Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire Filmed in St. Louis

Published on March 23, 2022 • Last modified on February 22, 2023

A brand-new season was filmed in the mecca of midwestern barbecue: St. Louis. Steve has invited some of the city’s top chefs to share their specialties, from Balkan Treat Box grill masters to beloved St. Louis stalwarts. Savvy social media barbecue influencers are also tagged to grill over Steven’s fire, and he works his magic with more Project Fire Mystery Boxes. See episode descriptions below.

Saturdays at 11:30 am on Nine PBS and livestream.

Stream after broadcast on the PBS Video App or online now.

Season 4 Episode Guide

Episode 1 - Raichlen Grills St. Louis
When it comes to barbecue, St. Louis isn't as famous as Kansas City or Memphis–yet. But the Gateway City is experiencing a live fire renaissance. Famous here are plate-burying pork steaks and eponymous spareribs (trimmed, rubbed, and slow-smoked over applewood). And get ready for a Project Fire first: grilled toasted ravioli (really) with fire-roasted marinara sauce.
ST. LOUIS PORK STEAKS
GRILLED RAVIOLI WITH SMOKED-ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE
ST. LOUIS RIBS WITH RIVER CITY BARBECUE SAUCE
Guests: John Matthews - Pappy’s Smokehouse, David Sandusky - Beast

Episode 2 - Rolled, Stuffed and Grilled
Ever since humankind first put food to fire, the world’s grill cultures have wrapped and rolled flavorful ingredients. Steven explores two South American grilled classics—a stuffed chicken breast from Uruguay called pamplona, and a colorful stuffed beef roll Argentineans know as matambre. Plus, a Project Fire Mystery Box “roll” that may involve a crustacean.
PAMPLONA OF CHICKEN WITH EMBER-ROASTED PEPPERS
MATAMBRE WITH A CAJUN TWIST
MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE - PROJECT FIRE LOBSTER ROLL

Episode 3 - The Breakfast Show
Whether you’re hosting guests or just seeking a reason to get out of bed, this show amps up your breakfast game by firing up the grill. First, a spectacular breakfast pizza. Next, a supremely satisfying twice grilled vegetable frittata. Finally, outrageous smoke-grilled cinnamon rolls from chef Russel Cunningham of St. Louis’ Union Station. Of course, there will be bacon.
BREAKFAST PIZZA
TWICE-GRILLED VEGETABLE FRITTATA
BACON BOURBON CINNAMON ROLLS
Guest: Russel Cunningham - St. Louis Union Station Hotel

Episode 4 - Influential Grilling
Scroll through the images on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and you’ll find grilled and smoked dishes of astonishing ingenuity. In the spirit of this new style of barbecue, we’ve invited three of my favorite influencers to grill with me - Derek Wolf from Over the Fire Cooking, Scott Thomas from Grillin’ Fools, and Susie Bulloch from Hey Grill Hey.
WOOD-GRILLED CHORIZO WITH PICKLED ONION, CHEESE AND CHIMICHURRI
SMOKED LOBSTER TACOS WITH BACON “TORTILLAS”
BACON APPLE CRISP, SMOKED WHIPPED CREAM AND CARAMEL DRIZZLE
Guests:
Susie Bulloch - Hey Grill, Hey
Scott Thomas - Grillin’ Fools
Derek Wolf - Over the Fire Cooking

Episode 5 - Wagyu Demystified
Wagyu, “Japanese cow” literally, was once an obscure cattle breed from Japan. Today, it’s on restaurant menus and in butcher shops around the world. Get ready for a sumptuous Japanese A5 Rib-Eye with sesame salt and grilled rice cakes, followed by wagyu steak tomahawks with fire-roasted marrow. Then feast your eyes on wagyu smash burgers with parmesan crisps.
JAPANESE A5 RIB-EYE, SESAME SALT, GRILLED RICE CAKES
WAGYU STEAK TOMAHAWKS WITH FIRE-ROASTED MARROW
WAGYU SMASH BURGERS WITH PARMESAN CRISPS
Guest: David Olson - Live Fire Republic

