BBQ Tips

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill knows the secret to mouthwatering barbecue isn't just in the rub or the smoker. It's in avoiding the most common grilling mistakes. These are 10 little things that can make or break your cookout, but once you know what to look out for, it's easy to get more consistent results every time.. Links in this Episode: Brisket Temp Calculator: https:/...

High elevation can throw off your brisket cook, unless you know how to adjust. At a competition 4,500 feet above sea level, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover leaned on instinct, science and ThermoWorks' new Bluetooth upgrade for the Wireless RFX to land a top brisket score. Learn how to use the Bluetooth feature, when to use it and how reliable it is when you're cooking meat in the middle of som...

Worried about running out of food at your next party? Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover has a five-hour BBQ plan that delivers juicy pulled pork and brisket without the stress. Plus, plenty of tips for serving it up right. Links in this Episode: Full Recipe: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/how-to-cook-bbq-meals-for-large-groups/   Coleslaw Recipe: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/salads/classic...

There are so many grills out there: pellet, gas, charcoal, electric. It can be overwhelming. Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover has created a quick quiz that matches you with the perfect grill based on your cooking style. Here's how it works: ❓ Answer a few easy questions  ✅ Get your Grill Match instantly  Take The Quiz: https://whatgrillshouldibuy.com    Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator: htt...

Think you know how to grill a burger? Not so fast. From picking the right meat to building it like a boss and feeding a crowd without losing your cool, this is Burger bootcamp. Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is breaking down the rookie mistakes and the secret upgrades to bring your burgers to legendary status.  Burger Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/category/recipe/burgers/   How to turn b...

Ever wondered if the drama, the pressure and the ticking clock on BBQ Brawl are as real as they seem?  When pitmaster Christie Vanover joined Season 4 of Food Network's BBQ Brawl , she stepped into a whirlwind of fire, flavor and fast decisions. With Season 6 now heating up, she's sharing the behind-the-scenes scoop on everything viewers don't see but desperately want to know. Recipes Christie Mad...

Have you ever thought about organizing a barbecue competition? Two of the most popular sanctioning bodies are the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA). Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover has organized both. In today's BBQ Tips Podcast, she shares the real costs and key differences, so you can decide which route fits your goals.   Girls Can Grill Rubs Store L...

In this week's BBQ Tips Podcast, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover shares her step-by-step technique for selecting and trimming chicken thighs for a BBQ competition. Follow her through the full process.  Equipment: https://amzn.to/45ku41C   Grilled Chicken Thighs: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/chicken/grilled-chicken-thighs/ Smoked Chicken Thighs on a Ninja Grill: https://girlscangrill.com/ni...

In this week's BBQ Tips Podcast, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover shares some keys to her business success: taking risks, surrounding yourself with people you can trust and having faith. Find out how this philosophy recently paid off for Girls Can Grill.  Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator: https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator   https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40bt...

I competed at the 2025 National Hardware Show Celebrity Cookoff in Las Vegas and won $5,000 with this burger recipe cooked on a Monument Grills. In this week's BBQ Tips Podcast, I'm going to show you exactly how to make the Thai Inspired Cheese Stuffed Slider with Thai Basil Mint Chimichurri and Spicy Mayo. Full Recipe: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/the-5000-dollar-burger/   Girls Can Grill Rub...

When selecting beef, there are so many terms: select, choice, prime, angus, wagyu. It can all be rather confusing. In this BBQ Tips Podcast, Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill explains what wagyu beef is and why it's the choice of champion pitmasters.    Save 10% on Snake River Farms wagyu beef with code GIRLSCANGRILL https://snakeriverfarms.pxf.io/NKW06N     Girls Can Grill Rubs https://shop.gir...

One key to being successful in competition barbecue is having an organized cook site. Today champion pitmaster Christie Vanover shares the different sections of her cook site and how she sets it up.    Links in This Episode: Packing List: https://girlscangrill.com/competition-bbq/checklist/   Competition Equipment I Use: https://amzn.to/3G5frEF     Girls Can Grill Rubs https://shop.girlscangrill.c...

In this week's episode of the BBQ Tips Podcast, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover takes you behind the scenes of the 2025 Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. From the latest backyard pizza ovens by Ooni and Gozney to the newly released Fire + Wine Backyard Pizza Cookbook, Christie shares her top takeaways from the floor of this year's event. Links in This Episode: 10-Year Anniversary Giveaway: https://gril...

