Backyard Barbecuers on the Square secret: Low and slow with just the right seasonings

[September 02, 2021]   On Saturday, August 28, Up in Smoke on the Square was held in downtown Lincoln. This year’s competition was bit different with just a Backyard BBQ contest. Around 19 teams participated.

Teams prepared pork ribs and chicken, which a team of judges rated on appearance, taste and tenderness.

Contestants used a blend of rubs and spices cooking everything low and slow.

The smokers that the teams use come in various shapes and sizes. Some started with cheap smokers, building them up over time.

Many contestants have been competing for years and said it takes a lot of teamwork.



For example, the Smokin’ Walders team has been cooking for 10 years and doing contests around Illinois. Among team secrets is “taking their time and trying different things, but not overdoing it. Being consistent is important.” The team has researched many different seasonings and found many good retail rubs. They try to give the meat a little bit of umph, but let it shine.

Basso Brothers’ team members Steve and Bill are other veterans of barbeque competitions around the state. The team has placed in ribs once. The brothers said, “We start our meat earlier than others, cooking it lower and slower.”

Double D’s BBQ is another family team made up of the Dalpoas family. In the local Pigs and Swigs Backyard BBQ contest, the team received first place in chicken a couple years. The team said, “Our preparation makes it special. We put our love into it.” They also aim to “consistently outperform the Basso brothers.”

TB’s Pork and Smoke has participated in many competitions and won grand champion smoke at Willow Ridge Winery in Westerville. Because they raise their own meat, they said the meat is personalized.

Chris, Gail and Valerie Ambrose of Getting Piggy With It won showmanship at the Indiana State Fair. For them, the key is to “go all in” and “practice until perfect.”

Others have more recently begun competing in backyard BBQ competitions.

Tim Matthews and Danielle Bowen of Washington, Illinois are the Up From the Pitts BBQ team. They have been doing these competitions since 2019 and said the 2019 Pigs and Swigs competition was the first master series. Matthew said, “We have attention to details, which is important to judges.”



For Steven Bruss of Bruci BBQ, this weekend was his first competition. However, Bruss has been barbequing food for years and built a smoker when he was 17. Bruss prefers using a stick burner, cooking with oak wood. He fell in love with the art of barbequing and usually does traditional Texas Style Barbeque.

As the teams prepared and smoked their meats, there was quite a bit of bantering and friendly rivalry.

Once the judges made their decisions, everyone anxiously awaited the announcement of the top teams in ribs and chicken and overall champions.

For the chicken category, first place was awarded to Ruby Creek BBQ, followed by Your Smoker’s Extended Warranty in second place and Up from the Pits BBQ in third place.

In the ribs category, first place was awarded to Up from the Pitts BBQ, followed by 309 BBQ in second place and Smoking Rounders in third place.





For top prizes overall, the grand champion team was Up from the Pitts BBQ followed by Ruby Creek BBQ as the reserve grand champion.

Contests offered $3,000 in prize money with the Grand Champion winning $500 and Reserve Champion $400. First place in each category won $300 followed by second place in each category winning $200, third place in each category winning $150 and fourth place in each category winning $100. Those in fifth through tenth place won $50 each.

After prizes had been announced, events ended with a special presentation. Dave Eyrse of Sugar Creek BBQ presented a signed ‘back the blue flag’ to members of the Lincoln Police Department, who received a round of applause.

[Angela Reiners]