Roger Mooking's first time visiting Puerto Rico begins with a trip to a gas-station-turned-barbecue joint, where he's joined by fellow chef, Chuck Hughes. Also: sofrito-stuffed chickens are served at a popular roadside eatery.
Roger travels to Orangevale, California, where he grills steaks and chickens with a restaurateur who specializes in Santa Maria-style barbecue; and in Chicago, an 80-year-old seafood smokehouse is toured.
Chef Roger Mooking visits "Faith's Farm" in Bonfield, Illinois, where he's invited to take part in a feast, cooked on three different fiery contraptions. Included: a whole lamb, boar steaks and pig skins are on the menu for this Latin and Mexican-inspired meal.
Roger accepts invites to two outdoor parties in California's wine country. Included: a whole pig is cooked over a wood-burning fire for members of the Tablas Creek Wine Club.
Roger attends the 100-year anniversary of the St. Mary Magdalene Church Picnic in Owensboro, Ky., where he helps hundreds of volunteers load and light three massive barbecue pits. Then, they get to business, preparing several thousand pounds of meat, including mutton, pork butts and chickens.
Like a moth to a flame, nothing grabs Roger's attention like a raging wood-burning fire. After the flames subsides and the smoke clears, there's a spectacular feast that everyone can dive into.
Roger attends two backyard blowouts in Southern California. Included: an old wine barrel is used as a cooking vessel at a New England-style clambake; and a whole lamb is on the menu at a traditional Mexican barbacoa.
Roger's search for delicious barbecue ribs brings him to Hattiesburg, Miss., where he meets a third-generation pit master, who is continuing his grandmother's legacy. Also: a Brooklyn native uses Jamaican grilling techniques and Korean-style flavors.
Roger skewers all kinds of meat to be cooked on a massive grill, built by a chef for his San Antonio restaurant; and meets the designer of a 7-foot stainless steel tree, which they use to roast quails and sausages for an outdoor feast.
Roger fills up on brisket, pork steaks and sausages during a trip to Texas, where he visits "Ronnie's BBQ" in Johnson City and the "Pecan Lodge" in Dallas.
Roger attends two low-country cookouts in South Carolina. Included: he helps build an outdoor pit for a traditional pig pickin'; and pitches in to get ready for a classic oyster roast.
Alabama barbecue is in the spotlight, when Roger visits "Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q" in Decatur, Alabama, and learns how to make their smoked chicken, dunked in a unique white sauce. Also: pulled pork, that cooks for nearly 30 hours, is served at the "Black Pit" in Mobile, Alabama.
In the Season 4 premiere, Roger explores the wonders of smoked pork shoulder as he sinks his teeth into barbecue sandwiches, during trips to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Blount Springs, Alabama.
