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Andrew Thomas Lee

Carving beef brisket at Fox Bros Bar-B-Q.

Barbecuing is also the glue that bonds communities in Mississippi. And while the scene remains a traditionally masculine domain, there’s a new crop of trailblazing women pitmasters stepping up to the grill, such as chef and author Melissa Cookston; restaurateur Brooke Orrison Lewis, of The Shed in Mississippi; and pitmaster Amanda Kinsey-Joplin, founder of Amanda’s BarBeeQue & Catering.

Grilling vegetables.

Preparing Pat's charred salsa verde.

Grilling shrimp.

Preparing roasted pumpkin seeds for the salad.

Pat seasoning the Mississippi Gulf shrimp. He sprinkles the whole lot with his own Memphis-style rib rub — a dry mix of brown sugar, salt and pepper, paprika, cayenne, chilli, mustard powder, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder.

The Martin family sit down to eat. Getting out the grill to create smoky flavours is a real event in Southern culture.