Lee Ann Whippen: BBQ the Healthy Way
CBN.com LOVE FOR FOOD
Lee Ann Whippen of Chesapeake, Virginia, went from grilling for family and friends in her backyard to competing in some of the toughest cookouts in the country. She will share her love for food along with some healthy cooking tips that will enhance the flavor of your food while cutting carbs, fat and calories this summer.
- Select meats that are lower in fat such as fish and chicken
- Apply a dry rub to your meat the night before to enhance the flavor.
- Be careful of dry rubs that are high in sugar.
- Slow cook your meats to make them tender and lower in fat. The fat drips out of the meat as it is grilled.
- Reduce or eliminate sauces on meats, especially those high in sugar.
- Reduce or eliminate bread from your menu to cut down on carbs.
- Use fresh herbs and olive oil to create your vegetable marinade.
GETTING STARTED
While working in hotel catering in Georgia and Virginia for 15 years, Lee Ann competed in BBQ and won numerous awards. In 1996, with Team Boaris which was comprised of family members, she won the Georgia State Championship. As a result, Lee Ann received an invitation to the prestigious American Royal Invitational BBQ Competition in Kansas City where she won 1st place in pork.
In 2002, she decided her love of BBQ and experience in catering would be the perfect combination to begin Wood Chicks BBQ Catering and Competition Team. The catering became a success and branched into BBQ vending at various fairs and festivals in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
WOOD CHICKS
Due to the growth of the catering business, Lee Ann decided to open Wood Chick’s BBQ restaurant in Chesapeake, Virginia on February 23, 2005. The restaurant uses a BBQ pit that is fueled primarily by hickory and apple woods to slow smoke bone-in pork butts, pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken and turkey for up to 16 hours at a time seasoned with a BBQ dry rub. Her award-winning barbecue is in high demand, not only for the taste but also because of the way it is prepared. The BBQ is very lean which makes it quite healthy and a favorite among locals trying to watch their carbs. Lee Ann says, "With the Atkins craze, we've gotten quite a lot of customers...not all the carbs are gone, but you've cut out a whole lot."
TODAY
Lee Ann's catering and competition team continues to compete in state competitions. Her most recent awards include the 2004 North Carolina and 2003 and 2004 Virginia State BBQ Championships.
With help from her husband John, daughters, Britney and Samantha and mother Joni Tabb Wood Chicks BBQ Restaurant & Catering Company continues to grow.
