762: Live Fire Cooking

762: Live Fire Cooking

From The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters by American Public Media

August 7, 2026 · 51 min

About this episode

This episode explores the art of cookouts with insights on barbecue etiquette and live fire cooking techniques from various guests.

This week we’re joined by some unusual thinkers on the art of the cookout. First, we get a lesson on barbecue etiquette (who knew) with our favorite duo, Nick Leighton and Leah Bonnema, Hosts of the podcast Were You Raised by Wolves? We get all kinds of tips, from the right way to ask for a family recipe to taking a house tour only if offered by your host. Then, Chefs Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich share their techniques and ideas for cooking over live fire. Their latest book is Chasing Smoke, Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant , and they left us with their recipe for Grilled Peaches with Almond Tahini and Charred Endive . Then, it’s pitmaster Pat Martin talking about the whole hog barbecue culture in West Tennessee and how that whole hog style and tradition of BBQ may be on the path to extinction. His latest book is Life of Fire: Mastering the Arts of Pit Cooked Barbecue, the Grill, and the Smokehouse . You can find his recipe for Grilled Green Beans with Memphis Dry Rub. Broadcast dates for this episode: July 29, 2022 (originally aired) July 28, 2023 (rebroadcast) August 7, 2026 (rebroadcast) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

People in this episode

Host: The Splendid Table

Guests: Nick Leighton, Leah Bonnema, Sarit Packer, Itamar Srulovich, Pat Martin

Topics covered

  • barbecue etiquette
  • live fire cooking
  • cooking techniques
  • pitmaster culture
  • recipe sharing

Keywords

  • barbecue
  • cooking
  • live fire
  • recipes
  • pitmaster

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Chasing Smoke, Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant, Life of Fire: Mastering the Arts of Pit Cooked Barbecue, the Grill, and the Smokehouse

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