The charcoal is already crackling in the collective imagination of Food Network fans, because this July the network drops its most combustible lineup yet — and at the center of the flames is Moe Cason, the Iowa-born pitmaster stepping into the spotlight as one of the judges on “Pitmasters,” Food Network’s newest, rawest, most unrelenting barbecue competition.
Food Network is rolling out a stacked slate of summer programming — from “Guy’s Grocery Games: Global Games Tournament” to the behind-the-scenes mayhem of “Kitchen Chaos,” but the crown jewel is “Pitmasters,” premiering Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. CDT.
Hosted by Andrew Zimmern, best known for the “Bizarre Foods” franchise, the series drops elite barbecue teams into the wilderness for a week-long, around-the-clock battle where sleep is optional, fire is mandatory and $50,000 is on the line. The judging panel is a powerhouse: Zimmern, Australian chef and barbecue pro Jess Pryles, Texas-based chef Ernest Servantes and Iowa’s own Cason, who brings decades of smoke wisdom to the table.
Teams will cook from sunrise to sunset to sunrise again, managing fire, fatigue and a gauntlet of escalating challenges. It’s survival, skill and smoke — all unfolding under the watchful eyes of four of the most respected names in barbecue.
Food Network has done barbecue competitions before, but “Pitmasters” is something else entirely. It’s not a studio show. It’s not a backyard challenge. It’s a wilderness crucible, where the elements are as much an opponent as the other teams.
Who is Moe Cason?
Before he was a Food Network star, Cason was a Des Moines kid learning the language of smoke from his grandmother, Margaret Cason. A self-taught pitmaster, he built his career the hard way: long nights, long drives and a relentless belief in the craft.
Since 2006, he has competed in more than 270 barbecue contests across 35 states, all while holding down a full-time job. His résumé reads like a pitmaster’s dream tour — appearances on Destination America’s “Pitmasters,” “BBQ Pit Wars” and a growing presence as a judge, mentor and ambassador for American barbecue.
He’s also an author. His 2024 National Geographic cookbook, “Big Moe’s Big Book of BBQ,” cemented him as not just a competitor but a storyteller of smoke, tradition and technique.
How to watch ‘Pitmasters’
“Pitmasters” premieres on Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. CDT on the Food Network and Food Network Streaming. Episodes are available on Max and Food Network GO after airing.
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. You can reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa’s own barbecue pitmaster Moe Cason returns to TV in July
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
