Nourish

Barbecuing a whole cow is a culinary and engineering feat and there’s no better reason to gather friends and family for a celebration of Southern food culture and tradition. For this episode of “Nourish,” host Dr. Howard Conyers, invites you to this special feast with a behind the scenes look at how its done.

Grits may be the most underestimated of all Southern foods – but they form the foundation of some of the most beloved, (and despised) Southern dishes. For this episode of Nourish, we go looking for lost and found varieties of heirloom corns that made grits such a Southern staple.

Rice is one of the most fundamental Southern ingredients, especially when it comes to the Cajun delicacy, boudin, a sausage made from rice, pork, herbs and spices. For this episode of Nourish, Chef Donald Link talks about broad cultural influences on Cajun cooking – especially in once lost and recently rediscovered heirloom varieties of rice.

Cornbread is undoubtedly a southern staple, but there is great debate about - how to make it, what ingredients to use and what to serve it with. For this episode of Nourish, Chef Hardette Harris breaks down some of the biggest cornbread questions - and shows you how to make a regional favorite, "hot water cornbread."

A “Homecoming” is a special Southern gathering that brings together friends and family who have dispersed across the globe and reconnects them over a special meal. For this episode of Nourish • PBS, the Gullah Geechee food traditions and culture of low-country, South Carolina take center stage. Make sure you come hungry!

Ever wonder why homegrown tomatoes taste so much better than ones you buy in a store? Renowned seed saver and farmer John Coykendall hits it out of the park with this explanation – and shows how heirloom veggies, like tomatoes, link us to our ancestors!

What is Cajun Cochon de Lait and how do you cook enough to feed thousands? This traditional method for roasting pigs forms the foundation of a famous Louisiana festival. Join in as we combine science, hog cooking, music and community traditions for this episode of Nourish – what could be better?

Did you know your BBQ Sauce preference says a lot about where you come from? If you call a place like South Carolina home, your taste in sauce can be a clue to your hometown. BBQ expert and award-winning Chef Rodney Scott helps break down the regions and flavors in this episode.

What goes into an authentic Louisiana Gumbo? In restaurants, kitchens and cookbooks all over America, you find menu items masquerading as Louisiana Gumbo. So, how do you know it’s the real thing? The iconic Queen of Creole Cuisine, New Orleans Chef Leah Chase has the scoop on gumbo. Watch this episode to make sure your next bowl is the real deal.

When most people think "barbecue," they don't think "whole hog." But that's not the case for Dr. Howard Conyers, rocket scientist and South Carolina Whole Hog pit master. Watch this episode for a short-course on everything you need to know to fire up the pit for this regional Southern tradition.