Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover breaks down the explosive rise of live fire competitions after working behind the scenes at the Texas Open Fire Meat Up. She shares how the event drew global teams, 2,500 attendees and 80 million combined social media followers.

Learn why Memphis in May is adding a new Open Fire category for 2026. Vanover also previews how she's bringing the movement to Las Vegas with the BBQ Jackpot's BBQ Pit Stop. If you want to see where competition barbecue is heading, this episode lights the way.

KCBS BBQ Courses: CompetitionBBQTips.com

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Award-winning pitmaster and Girls Can Grill founder Christie Vanover pulls back the curtain on her newest venture: Competition BBQ Tips, an online education platform designed to help backyard cooks and aspiring pitmasters start earning calls.

In this launch episode, Christie shares her journey from finishing mid-pack to becoming a championship competitor, the lessons she learned on the KCBS circuit, and how these new courses can help you shortcut the struggle, master the four meats, and finally hear your name called.

If you're tired of guessing, wasting weekends, and wondering what judges really want, this episode is your roadmap to cooking barbecue that scores.

Learn more and enroll: CompetitionBBQTips.com

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Christie shares where she's at in the launch of her new pastrami kit, plus she invites everyone out to the Las Vegas BBQ Festival and car show, which is a fun free event where she'll be doing BBQ demos.

Pastrami Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/pastrami/

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Judging the Jack Daniel's Invitational Barbecue is not just a seat at the table. It is a front-row view of how the world's best teams win, how flavors evolve, and how tradition and Tennessee whiskey fuel an entire town for one unforgettable weekend.

2025 Results: https://mms.kcbs.us/members/evr/view_scores.php?org_id=KCBA&evid=47558697

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is changing up her competition trailer and entire travel setup. Find out what she's looking for with her new trailer design and why she's making the change.

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

It's fall, so champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is walking you through her full recipe for smoked chili with tri tip.

Full Recipe: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/beef/champion-chili/

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/XQoB945VVqM

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Kell Phelps, publisher of Barbecue News and managing partner of NBBQA, has launched a new barbecue podcast called Now That's Smokin.

This week's BBQ Tips Podcast is a collab with Kell. He invited champion pitmaster Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill to talk about barbecue myths, failures and how she incorporates AI into her business.

Join NBBQA: https://www.nbbqa.org/

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

In a divided time, BBQ may be the common ground we all need.

Christie Vanover reflects on how BBQ is more than food. It's a way to unite people across divides. Discover how tending the fire can heal, humanize and bring us together in a time of division.

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

This is a special episode of the BBQ Tips Podcast. Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover is joined by BBQ World Champion David Bouska of Butcher BBQ. Together, they share some real insider tips about the Jack Daniel's World Championship. From the draw to load in to the competition itself and what the judges are looking for, if you're a competitive pitmaster, you don't want to miss this.

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover will be traveling across the country over the next few months to compete, judge and organize different events. From Idaho to Tennessee to Texas, check out the live fire activities and learn how you can be involved. Idaho Competition: https://meatandtaterbbq.com/ Lunch Meat Demo: https://premierbbqs.com/ The Jack: https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/bbq Las Vegas BBQ Festival: https://www.nvbbq.org/lasvegasbbqfestival Texas Open Fire Meat Up: https://www.openfiremeatup.com/ BBQ Jackpot: https://bbqjackpot.com/

Girls Can Grill Rubs Store Locator:

https://shop.girlscangrill.com/pages/store-locator https://shop.girlscangrill.com/ https://amzn.to/40btkry

Buy Girls Can Grill books on Amazon now!

Ninja FlexFlame Cookbooks: https://amzn.to/4jReHBA

Holiday Grilling: https://amzn.to/4eKkVko

Steak Cookoff Score Sheet Log Book: https://amzn.to/46q7xPl

Competition BBQ Scores Log Book: https://amzn.to/3xPJMUe

-------------------------

Visit her website for even more BBQ Tips and Recipes: https://girlscangrill.com/

Sign up for her weekly newsletter: https://girlscangrill.com/subscribe/

GCG Merch: https://girls-can-grill.myshopify.com/

-------------------------

Follow Girls Can Grill:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/girlscangrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlscangrill

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlscangrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlscangrill

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/girlscangrill

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/girlscangrill

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@girlscangrill

About Girls Can Grill:

Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover is the girl behind one of America's top BBQ websites GirlsCanGrill.com. The site, which was launched in 2015, includes hundreds of recipes for your charcoal, pellet, gas or electric grill or smoker along with thousands of BBQ tips that will make you crush it behind the grill. Christie has won multiple BBQ championships and competed on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.