Becky is a dear friend and the inventor of the much coveted Barbecue Pie. A few years ago, the Girls were at a party in New York City and we looked over at an empty platter (15 minutes after the party started!) and said, what was there? Whatever it was, it must have been great because it was GONE, BBQ, Gone! Elizabeth asked around and found out that it was none other than Becky’s Deep-Dish Barbecue Pie.

Chef Susan Goss’ grandmother always served these soup beans with fresh cornbread that she cut in half and buttered generously before topping with the beans. If you can’t find a ham hock in your store, substitute a chunk of meaty bacon or cured ham.

This recipe is my version of ribs that won a Memphis in May Patio Porkers contest a few years back. These guys took me under their wing and taught me everything they knew—or so they said—about barbecuing pork ribs. Their secret was marinating the ribs in lemon juice before rubbing spices into the meat. I’ve streamlined their process with cut lemons and a homemade rub.

Little did Elizabeth know that she would LEARN something new about NC ‘QUE! (That rhymes in case you missed it!) Anyway, much to her dis-belief, Stamey’s and a lot of other famous barbecue restaurants in Carolina serve their Barbecue with a side of—not slaw, not hush puppies—but a HOT DOG (smothered in slaw of course!).

These double-cut pork chops are coated with a sweet and salty rub and then cooked slowly over indirect heat until the outside of the chops are deeply caramelized and crusty. That sounds good enough for the Girls to walk a few miles for – but the real taste trick is in grilling cut oranges flesh-side down directly over the heat and squirting the hot charred orange juice on the pork chops just before serving.

The pork tenderloin is rubbed with a sweet and smoky spice blend before being seared over direct heat. Once seared and crusty (thus the name), move the tenderloin to indirect heat to finish cooking. What really makes this dish is the Jezebel sauce. If you are from the South, you may recognize Jezebel Sauce as one of those sweet-hot condiments that are frequently slathered over cream cheese and eaten with Wheatsworth crackers. No one really knows where Jezebel sauce comes from, some say Tennessee, some say the Carolinas; regardless, it is perfect with both pork and cream cheese and crackers!

Longtime Barbecue Buddy, Gary Pantlik and his wife, Mary, have moved from Memphis to the Midwest. Besides having an albino deer in their neighborhood, Gary has discovered the riches at their local Usingers smoked meat store. This weekend, Gary unpacked his smoker and his wood (he moved his wood collection of hickory, apple, cherry, peach, pecan—makes sense, for a true barbecuer, it’s just like moving your indoor spice collection!). Once he dusted off his tools, he set about making one of his favorite recipes, Gary’s Favorite Double-Smoked, Hot and Sweet Pork Chops. The recipe is a variation on a favorite circuit barbecuer recipe using 2 jars of condiments, one sweet and one spicy. Gary used the Usingers smoked pork chops http://www.usinger.com/ala_specialty.php , making this double-smoked delicacy, double delicious! But be forewarned, Gary marinates his chops overnight, so make sure you plan to make this recipe a day ahead.

Gary and his wife Mary are two of our BBQ buddies from Memphis and this recipe is pure Memphis! Cute little Cornish Game Hens stuffed with sweet Italian sausage and grill-roasted on a bed of fresh rosemary. Mmmm…Mmmm good is all we have to say. Gary de-bones the birds himself—the Girls have the butcher do it, but either way, once the bones are gone this recipe is as easy as pie to make. Leave time for a good long (over night) soak in the marinade and the hens are ready for the grill. Gary serves the stuffed fowl with mashed sweet potatoes and wild rice, both can be made while the hens are grilling.

When I was at Toscana Saporita cooking school in Italy, we made a simple vegetable sauce that transformed the plate. The rest of the meal was forgotten as we all struggled to politely take the last of the vegetables! This recipe is the recreation of my memory of that night. I’d recommend doubling the vegetable from the onset!

The trick with the country ham is to use a bacon press or a cast-iron skillet to weigh (or press) the meat down while it grills so as much of the ham as possible is crisped up before being slipped between the hot biscuits. If you can find Stadler brand country ham in your area, buy it, it is one of our favorites!

Pork tenderloin is one of the most versatile meats to grill. It’s great grilled with no more than salt and pepper, adapts to almost any barbecue rub and is easy to cut into kebobs. Of all the ways, I grill pork tenderloin, simple salt and pepper is still my favorite.

This is the uptown version of a Wisconsin brat fry. For best results, use the pre-packaged “gourmet” sausages that are sold by companies such as Han’s or Bruce Aidells, or any apple-sage sausage offered by your butcher.