Christie Vanover

christie vanover standing against wood wall.

Hi. I’m Christie Vanover, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and have dozens of top-ten category finishes.

I competed in Season 4 of Food Network’s BBQ Brawl. I’ve also starred in and produced several how-to videos for Ninja’s outdoor grill line and appeared in their Woodfire Grill infomercials.

I have cooked on dozens of grills and have around 30 in my backyard at any given time. I’m an expert grill reviewer for BBQ Guys and develop recipes for several companies within the grilling and BBQ industry.

I established GirlsCanGrill.com in 2015 to share grilling tips and recipes to encourage more people to get outside and grill. The site currently has around 1.8 million annual readers, more than 1,000 pro tips, more than 400 grilling recipes and over 7,500 reviews.

History

I’ve always loved to cook, but I didn’t start grilling until my 20s, when Steven Raichlen’s books and Bobby Flay’s TV shows made me realize that anyone can cook with fire. My first attempts were horrible, but my father-in-law took me under his wing and showed me his Southern tricks-of-the-trade.

Since those early lessons, I have traveled the world and learned grilling techniques in Asia, Europe, Central America and throughout the United States. While living near Austin, Texas, I realized that grilling had become my way of life.

Girls Can Grill was launched in 2015 as a way to motivate other women to grab hold of the tongs. Through this site and my growing social media community, girls and guys come to Girls Can Grill for tips, recipes and fun BBQ banter.

I have master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Mass Communications and worked in the public relations and news industry for more than 20 years for the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and NBC. I was also a park ranger for the National Park Service for eight years. When I’m not working, you can find me in my RV, glamping in America’s national parks and cooking over a campfire under the stars.

Chrsitie Vanover posing with cast iron and tongs

Media

My recipes and story have been shared in several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Salon, Food52, Tasting Table, Apartment Therapy, Well + Good and MSN. Visit my media page to read the articles and download podcasts I’ve appeared in.

woman holding tongs of Breeo X Series grill with lobster.

Partnerships

Christie Vanover and Girls Can Grill have teamed up with dozens of leading companies in the grilling and barbecue industry, including Ninja Kitchen, BBQ Guys, Cuisinart, Lodge Cast Iron, Thermoworks, Oklahoma Joes, Hunsaker Smokers, Cowboy Charcoal, Breeo, PK Grills, Cutco Knives, Blackstone, Barbecues Galore, Grillworks, Jack Daniels, Hestan, Camp Chef, Charbroil, Weber and many more.

I have also partnered with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, the National Pork Council, the National Turkey Federation, Certified Angus Beef, Snake River Farms, Swift Meats and Honeysuckle White.

FAST FACTS

  • My brisket was ranked 5th in the world in 2022
  • Kansas City Barbecue Society Certified Barbeque Judge 
  • I have judged the Jack Daniel’s World Championships and American Royal
  • Pitmaster for KCBS Team Girls Can Grill
  • I’ve cooked on dozens of grills and smokers and currently have more than 30 in my yard
  • Masters of Beef Advocacy Top of the Class Graduate
  • Favorite cut of meat? Ribeye, more specifically spinalis
  • Gas or Charcoal? Gas on weekdays, charcoal on weekends
  • Dry or Wet? I don’t use a lot of sauce. Good BBQ doesn’t need it
  • Strangest thing you’ve grilled? Cinnamon rolls or alligator
  • What region of BBQ do you prefer? I like it all, baby, from coast-to-coast and sea to shining sea
  • What wood are you smoking with these days? I’m on a cherry kick these days; it’s great with beef
  • What are you grilling on? My rotation of grills is ever-changing, because I’m always testing new grills

Let’s Work Together

Girls Can Grill is dedicated to getting more women behind the grill, and I love working with brands that have that same vision. If you represent a brand that is ready to expand your market beyond the guys, contact me. I’d love to discuss how we could work together. Visit my services page for details and access to my media kit.

Christie Vanover stands with grand champion trophy by trailer.

Team Girls Can Grill started participating in BBQ competitions in May 2017

Team of the Year Results

2022 Nevada Barbecue Association Team of the Year
3rd Place

2021 Nevada Barbecue Association Pro KCBS Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

2021 Nevada Barbecue Association Pro SCA Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

2020 Nevada Barbecue Association Pro Team of the Year
Grand Champion

2019 Nevada Barbecue Association Pro Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

2019 Nevada Barbecue Association Backyard Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

2019 Arizona Barbecue Team of the Year
10th Overall, 6th chicken, 10th ribs, 4th pork, 13th brisket

2018 Nevada Barbecue Association Backyard Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

2017 Nevada Barbecue Association Backyard Team of the Year
Reserve Grand Champion

Competition Results 2023

Ogden – 2023
Grand Champion

5th Chicken
3rd Ribs
1st Brisket

Best Dam – 2023
6th Overall
7th Chicken
3rd Ribs
6th Pork

Perris – 2023
6th Overall
4th Chicken
3rd Brisket

Yuma – 2023
11th Overall
8th Ribs
7th Pork

Competition Results 2022

Indio – 2022
10th Overall
1st Chicken
8th Pork

Jack Daniel’s World Championships – 2022
31st Overall
21st Pork
5th Brisket

Payson – 2022
Reserve Grand Champion

2nd Chicken
4th Ribs
2nd Brisket

Kanab – 2022
10th Overall
2nd Brisket

Reata Roundup – 2022
Grand Champion
4th Chicken
2nd Ribs
5th Pork
5th Brisket

Sparks – 2022
5th Chicken
7th Ribs
10th Pork
3rd Brisket

Best Dam – 2022
Grand Champion
1st Chicken
3rd Ribs
7th Pork
4th Brisket

SCA World Championships Ancillary – 2022
Tied for 11th Overall

Slab-O-Rama – 2022
9th Ribs

Competition Results 2021


Indio – 2021
Grand Champion
7th Ribs
1st Pork
7th Brisket

Kanab – 2021
4th Pork

Starbase – 2021
Grand Champion
1st Ribs
2nd Sauce

Best Dam – 2021
8th Pork
3rd Brisket

Competition Results 2020

Kanab – 2020
9th Pork

NorUt – 2020
4th Overall
6th Ribs
7th Brisket

Slab-O-Rama – 2020
1st Brisket

Red Rock BBQ – 2020
3rd Overall
1st Brisket
3rd Pork

Competition Results 2019

Barbecue Stampede – 2019
10th Ribs

Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ Competition – 2019
1st Pork

Western Legends Roundup – 2019
4th Overall
8th Chicken
1st Pork10th Brisket

Smokey Hayes – 2019
4th Overall
7th Ribs
2nd Pork

Slab-O-Rama– 2019
1st Chicken

Competition Results 2018

Downtown Throwdown – 2018
8th Ribs

Viola’s Rib Cookoff – 2018
Grand Champion

Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ Competition – 2018
6th Pork

Southern Utah BBQ Festival – 2018
8th Overall
10th Ribs
7th Pork
4th Brisket

Nevada Barbecue Association Spring Training – 2018
Grand Champion
5th Chicken
2nd Ribs
1st Pork
3rd Brisket

Competition Results 2017

Downtown Throw Down – 2017
4th Chicken
11th Pork

Pigs 4 the Kids – 2017
4th Overall
5th Beans
2nd Hog Wild
4th Ribs

Best Dam BBQ – 2017
12th Brisket