Dodgers: Joc Pederson approaches cooking like he approaches baseball

LA Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson approaches cooking like approaches playing baseball for the Dodgers

When it comes to baseball, there’s no denying Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson has a natural gift for the game; however, that doesn’t mean he didn’t put the work in and hone his skills carefully over time.

Like most players, Pederson is always striving to get better and to improve upon his previous game by reviewing what worked well and where he can improve the next time he takes to the field. It’s a great mentality to have and one that helped him make his ways up from the Minor League and into the Majors.

So perhaps it should come with little surprise that Pederson likes to take this same approach off the baseball diamond as well, particularly when it comes to cooking.

As Pederson revealed via The Players’ Tribune, he approaches cooking, particularly grilling, a lot like he treats baseball by evaluating what worked and learning from his mistakes in the kitchen:

"“I treat grilling a lot like I treat baseball, or anything I do, really: Every time I do it, I’m trying to be better than I was the last time,” Pederson revealed. “Most of the time it’s pretty killer. But sometimes it’s not as good. That’s just a part of the fun, though, you know? Testing new things out and trying to get it right. So even if it’s not the best I’ve ever made, I’m O.K. with it.”"

Honestly, we can’t think of a better approach to cooking. It’s all about not being afraid to try new things and learning from your experimentations with ingredients and prep. It’s a great way of developing new recipes and seems to be one of the many cooking values instilled upon Pederson by his father.

Joc Pederson learned to cook with help from his dad

Between helping coach his son on the field, Pederson’s dad Stu — who’s lovingly been given the nickname Beef or “Beef Stu — always had a passion for grilling which he passed along to son.

Although his dad did most of the grilling growing up including hosting barbecues on the weekends after Pederson’s Little League games, Pederson took it upon himself to learn how to cook as he got older and was out on his own. Luckily, his dad was always happy to lend an ear and coach him through what to do.

"“When I got older and I was out on my own and had to cook for myself, I’d be on the phone with my dad all the time when I was on the grill, because I had no idea what I was doing.”"

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson loves trying new things when grilling

As time passed and Pederson became more comfortable in his grilling abilities, he began to use the recipes passed down to him from his dad and the advice he shared to begin experimenting in the kitchen.

Putting his own spin on his dad’s recipes led to some inventive and delicious creations, including what Pederson describes as a “gnarly” wing recipe which he shared with The Players’ Tribune:

Joc Pederson Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 lbs. (60–70) chicken wings, rinsed and patted dry
• 6 tbsp melted butter
• 1 cup bbq sauce
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup parmesan, shredded
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

"1. Liberally season chicken wings with salt and pepper, and set aside.2. In a large bowl, whisk butter, bbq sauce, hot sauce, and parmesan until well combined, then set aside.3. Load your pellet smoker with Kingsford Signature Hardwood Pellets. Turn on smoker, open lid and set to SMOKE.  Heat with the lid open for 5–10 minutes, until very smoky.  Add chicken wings to oiled grill grates, set smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  Close the smoker lid and smoke for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Chicken wings should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.4. Increase temperature of smoker to high and baste chicken wings with sauce on both sides.  Cook wings for 2–5 minutes on each side, or until nicely charred.5. Transfer wings to a foil lined baking sheet and let rest for 5–10 minutes.6. Serve and enjoy!Note: if there is any remaining sauce, brush once more once chicken has been removed from heat."

Are you looking forward to trying out Pederson’s wings recipe? Thoughts on knowing he takes the same approach to cooking as he does to baseball in always wanting to improve upon his previous efforts?