ess Pryles is a live-fire cook, two-time cookbook author, TV host, and the founder of Hardcore Carnivore. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, never trained as a chef, and dropped science classes as soon as she could. She got into barbecue because she loved how it tasted. That led her to Texas A&M's Beef 101 and Brisket Camp, and then to a graduate certificate in meat science from Iowa State.
In this episode, Jess talks with Adam about how she went from early Twitter and Instagram to judging on Food Network's Pitmasters and hosting her own shows, Hardcore Carnivore on Tastemade and Feast by Fire on Outdoor Channel. She explains how TV production works behind the scenes and why she waited nine years to write a second cookbook. She also covers what surprised her most about the meat industry after growing up in a city with no connection to agriculture.
We also get into:
Why brisket went from a cheap secondary cut to a Texas icon, and how German and Czech meat markets shaped Texas barbecue
How to shop the meat counter with confidence, and why steak names can be so confusing
Underrated cuts to try, including top sirloin (picanha) and flat iron
The roughly seven-year beef price cycle, and why prices should come back down
Her "Just Keep Flipping" method for a perfect steak in 10 minutes or less
Why meat science and cooking don't always agree
Freezer myths, including the eight-year-old frozen steak she cooked and ate
Meat trends on social media, and whether the brisket squeeze is real
Advice for anyone in their 30s who wants to turn curiosity into a career
Jess's new book, Prime Cuts, is a guide to choosing, prepping, storing, and cooking meat, with 100 recipes organized by cut.
Find Jess as @jesspryles on all platforms.
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