Pitmaster Christie Vanover Has Your Holiday Menu Covered
State barbecue champion and Girls Can Grill Founder Christie Vanover knows what’s best when it comes to cooking outdoors.
With summer in full swing and families across the country gearing up for July 4th festivities, Girls Can Grill founder Christie Vanover put together a few smokin’ recipes sure to please your cookout crowd. To elevate her prime cuts with a coastal twist, the barbecue extraordinaire and national champion pitmaster Christie, added cans of Island to each of her creations. Our crisp beer served up a firecracker of flavor in both her Beer-Braised Corned Beef Burnt Ends and Smoked Bratwurst with Beer-Braised Cabbage and Onions — and it wouldn’t hurt to hold one in hand while manning the grill.
Christie said her desire to bring barbeque back to the basics sparked her social media and digital presence. By spreading her award-winning techniques and proper grilling methods on GirlsCanGrill.com, Christie wants readers to feel comfortable cooking outdoors regardless of prior experience or their ability to grow a beard. The tricks of the trade she posts on her website cater both to fledging grillers and veteran pitmasters looking to improve their own performance at the nation's many barbecue competitions.
“I'm not shy to share my secrets,” Christie said. “I love to win, but it's all about getting people to barbecue. If I can help them feel more confident at a competition, then I'm here to help them and tell them what works for me and so they can try it and see what works for them.”
In an industry dominated by male influence, Vanover carved out a space for female grillers to come together, and through a series of state championship victories at barbecue competitions, she earned her spot over the flame.
But it doesn’t take the 2020 Nevada Barbecue Team of the Year title to knock your holiday menu out of the park. Given the right piece of meat and Christie’s reliable recipes, you too can impress your fellow patriots with your outdoor cooking abilities. Good barbecue is anyone’s game, so grab a can of Island and get grilling.
Recipe #1: Beer-Braised Corned Beef Burnt Ends
By Christie Vanover, girlscangrill.com
Ingredients:
- 1 corned beef brisket point
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup stout beer/ ISLAND COASTAL LAGER
Beer Glaze
- 12 oz bottle stout beer/ ISLAND COASTAL LAGER
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove the brisket from the packaging. If your package includes a seasoning packet, rub it on both sides. If it doesn't, don't worry. It will still have plenty of flavor.
- Heat your smoker to 275 F degrees. Place the brisket on the smoker, fat side down. Smoke until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 F degrees. This can take 3-5 hours, depending on the size of your brisket point.
- Place two sheets of foil on the counter. Add 4 tablespoons of butter on the foil. Fold up the sides to form an edge. Carefully pour 1/3 cup of stout onto the butter. Add the brisket point on top with the fat side down. Wrap tightly with both sheets of foil, locking in the liquid.
- Return to the smoker until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 205F degrees.
- While the brisket is smoking, make the beer glaze. Add all glaze ingredients to a saucepot and boil for 10-15 minutes, until reduced by half.
- Remove the brisket from the foil. Slice into one-inch chunks. Place in an aluminum pan. Pour the beer glaze into the pan with any juices collected in the foil and toss to coat.
- Cover with foil and return to the smoker for one hour.
Photo Courtesy: Christie Vanover
