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 Saturday morning's events began with a blessing by
John Means.
KCBS competitions
The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) participants prepared
chicken, pork ribs, pork, and beef brisket. KCBS website rules state
contestants must submit six portions of meat in an approved
container, and the chicken, pork and brisket may be chopped, pulled,
sliced, or diced; while ribs must be turned in bone-in.
Teams this year were from various parts of Illinois and a few from
Missouri. Many of these teams travel throughout the Midwest to
participate in competitions with the competition circuit lasting
from April to September each year. But events take place all over
the U.S. and some go into the winter months.
Joining the competition for the first time this year was JH Old
School with Jason Lawrence and Hank Ritts of Roscoe, Illinois. They
do around seven competitions each year around Illinois and Wisconsin
and are top ten finishers 68 percent of the time.
The team enjoys competing because they are "longtime friends
enjoying a hobby [and] hanging out." Using a hand built smoker and a
trailer bought from the Jack Daniels' BBQ competition champion helps
make it special.
Another first time team was Chocolate City BBQ of Chicago with Elton
Cummings, John Cardinal, and Tina Mathias. They have also competed
in Indianapolis; Fondulac, Wisconsin; and Westmont, Illinois this
year and received tenth place in chicken at Westmont.
The teammates spend a lot of time cooking as two are chefs and they
also cater at weddings. Cummings said what makes their meats special
is "using chocolate in our barbeque to give it a sweet flavor."
Also competing for the first time here was Rub Runners with Scott
Saver and Todd Henry. They have competed in Peoria, Dwight, and
Arthur, where they received first in chicken.
The team said, "We hang our meats in the smoker using a lot of
homemade rubs and sauces."
The Backdraft BBQ crew of Mason City with Billy Lemme, Ryan Lemme
and Kenneth Rabbe moved up to the KCBS competition after winning
last year's Backyard Barbecue competition. They may do a contest in
Beardstown next weekend, too.
Billy Lemme said, "What makes it special is clean living and going
to the gym three times a week." He then said that barbecuers lie
almost as often as fishermen.
Competing for the second year was SmokinGhost BBQ with Steve Lewis,
Will Smith, Dave Bojto, and Paul Boub. They run a concession stand
for Illinois Valley Central School District in Chillicothe, Illinois
and it was voted top concession stand for their pulled pork.
The team said they are improving rapidly with lots of education
under their belt through the National Barbecue and Grilling
Association. Teammates said, "We are a Kansas City sweet team" whose
flavors represent the taste Kansas City. They use tenderizers to
make the meat consistent.
Valet Porking with Randy Macheka, Mike Richards, Mike Korecky and
Richard Vahena was here for the fourth time. They have competed in
Kentucky and Wisconsin, too, and go to about ten competitions a
year.
The team said, "We are more rub focused. The sauce is icing on the
cake." They also give it "a lot of TLC and teamwork."
Competing for the sixth year here was Bonehead BBQ with Rich and
Sherry Jones. They compete throughout the Midwest in Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin and have also competed in Kentucky and
Tennessee. Rich Jones said they work with Operation BBQ Relief,
which cooks for people in natural disasters like the one in
Washington, Illinois a couple of years ago.
Jones said, "Time and care and preparation make the meat special.
Jones started the brisket Friday evening at 11 and cooked it several
hours and said "the secret is cooking it until it's done."
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Backyard BBQ
The Fifth Annual Backyard BBQ competition sponsored by Royal Oak, allows
amateurs to showcase their BBQ talents. This year, there were about 20 teams
with each one cooking pork, ribs and chicken. Some teams also vied for a
people's choice award for ribs.
For several of these teams it was their first time here or even their first
competition.
First timers Corey Farmer and Gary Rademaker of Smoke Show are new to backyard
BBQ competitions. Farmer said, the "kids love their smoked meat," so they
decided to enter the competition.
For Blowin' Smoque BBQ of Crete, Illinois it was their first time competing
here. Team members Erica Taylor, Brian Taylor, and Emmanuel Pugh have competed
at Mount Carmel and won third in chicken and second overall at Ribberfest. Erica
Taylor said, "All the rubs and spices" make the meat special.
Another first-time team in this competition was Sauced Up Smokers with Greg
Smith, Drew Cripe, and Nick and Chelsea Wright. They have competed at Macon and
Moweaqua and won both. Nick Wright says, "The meat is prepared with love and we
love to grill. We know how to rub our meat."
New to this competition, but not to the backyard barbecue circuit was Pitty Que,
made up of teammates Eric and Eric of Westmont, Illinois. They make and sell
barbecue sauces in stores and online. The team has been competing for two years
in backyard barbeque competitions and received two first places and six top ten
prizes in the last couple events. The team said, "We use our award winning
barbecue sauce and dry rubs to make our meat special."
Kid's Que
This year was the third one for the Kid's Que competition. The event has two age
groups with one for children 7 to 11 and another group for 12 to 15 year olds.
All the children are provided with ground beef patties, but cooking and staging
the patties for presentation is left entirely up to the child.
Most of the teams have competed the last couple years and they compete mainly
for fun after helping with the grilling at home. This year six teams competed.
Isaiah Wahab of That One Brown Kid said, "I like to cook and it is fun" and
often grills at home.
Will Stambaugh of We Will Win said Isaiah Wahab convinced him to enter.
Stambaugh said, "I grill at home sometimes" and thought it would be fun to
compete.
Adrienna Reynolds and Mia Boughton of Grills Gone Wild were here to defend their
first place title from last year. Reynolds and Boughton both said they just
"enjoy competing."
Caitlin McKenna and Molly Fleshman of Team Barbie Q won third last year.
Fleshman said, "We have so much fun doing it [and] we are hoping to bring home
the bacon this year."
Marin and Malina Luckhart of Little Nuthatch Hill competed the last couple
years. They said, "We like competing and just cooking." Having gone to many
competitions with their parents, cooking and competing is "in their blood."
Jackson Mathon of Boy Scout BBQ has also participated every year of the
competition. Mathon said, "It is fun and you can change your recipe every year."
All the competitors worked hard at grilling and enjoyed a weekend filled with
new and old friendships and rivalries, camaraderie, and great food and fun.
[Angela Reiners] |