Episode 6 - Water Meets Fire
For many, barbecue means meat. But you may be surprised to learn that one of the earliest recorded barbecues featured fish wrapped in grape leaves. Today Steven begins with saffron-scented Catalan shrimp kebabs, followed by trout Mexican style with a sizzling garlic cilantro sauce. Then there’s a Mystery Box that will astonish you as much as it surprised Steven.
CATALAN GRILLED SHRIMP KEBABS
MEXICAN GRILLED TROUT WITH FRIED GARLIC SAUCE
MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE - FROG LEG TOSTADAS

Episode 7 - Spits and Skewers
Skewering and spit-roasting meat rank among the world’s oldest and most universal grilling methods. Forty thousand years ago, Neanderthals roasted hunks of meat over a campfire. Today, Steven spit roasts a pork loin stuffed with onions followed by an Indian rotisserie leg of lamb perfumed with saffron. He then skewers the unknown ingredient inside the Mystery Box.
PORK SHOULDER PAPRIKASH WITH ICICLE RADISH SALAD
SPIT-ROASTED INDIAN LEG OF LAMB
MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE - STUFFED GRILLED SQUID WITH SHISHITO PEPPERS

Episode 8 - Barbecue Takes Flight
What’s America’s most popular meat? It’s Poultry. Americans consume more than 112 pounds per person each year. Today Steven prepares an astonishing array of grilled poultry from brandy brined rotisserie chicken to duck legs flame roasted Peking-style. And with a special guest a Project Fire first: turkey “ribs”—found in St. Louis, and virtually nowhere else.
ST. LOUIS TURKEY RIBS
BRANDY-BRINED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
PEKING DUCK LEGS WITH GRILLED BOK CHOY
Guest: Earline Walker, formerly of Smoki O’s, St. Louis

Episode 9 - Extreme Grilling
Steven has always enjoyed showing extreme grilling techniques that, though unconventional, deliver unabashedly delectable results, such as his Caveman T-bones or salmon on a shovel. Taking your grilling to the next level, that tradition continues with Lomo al Trapo with Fiery Colombian Salsa, Grilled Brussels Sprout Stalks with Curry Butter, and a Project Fire Mystery box.
LOMO AL TRAPO WITH COLOMBIAN SALSA
GRILLED BRUSSELS SPROUTS STALKS WITH CURRY BUTTER
MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE - DUCK WINGS WITH ASIAN SEASONINGS

Episode 10 - The Mediterranean Grill
Physicians have long extolled the virtues of the Mediterranean diet. Today the healthy foods and vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean hit the grill when Steven grills Sicilian grilled artichokes and branzino stuffed with fennel stalks. Then there’s Greek grilled lamb chops with ember roasted potatoes prepared by friend and host of My Greek Table, Diane Kochilas.
SICILIAN EMBER-GRILLED ARTICHOKES
FENNEL-GRILLED BRANZINO FRENCH RIVIERA STYLE
GREEK GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH SMASHED POTATOES
Guest: Diane Kochilas, host of My Greek Table

Episode 11 - Sandwiches Hit the Grill
It’s a simple formula: bread + protein + condiment, but it adds up to a triple decker of pleasure. In today’s show, the sandwich hits the grill. From a glorious BLT made with home cured and smoked bacon. To pan bagnat—a magisterial grilled tuna sandwich inspired by the French Cote d’Azur. To a sandwich for dessert in a Project Fire mystery box.
THE ULTIMATE BLT WITH HOME-CURED SALT AND PEPPER BACON
THE RAICHLEN PAN BAGNAT
MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE - FLAMBEED CHOCOLATE BANANA FRENCH TOAST

Episode 12 - Game Day Grill
No one knows what spectators ate at the first Olympic games, held in ancient Greece in 776 BCE, but today’s sports fans and grill fanatics like to celebrate their obsession with a barbecue. Tailgating favorites come hot off the grill in this episode as we tackle Project Fire Rib Wings, Buffalo Brisket Burnt Ends, and a Balkan Mixed Grill with some special guests.
PROJECT FIRE RIB “WINGS”
BUFFALO BRISKET BURNT ENDS
BALKAN MIXED GRILL: CEVAPCICI, PLJESKAVICA, AND SOMUN BREAD
Guests: Edo and Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, St. Louis