Competitive pitmaster Christie Vanover has more than 75 top 10 calls under her belt. In today's BBQ Tips Podcast, she shares what she looks for when selecting her competition chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. Tune in and learn her secrets to help improve your stats on the circuit.  Links in This Episode: Snake River Farms Brisket: https://snakeriverfarms.pxf.io/5bEZ7o Use code GIRLSCANGRILL to save...

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and grocery stores are stocked with pre-brined corned beef briskets. But before you grab the first one you see, there are a few things to consider to get the best cut for your cooking needs. Even better, if you love pastrami, you can easily transform store-bought corned beef into a a few different pastrami dishes with BBQ Tips from champion pitmaster C...

Some big names in indoor appliances are moving outdoors. Find out which companies introduced new grill and outdoor kitchen lineups at the 2025 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas.    Links in This Episode: How to Design an Outdoor Kitchen: https://girlscangrill.com/outdoor-kitchen/design-an-outdoor-kitchen/     Girls Can Grill Rubs https://shop.girlscangrill.com/   https://amzn.to/40btkry...

Ninja has expanded its outdoor kitchen lineup with the Ninja FlexFlame – a propane grill that can smoke, griddle and cook pizza. Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover has been beta testing it for months. Find out how the grill works, what makes it different than all other propane grills she's cooked on and what her overall impressions are.  SHOP NINJA https://ninjakitchen.pxf.io/c/343481/2796189/836...

Fire up the feast! Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover shares four bold ways to cook crawfish over live fire just in time for Mardi Gras.    Links in This Episode: Grilled Crawfish: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/grilled-crawfish/   Crawfish Boil on the Grill: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/crawfish-boil-on-the-grill/   Crawfish Fettuccine:  https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/crawfish-fettuccine...

Want to really impress your Valentine? Grill up a restaurant quality steak at home. Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover shares her three favorite methods for cooking the perfect steak . Plus, she shares BBQ tips on seasoning, testing for doneness and resting.   Links in This Episode: Steak Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/category/recipe/steak/   Thermapen ONE: https://alnk.to/8iS059U   Thermowo...

Game day isn't complete without a platter of juicy, flavor-packed meatballs, but not all meatballs are created equal. If you've ever ended up with dry, bland bites, don't worry, Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover has the hacks to fix that. From key ingredients to foolproof techniques, she'll show you how to make the ultimate game-day meatballs that'll have everyone coming back for more. Links in...

There are so many different types of charcoal grills out there. It's hard to figure out which one is going to be the best one to fit your needs.  In this week's BBQ Tips Podcast, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover breaks down the types of charcoal grills, along with their advantages, disadvantages and costs.  Grill Reviews: Breeo Live-Fire Grill: https://girlscangrill.com/product-reviews/breeo-li...

Join champion pitmaster Christie Vanover as she dives into everything you need to know about shrimp, from grocery store sizing mysteries to mastering the grill. In this episode, Christie breaks down the difference between peel-on and deveined shrimp, shares her favorite ways to thaw them, and reveals her secrets for grilling shrimp to perfection. Whether you're a seafood newbie or a seasoned pro,...

Baby, it's cold outside, which makes grilling outdoors challenging. But it doesn't mean you can't grill at all. In today's BBQ Tips Podcast, champion pitmaster Christie Vanover shares her favorite indoor grill. Learn what she loves about the Ninja Sizzle and what makes it different from other indoor grills.  Ninja Sizzle: https://amzn.to/40313Do     Girls Can Grill Rubs https://shop.girlscangrill....

It's January, that means we're thinking about healthy eating again. And healthy eating, usually means more veggies.  In this week's BBQ Tips Podcast, Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover shares her top five tips for making veggies actually taste good. Plus, she includes tips for how to grill vegetables once to create several meals for the week.    Guide: How to grill 20 vegetables https://girlscang...

Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover loves prime rib so much she put it on the cover of her Holiday Grilling Cookbook. In this week's BBQ Tips podcast, she shares her top tips for cooking prime rib on the grill.  She goes over how to select a great prime rib, how to trim it, season it and cook it. Plus, she shares her recipes for gravy and horseradish sauce.  Girls Can Grill Rubs https://shop.girls...