The season premiere of BBQ Brawl was a whirlwind of rivalry and fun as the contestants met the judges and worked together for the first time. It started off with a short contest designed to give the contestants a chance to show off their BBQ skills and set themselves apart. Although the competition was only 3o minutes, the stakes were high, as this would determine who Flay, Simon and Jackson would choose for their teams.
Where Can I Watch Food Network's BBQ Brawl: Flay v. Symon Season 2?
The new season of the tv show can be found on Food Network Monday nights at 8 pm. The show will be aired on Discovery Plus as well. You can also catch the barbecue battle on Amazon Prime video.
Heads up: If you like BBQ Brawl, you should check out Big Bad BBQ Brawl starring Chef Shannon Ambrosio. The Master of Cue takes his Brooklyn BBQ knowledge and in a barbecue challenge, takes on grillers in the South.
The First Challenge of BBQ Brawl Season 2 Episode 1
Contestants were instructed to face off and make one bite in 30 minutes, which would be judged on flavor and presentation. Each contestant made a dish that represented their BBQ style; Chris Prieto made a Puerto Rican tostone relleno, Erica Blaire made Louisiana pillows, and Brendan went for classic Texan BBQ. After the time was up, the judges went around tasting each dish, asking the contestant about the process and decision-making behind their chosen dish.
Then, in a moment full of anticipation and nervousness, the teams were chosen! Eddie Jackson selected Christopher, Max, Megan and Lu, Michael Symon went for David, Christina, Brittany, and Ara, while Bobby Flay chose Taylor, Erica, Terry, and Brendan. Once the teams were selected, the judges were revealed as Rodney Scott, Brooke Williamson, and Carson Kressley.
This was when the real contest began, as each team was given 90 minutes to create a cohesive, BBQ-centered meal together. At the end, one person would be chosen to go home. Bobby Flay's team went for a Texas-themed meal, involving spice-rubbed ribeye beef, Taylor Carrol's "man-catching cornbread," elotes, granny's sweet potatoes, smoked jalapeño sweet corn, and southern collard greens with onion and bacon topping.
90 Minutes to Determine Your Fate
Eddie Jackson's team decided to make a classic backyard BBQ meal; chicken thighs, filet mignon, jalapeño Mac n cheese, bacon wrapped green beans, and creamy coleslaw. They got the best reviews from the judges, who were very impressed with the cohesiveness of the meal. As for Michael Symon, his team wanted to honor how "worldly" BBQ is, and how it can be made in countless ways.
To display the versatility of this cooking style, they made chicken, smoked eggplant puree, baked apples with crispy crumbles, and smoked cauliflower. Unfortunately, the judges weren't a big fan of this meal, and they especially disliked the eggplant puree by Christina and the smoked cauliflower by David. They felt that the puree wasn't quite smooth enough, while the cauliflower was lacking in flavor.
This was the saddest moment of the episode, as the judges had to choose to send either Christina or David home. After many suspenseful moments, they decided on Christina. This was surprising for everyone, since Christina was one of the most experienced pitmasters on the show. However, BBQ Brawl is a whole new playing field, and one could argue that your performance in the moment is far more important than what got you there. We can't wait to tune in next Monday to see who will shine and who will be forced to go home!
