Carnival For Carnivores – Louisiana Eats – It’s New Orleans

On the cusp of Carnival, the traditional meat celebration before the Lenten fasting begins, we’re hosting our very own meat celebration.

We begin by joining Isaac Toups at ToupsMeatery for a viewing of Top Chef and a chat about the highs and lows of competing in the nationally televised cooking competition.

Then, we pack our overnight bags for a whole hog barbecue sleepover at The Southern Food and Beverage Museum, home of the Louisiana Eats! studio. 10 lucky participants got to spend the night tending the whole hog barbecue with Dr. Howard Conyers, a South Carolina barbecue expert — and NASA rocket scientist by day! We hear from Robert Moss, contributing barbecue editor for Southern Living magazine, and Dr. Conyers about the enduring tradition of whole hog barbecue.

After we get a taste of South Carolina barbecue, we take a trip up to Shreveport to savor the North Louisiana barbecue innovations of pit master Carolyn Simmons at her restaurant Blue.

Next, we examine the intersections of food and race in Southern barbecue history with John T. Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Finally, we get down to ethics with Corby Kummer, the nationally acclaimed dean of American food writers. Corby weighs in on the ethical constraints of eating meat in the 21st century.

It’s Carnival for carnivores on this week’s Louisiana Eats!

North Carolina Vinegar Sauce

1 gallon cider vinegar

1 1/3 cup crushed red pepper

2 Tablespoons black pepper

¼ cup salt

Mix together and let stand for at least 4 hours before using.

South Carolina Mustard Sauce

¾ cup yellow mustard

½ cup honey

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.