Among those predictions, Pellet-que and Expensi-que certainly came to pass. Pellet grills went mainstream and food prices (especially meat prices) continued to skyrocket.
As for Afri-que, well, such African grill specialties as suya (Nigerian chili spice beef kebabs) and yassa (Senegalese mustard-grilled chicken) did not become staples of American barbecue. At least not yet.
But grilling continues to evolve—as it has since a distant human ancestor called Homo erectus discovered you could cook food with fire. There’s no limit to what human ingenuity—and hunger—will deliver. So, here are my predictions for 2025:
Grilling Trends for 2025
High performance charcoal grills: After decades of subordination to propanes, charcoal grilling is staging a major comeback. Charcoal sales are up—especially in the premium category, like quebacho charcoal from South America or bincho-tan from Japan. Enter the high-performance charcoal grill. Mega social media influencer Derek Wolf of Over The Fire Cooking will launch his Fyr Grill Pro in 2025. This highly anticipated, and highly portable charcoal burner combines high design with functionality, complete with an asado style adjustable grate, built in kebab station, and even a cordless rotisserie. To pre-order it, click here. On the other side of the Atlantic, French grill master Mickael Bastard has created the Start ‘n Grill, a charcoal kettle with a high-tech electric ignition system that lights your charcoal in 2 minutes. You read that right—2 minutes! No more whining that charcoal grills take too long to light. Look for more high-end charcoal grills in 2025.
Whole steer cooking: You’ve heard of whole hog (both the idiom and the dish). Well, more and more pitmasters have turned to barbecuing a whole steer. And no one does it better than Javier Meija of Bigjavs BBQ and Al Frugoni of Open Fire Cooking. To cook a whole steer, you’ll need some special equipment, like an ax to split the backbone so you can butterfly the cow (just like you’d spatchcock a chicken). And a tractor with a hydraulic lift to hoist the 400+ pound carcass onto an oversize, heavy-duty barbecue cross. Don’t forget to raise a flag, so you can gauge the wind direction—very important for positioning your wood fire. You certainly need time—at 12 to 20 hours to cook your steer to smoky perfection. To learn more, watch Javier and Al’s instructional video. (see below) And don’t forget to invite me when it’s ready!
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Barbecue goes ethnic: Earlier this year, I staged a PBS fundraiser in Kansas City. A local took me to the hot new barbecue joint in town, Buck Tui. Pulled pork eggrolls. Tiger cry beef. Thai sausage dumplings. Huh? What happened to Kansas City burnt ends and spareribs? The Thai-America fusion barbecue represents the latest trend in American barbecue, merging explosive ethnic flavors with traditional American smoked meats. What’s next? Cuban-American barbecue? It’s here, in my hometown already, at Miami’s Apocalypse BBQ, where empanadas and mango tangos share the menu with classic Texas-style brisket and baby backs.
Barbecue domes: I’m not quite sure what you call them: domes, grill cages or barbecue jungle gyms. You’ve seen them on social media and at a growing number of food festivals and grill fests. Giant metal cages formed from rebar, pipe and wire, positioned over a campfire. From them hang whole chickens, picanhas, lamb shoulders, racks of ribs, and all manner of whole vegetables and fruits. The man who pioneered these contraptions (called duomos in Spanish) is Argentinian grill maestro Francis Mallmann. (Yes, that Francis Mallmann—the author of the landmark book Seven Fires.) American pit masters have been quick adopt this singular open fire cooking structure and the robust, smoke-scented meal that it produces.
Griddles stand up: I mentioned this one last year, and the popularity of these stand-up, propane-fired outdoor griddles (at first glance they look like gas grills) continues to skyrocket. You know you can cook pancakes and eggs on a standup griddle, which is why people like them for breakfast. You know you can sizzle quesadillas and reuben sandwiches on these griddles, which is why people fire them up for lunch. But did you realize you can griddle a steak (they’re fantastic for those super fatty A-5 wagyu steaks from Japan)—in fact, that’s about the only way you can cook an A-5. And did you know you can actually smoke on a griddle? You’ll have to wait until April 29th for that one, when I reveal the secret to barbecue chicken with Alabama white sauce—yes, smoked on the griddle—in my new book Project Griddle!
