The Steve Harvey Food Festival celebrates American barbecue in all its delicious diversity. From Texas beef brisket to Memphis dry ribs, a mouthwatering array of regional barbecue styles will be showcased through demonstrations, competitions and food stalls.
These different barbecue regions each offer their own take on smoked and grilled meats, employing distinct ingredients, seasoning palettes, and cooking methods that create unique flavor profiles. Attendees will embark on a cross-country barbecue tour without ever leaving Abu Dhabi!
Texas-Style Smoked Brisket
Texas is known for slow-smoked beef brisket cooked for hours over post oak or mesquite wood. The meat is rubbed with spices like black pepper, chile powder and cayenne for a heavy dose of flavor. When properly prepared, the brisket delivers luscious juiciness and intense smoky essence.
The celebrity pitmasters at the festival are sure to demonstrate their mastery of Texas-style brisket. Attendees may also partake in cook-offs to try their hand at this infinitely nuanced barbecue dish.
Memphis Dry Rub Ribs
Memphis dry rub ribs get their name from the heavy coating of dried spices applied before smoking, which creates a crusty bark. Common Memphis rub ingredients include paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
As the ribs smoke over hickory or pecan wood for hours, the spices and pork juices mingle to form a complex, mouthwatering flavor profile. Festivalgoers can witness Memphis rib mastery first-hand and even sample competition-caliber plates.
Kansas City Burnt Ends
Burnt ends are flavorful pieces of smoked beef brisket cooked a second time to achieve charred, crispy perfection. Kansas City burnt ends are considered among the best, prepared from point cut brisket decked out with a sweet and savory rub.
After being smoked for hours then cubed and sauced, the burnt ends deliver an explosion of smoky, peppery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Festival attendees will not want to miss this quintessential Kansas City delicacy.
South Carolina Pulled Pork
Classic South Carolina pulled pork starts with a whole hog that’s rubbed with spices and mopped with a peppery vinegar sauce as it smokes over wood like hickory and oak. The succulent meat is then pulled or chopped and sauced again before serving.
This yields ultra-tender pulled pork bathed in tangy, slightly sweet flavors with a hint of heat. Festivalgoers can experience authentic South Carolina barbecue done right from the visiting pitmasters.
