Neelys' Festive TV Atmosphere in BBQ Preparation

Food Network Program Offers Favored Dishes, Promotes Family Unity

Nov 11, 2009

Pat and Gina Neely have gained a national following through the Food Network. The couple specializes in barbecue and a variety of dishes, encouraging the joy in cooking.

Patrick and Gina Neely, known nationally in the United States for hosting the Down Home with the Neelys cooking program on the Food Network, have expanded the concept of barbecuing. Their objective is to make being in the kitchen a shared experience, whether between other couples or with additional family members.

With a restaurant background but no formal culinary training, the Memphis, Tennessee husband and wife team was accustomed to eating at home regularly while growing up to stretch their families’ financial resources. Pat’s mother cooked stew, chili, meat loaf, roast beef, and big hearty meals, he said. “We sort of just learned in our grandmothers’ homes,” Gina added.

The Neelys, who now have three barbecue restaurants in Memphis and Nashville, came to the attention of the Food Network because of their family barbecue establishment in Memphis and were then offered their own show which went on the air in early 2008. They became the first African–American couple to host a program on the network.

Neelys Offer Items That Are Variations Beyond Standard Barbecue Dishes

“But the Neelys’ barbecuing isn’t limited to traditional ribs, chicken and another Memphis favorite, pulled-pork sandwiches,” Dennis Moore wrote in “Family is a key ingredient in the Neelys’ BBQ success,” in the June 5, 2009 USA Today. “Pat and Gina have shared recipes for barbecue spaghetti on CBS’ The Early Show and barbecue nachos on ABC’s Good Morning America.”

Down Home with the Neelys is taped at the couple’s Memphis home and often features family and friends. On a second Food Network program on which they appear, Road Tasted with the Neelys, which premiered in July 2008, they travel around the country to find specialty stores and family-run businesses that specialize in unique hand-crafted items.

One element missing from their TV appearances is interaction with a live audience, they have said. During a presentation at the November Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C., the Neelys presented a one-hour cooking demonstration in a 2,700-seat theater and took audience questions.

They engaged in the same playful, if not saucy, banter that’s part of their kitchen repartee on TV. “Are you going to stuff my pork?” Pat asked Gina at one point as they prepared pork chops with stuffing.

Couple Recommends Certain Preparation of Items Used in Their Cooking

“I always tell people cook what you enjoy,” Pat told his Washington audience. Their preferences include grilling using a lot of paprika, one of their favorite spices. Pat recommended making toppings with chilled butter in a blender or processor and ensuring that any molasses used is warm in order to spread evenly.

For food preparation he suggested using direct heat involving cooking directly over charcoal or wood. When asked about their macaroni and cheese dish, the Neelys said they favored sharp cheddar cheese, kettle chips for crunch and texture, with bacon and mozzarella cheese on top.

In fixing their Memphis-style hickory smoked beef and pork ribs, they remove the membrane, the thin fatty skin that lines the underside of the ribs, and also trim excess fat and meat from the ribs.

“Known for their barbeque and down home Southern-style cooking, Pat and Gina distinguish themselves from Food Network’s resident Southern belle Paula Deen by cooking a healthier cuisine,” the “To die for YumSugar” Web site noted in “A Chat With Pat and Gina Neely” on February 1, 2008 at the time their program was first going on the air. “They steer clear from frying. They grill everything and love to use barbeque flavors to season unexpected dishes.”

The Neelys specialize in Southern recipes that have been passed down between generations. Among their numerous and favored items:

Their barbecue spaghetti replaces marinara sauce with barbecue sauce and substitutes ground beef with pulled pork. Their barbecue turkey meatloaf uses barbecue sauce and seasoning in place of ketchup. They also have a Neely spud dish and barbecue salad.

Some Criticisms Made About Ingredients Used in Preparation of Neely Recipes

Even with its legion of followers, the Neelys' cooking has faced some criticism for its heavy use of meats, pork, salt, sugars, and oils. “Here’s one thing I noticed right off the bat about these recipes: they tend to go heavy on bacon fat and butter,” Kam Williams wrote in “The Neelys are giving the public ‘what they want’,” in the May 14, 2009 Tri-StateDefender.com. “No wonder the food tastes so delicious. So, do me a favor and just don’t go overboard and rely on this tasty tome 24-7 or your arteries are likely to be clogged in a week.”

“To be fair, the Neelys include plenty of healthier alternatives, like Fried Green Tomatoes, which calls for vegetable oil instead of lard,” Williams pointed out. “But I suspect that any gourmet interested in Southern cuisine will go right to the pages on such down home delicacies as Ham Hocks, Spicy Fried Chicken, Old-Fashioned Glazed Ham and, of course, the Neely’s trademark dish, Memphis-Style Barbecued Pork Ribs.”

On their cooking show, the couple encourages a celebratory atmosphere in the preparation of food for festive and other occasions and holidays. The purpose of their meals is enjoyment, not calorie counting. By implication if not stated so explicitly on the program, the dishes they feature may be more for special rather than regular consumption.

The copyright of the article Neelys' Festive TV Atmosphere in BBQ Preparation in Barbecue/Picnic Foods is owned by John Seidenberg. Permission to republish Neelys' Festive TV Atmosphere in BBQ Preparation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.