When it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, Erica Blaire Roby will definitely be serving barbecue to her guests.
“If it’s from my kitchen, it’s barbecue-related,” said the champion pitmaster based in Houston, speaking to Fox News Digital. (Watch the video at the top of this article.)
Roby, winner of the Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” title “Master of ‘Cue,” has also claimed other barbecue cooking titles.
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Despite not having a background in the kitchen or tending to a barbecue pit as a child, she worked as a lawyer before transitioning to the food industry in 2014. After becoming a certified sommelier and having a child in 2018, she found herself at home.
Erica Blaire Roby of Houston, Texas, started as a lawyer before pursuing culinary ventures. She earned the title “Master of ‘Cue” on the Food Network show “BBQ Brawl.” (Dorothy Beam Photography)
“I would frequently call my dad, who’s from New Orleans,” she revealed.
“We’d discuss his bucket list and his desire to own a barbecue restaurant,” she shared.
This was a surprising revelation for Roby, as opening a restaurant with her father was never on her agenda.
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“We both realized our lack of knowledge in running a restaurant or cooking barbecue. So I searched online for barbecue classes,” she recounted.
Moving to national television
Roby immersed herself in barbecue cooking, participating in competitions and showcasing her creations on social media. This led to an invitation from the Food Network to audition for “BBQ Brawl.”
Initially hesitant due to the intimidating presence of “barbecue legends” on television, Roby sought advice from her father.
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“I told my dad, ‘I have good and bad news. The good news is, I’ll be home soon, so you won’t have to watch my kid for long. The bad news is, I’ll embarrass our family on national TV,'” she joked.
Her father suggested she use her middle name and create the persona “Erica Blaire, for Blue Smoke Blaire Barbecue.”
Roby devoted herself to barbecue and the mission of “spreading barbecue love.”
On the show, she tapped into her Creole New Orleans heritage for cooking – a move that led to winning dishes, Roby explained.
Before she knew it, she became Food Network’s ‘Master of ‘Cue.’
From then on, Roby committed herself to barbecue and the cause of “spreading barbecue love.”
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While New Orleans isn’t renowned for barbecue, it boasts a rich culinary and food history, she noted.
Blending the spices and ingredients of Cajun cuisine with the smoking and meats of barbecue was a method of incorporating a new element without compromising the cuisine’s traditional integrity, Roby explained.
Erica Blaire Roby shared her secret to fusing Cajun flavors with barbecue traditions.(Fox News Digital; Erica Blaire Roby)
“It’s a beautiful thing that’s unexpected,” she added.
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Roby offered one of her Cajun barbecue hybrid recipes to Fox News Digital.
Given that Super Bowl LIX is set in New Orleans, this dish is a perfect way to celebrate with a touch of the Big Easy, she suggested.
Smothered Beef Po’ Boys: The Leftover Edition by Erica Blaire Roby
Ingredients
Gravy and Beef
2 cups leftover beef (shredded)
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 onion, chopped or sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped or sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon BBQ Rub
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
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Sandwich
4 French bread rolls or hoagie rolls, split
Lettuce, shredded
Tomato, sliced
Pickles, sliced
Mayonnaise
This beef po’ boy sandwich uses leftover beef and comes together quickly.(Erica Blaire Roby)
Directions
1. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions and bell pepper until softened and caramelized, approximately 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. For the gravy: Combine beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ rub in the skillet. Stir well and simmer gently.
If a thicker gravy is desired, add flour or a cornstarch slurry made by mixing 2 tablespoons of cold water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a separate bowl and incorporating it slowly into the gravy until thickened.
3. Add the shredded leftover beef to the gravy, allowing it to warm through for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
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4. Assemble the Po’ Boys: Spread mayo on each French bread roll. Layer with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and then spoon the smothered beef and gravy on each roll.
This recipe belongs to Erica Blaire Roby and was shared with Fox News Digital.
