“Maybe some of the best BBQ of any season yet!”
Myron Mixon (pictured) told us that when we asked him what to expect from the new season of Destination America’s hit competition series BBQ Pitmasters, which begins April 12.
Mixon is back at the judges’ table this season, along with returning judge Tuffy Stone and new judge Moe Cason, a self-taught Pitmaster and fan-favorite contestant from an earlier season.
The new season features contestants from Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Memphis and Kansas City. The premiere episode features Robby Royal from Rescue Smokers returning for a chance at redemption after his loss in last season¹s semi-finals. Eric Thomas from The Rolling Grill is another returning competitor who’s trying to prove that his food is worthy of naming him BBQ Pitmasters‘ Georgia Champion. And newcomer John Ley from Heavenly Hawgs hopes his Georgia-style cooking is destined to win it all.
“They all know their way around a grill,” Mixon said about this season’s contestants. “We’re taking the best Pitmasters we can find from around the country and giving them meats they know how to cook, and they turned out great BBQ.”
The contestants had better hope their final results are great, since bragging rights, a $50,000 cash prize and an entry into the Kingsford Invitational are at stake. That being said, Mixon revealed that competitors do make mistakes.
“One mistake I see cooks make when they get to a big contest like BBQ Pitmasters,” Mixon explained, “is changing recipes or techniques at the last minute, trying to wow us with untested processes. Most of the time it fails.”
In order not to fail, Mixon offered some tips he would give to competitors, which probably could apply to the average BBQer, as well.
“Patience is what all barbecuers need to be successful,” he said. “When cooking, don’t rush the recipes. Understand that cooking on the smoker is not hard, but it takes practice, like anything else that you want to be good at.”
And if you’re hoping to someday be on BBQ Pitmasters? Mixon had advice on becoming a Pitmaster.
“One word of advice to the BBQ enthusiasts — there is a lot of information on barbecuing in the form of books, cooking schools, the Internet and TV shows. Utilize all resources and learn.”
The new season of BBQ Pitmasters begins April 12 at 9pm ET on Destination America.
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Natalia Weedy/Destination America
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