Personal pizza ovens: The pizza oven in my backyard weighs 800 pounds and took 4 guys to shimmy into place. It requires 3 hours to heat up and consumes wood like a blast furnace. So I welcomed the advent of the personal pizza oven, as have as the millions of Americans who are adding them to their outdoor kitchens. Some run electricity, others on propane or pellets. All produce exemplary pies with push button, turn of the knob convenience, generally in less than 15 minutes. You can also use them for roasting steaks and seafood. Popular brands include Ooni, Solo Stove, and Gozney.
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Tomahawks everywhere: Some weeks ago, I was on vacation on St. Barts in the French West Indies. Virtually every restaurant I went to—French, Italian, Caribbean—had at least one super high-ticket item on the menu: a beef tomahawk. Earlier the year, I was in Abu Dhabi, and guess what seemed to be on just about every menu there: beef tomahawk. This oversize rib steak, with long rib bone attached, is turning up at steakhouses and high- end restaurants everywhere. At my local Milam’s supermarket, a 4-pound beef tomahawk (uncooked) costs $90 to $100. At the over-hyped and way over-priced Nusr-Et Steakhouse chain, a gold-plated tomahawk will set you back a grand. A beef tomahawk is a glorious steak, but it doesn’t need fools gold to make it better!
Cowboy butter everywhere: Three years ago, no one knew from cowboy butter. These days, you can’t scroll through Instagram or TikTok without it jumping off your screen. The basic elements are butter (duh), minced garlic or shallot (or both), parsley or other fresh herbs, and paprika, plus cayenne or hot pepper flakes to turn up the heat. Other flavorings might include mustard, horseradish or Worcestershire sauce. There are a least three ways to use cowboy butter: melted (for basting), creamed (for dipping and dolloping), and frozen (for slicing and melting atop grilled steaks). I’ll publish my recipe for this new American classic in January, 2025.
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Picanha everywhere: When I started writing about barbecue, to sample picanha (pronounced pi KAN ya), you had to go to Brazil. It was worth the trip because this thin, oval roast (taken from the top sirloin), with its thick, snowy layer of fat, is one of the world’s most flavorful cuts of beef. Brazilians cut it crosswise into 3-inch strips, which they thread, like cents signs, onto rotisserie spits. Dine at a Brazilian steakhouse, and your waiter will shave paper-thin slices of spit-roasted picanha onto your plate. Seasoned solely with sea salt, it’s some of the best beef you’ll ever eat. Well, today, you don’t have to go to Brazil or dine at a Brazilian steakhouse to enjoy picanha, because the chances are you can find it at your local supermarket. And you don’t need a rotisserie, because you can direct grill picanha like a steak, just like they do in Argentina and Uruguay. Thanks to Derek Wolf of Over The Fire Cooking for this one.
Bone marrow everywhere: Back when I was a cooking student in Paris, os à la moelle, roasted marrow bones, was a staple at the neighborhood bistro where I often had dinner. I’d spread buttery nuggets of marrow (never enough) onto slices of grilled bread (designed to fill you up) and marvel how delicious this budget dish could be. My, how times have changed! Today, roasted marrow bones are a big ticket item, turning up at high end restaurants across the country. Hell, restaurants have even started offering bone marrow as a pay-to-play enhancement for steaks, chops, and other dishes. At the new live fire restaurant Osso Buco in Miami, for example, $19 will get you a side order of bone marrow. Thanks to the podcaster extraordinaire Greg Rempe of Barbecue Central for alerting us to this one.
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Expect More BBQ Pop-Ups and Food Trucks: With some notable restaurant closures in 2024 and high prices continuing for brick-and-mortar BBQ joints, pop-ups, food trucks, and takeout eateries are surging. These smaller operations are gaining more traction due to lower overhead and allowing pitmasters and chefs to stay fresh and creative. Pop-ups and trucks can also be more flexible regarding menu changes and focus on what resonates with their patrons. Noteworthy examples include Dampf Good Barbecue in North Carolina, Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q in Texas, Smoak Craft BBQ in Kansas City, and Smoked Spice BBQ in New York. Thanks Sean Ludwig and Ryan Cooper from the Smoke Sheet for this one.
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