Barbecue like a pro with Big Moe
Big Moe Cason is a champion pitmaster with a passion for barbecue and now he’s bringing his talents to cultures in different parts of the world to create meals that impress the locals in a new series on National Geographic.
In “World of Flavor With Big Moe Cason,” a four-part unscripted series airing Mondays, the U.S. Navy veteran and Iowa native leaves the comforts of his world behind as he embarks on an epic journey to find the most delicious dishes cooked over fire.
In the Aug. 1 episode titled “Cowboys and ‘Cue in Colombia,” Cason visits the South American nation to discover one of the oldest methods of cooking over an open flame. While there, he also samples insects from a street vendor, braves piranha- and crocodile-infested waters and seeks out knowledge from a group of traditional Colombian cowboys at a nature preserve.
Subsequent episodes bring Cason back to North America to get a primer on Cajun and Creole cuisine in the Louisiana bayou, then use his newfound skills to prepare a meal to win over the locals (Aug. 8); and to the Bahamas, where he dives for conch, chases after crabs on land and welds his own grill from a tire rim and a stool, which he then uses to grill up a feast to share with friends (Aug. 15).
If this has piqued your curiosity about Cason’s handwork, then you might want to mosey on over to YouTube and the Armed Forces Entertainment channel for “Moe Cason’s Taste of the Outdoors.”
In this Kansas-shot series, the emphasis is mainly on wild game as in different episodes Cason shows how to prepare smoked wild turkey, grilled venison backstrap, smoked crappie and grilled pheasant. He also cooks up a soul food feast, and smokes prime rib and bone-in tomahawk steaks. Truly, this is a meat-lover’s show.
And over on HSTV, there is “Moe Town BBQ” (www.hstv.com/show/moe-town-bbq). Here, he shows how to make some of his favorite homegrown recipes, breaking them down into easy steps so that anyone can execute them.
So in the three seasons of this series, viewers will learn how to make a variety of smoked dishes, including a smoked Philly cheesesteak flatbread, a smoked brisket mac and cheese and a whole smoked brined chicken with stuffed mushrooms. They’ll also get tips on how to tailgate like a pro and as well as learn new recipes and seasoning knowledge.