pork or sweet potatoes or seafood?
Leanne Whippen:It's really multifaceted.
Leanne Whippen:I have a team.
Leanne Whippen:I have teams that use it and they will send me what awards they've won with it.
Leanne Whippen:I have people that say, oh, I just tried on scrambled eggs.
Leanne Whippen:It's delicious.
Leanne Whippen:You know, it's.
Leanne Whippen:It's so user friendly, you know, on so many different things that I get a lot of thank yous.
Leanne Whippen:Thank you.
Leanne Whippen:I love this.
Chef Steph:So good.
Chef Steph:Yeah, it's so good.
Chef Steph:I'm putting it in my curry tonight.
Leanne Whippen:Oh, great.
Leanne Whippen:Fantastic.
Speaker B:There you go.
Speaker B:We got to get out of here.
Speaker B:We're a little over time.
Speaker B:So chef Steph, hopefully she'll stick around for a few minutes.
Speaker B:This is going to be a very unorganized after hours, I will tell you.
Speaker B:But, Steph, thanks for joining us.
Speaker B:Leanne, thank you, my dear, for always being on my side here.
Chef Steph:Thank you for having me.
Speaker B:Marvin, thanks for watching out the studio today.
Leanne Whippen:Marvin the cat.
Speaker B:Marvin the cat.
Speaker B:He's my studio guard cat.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And we'll be back next week at some point with another edition of Barbecue Nation.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Go out to have some fun.
Speaker B:Cook something, and remember our motto here.
Speaker B:Cook, turn it, don't burn it.
Speaker B:Not cook it, don't cook it, turn it, don't burn it.
Speaker B:Take care.
JT:Barbecue Nation is produced by jtsd, LLC Productions in association with Salem Media Group.
JT:All rights reserve.
