Posts Tagged ‘FBA’

Baxter’s Original, finest wood products available!!!

Posted: May 5, 2013 in BBQ, Product Review, Team Spotlight
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baxWood…..most folks are not into wood for much more then throwing a log into the fireplace to keep warm during the winter. Many do not even care what type of wood they are burning for heat, just that it is a good burn. Well, BBQ‘ers are a bit more selective with the types of wood they like to use. I remember when I started BBQing, I was using, like what most folks will do, whatever type of wood was available in my area. In Florida, that means Oak wood, and lots of it. I would always be scrounging around for whatever wood I could pick up, at times I felt like a storm hunter, looking for downed trees after a big storm went through my area. This worked okay, for a while, but I soon realized I needed another layer of flavors on my products, that I just was not getting from my local wood. I needed a variety of wood, properly dried, that would compliment the products I produced on my cooker. So, I did what came natural, for me, I went on-line. A couple years ago, a good friend of Let’s Talk Hog, came to visit from Canada, Wilfred Reinke, (Fred) many folks know him as the Oshawa Ogre. Fred came down for a visit, during Pigfest here in Lakeland, Fl two years ago, and he told me about Baxter’s Original, in Georgia. Fred stopped in and visited with Michael Baxter, and his family, during his drive down to Florida. Fred was thoroughly impressed, not only with Michael’s products, but also in his passion to offer only the best products to his customers.

Fred & Micheal, hanging out by Micheal's double barrel smoker.

Fred & Michael, hanging out by Michael’s double barrel smoker.

I decided to get in touch with Michael, and using his products has greatly effected my results. Where I was just trying to utilize any type of wood I could pick up, Baxter Original, offers only the best quality wood, from all different types of hardwood and fruit woods. One of the things that sets Baxter’s apart from the other wood providers is, Baxter’s only air dries their products. Many wood providers try to speed up the drying process by kiln drying their products, not Baxter’s. At Baxter’s they place their wood on racks and force constant airflow around the wood. This allows the wood to dry in a natural time frame which preserves all of the natural sugars in the wood which helps to provide the most flavor. By forcing air around the wood they can ensure that the wood dries completely so you never receive wet wood.

At the shop of Baxter's Original.

At the shop of Baxter’s Original.

Top quality wood, from Baxter's Original.

Top quality wood, from Baxter’s Original.

If you are looking for a variety of wood Baxter’s can offer you that. They offer many what I would call base wood; Hickory, Oak, Almond, Pecan & Maple. I like to start with one of these woods, then add extra flavor by using some fruit wood, it depends on what I’m cooking, as to which fruit wood I use. Baxter’s offers all types of fruit wood, to satisfy your needs; Apple Cherry & Peach. They offer these woods in a variety of cuts, premium smoker wood chunks, smoker wood chips, and whole logs. I have personally used the chunks in a gravity feed cooker, my stumps, and in a stick burner, my Lang 36. I have not had any negative issues using either cooker. All I got out of the wood I used was, wonderful wood flavor, exactly what I was looking for.

A variety of wood chunks offered at the Baxter's showroom.

A variety of wood chunks & chips offered at the Baxter’s showroom.

Baxter’s Original is a popular source for wood, amongst professional BBQ cooks. Baxter’s is used by many winning teams, such as Rescue Smokers, Holy Smokes, Wooly Bully Mafia, Git-R-Smoked, Q-Fused BBQ & my team Hogs Gone Wild BBQ. Beside the fact that Baxter’s puts out quality wood, that keeps these and many other teams winning, Baxter’s knows what the teams are looking for in their wood, because Michael Baxter has a BBQ team of his own. So to say that Baxter’s Original knows how to cater to BBQ teams, is an understatement.  In my opinion, it would be in the best interest of any BBQ team, or even backyard cook, looking to up your game and flavor profiles, get some Baxter’s Original wood. Ordering is very easy on the Baxter’s web-site: click here

Orders ready to go out from Baxter's Original world headquarters.

Orders ready to go out from Baxter’s Original world headquarters.

My peach wood order, and hickory chips. GREAT stuff!!!

My peach wood order, and hickory chips. GREAT stuff!!!

I would like to personally thank Michael Baxter for taking time to sit down with Let’s Talk Hog, and grant us a short interview. I enjoyed learning more about Baxter’s Original, I hope you will too.

LTH: Michael, if you could please, give us a brief history of Baxter’s Original, when and how did Baxter’s Original get started?

Baxter’s: Baxter’s Original started in November 2009, in my barn, in Fitzgerald, Ga. We sold our first bag of wood chips on Ebay, and lost $1 in the deal, due to shipping fees. We now have a physical store front and a real wood shop, with myself and to other employees.

The location for Baxter’s Original shop is:

Address:
115 10 Mile Road
Fitzgerald, Ga 31750
Phone: 770-846-4537

Hours:

Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
9am to 5pm
9am to 5pm
9am to 5pm
9am to 5pm
9am to 5pm
10am to 2pm
Closed
Baxter's Original offers more then just wood, stop in and take a look.

Baxter’s Original offers more then just wood, stop in and take a look.

LTH: Who  is involved with the running of Baxter’s Original?

Baxter’s: I own the business, and operate as President. Matt Green is out Production and Store Manager. Aaron Smith is our Director of Marketing.

Michael receiving an award from former Pres. & First Lady Carter.

Michael receiving an award from former Pres. & First Lady Carter.

LTH: I know, first hand, that you offer great wood to BBQ teams, are there other types of customers that help make up your customer base?

Baxter’s: Although we have a special place in out hearts for all the Pro Competition Teams out there using and promoting our products, out real customer base is the backyard chef. The guys/gals that may only grill/smoke twice a month, but when they do, they want the best products possible. We love getting an email or phone call from a customer that just had the best cook of their life, and attributes us to part of that. That’s what really keeps us going.

LTH: What is the name of your Professional BBQ team, and who are the members of your team?

Baxter’s: Our Competition BBQ Team is called-Aunt Mary’s BBQ Brigade. The team is made up of Myself, My Father, Aaron Smith & my Brother David.

LTH: Where did you get the name of your BBQ Team?

Baxter’s: Our team name is a tribute to my late Great Aunt, Mary E. Baxter. She was our family matriarch and the single most positive influence in my life. She always told me to pursue my passions and to do it with integrity and zeal, she is missed. I can’t start a fire without remembering her with a smile, she was 92.

Aunt Mary's BBQ Brigade Competition set up.

Aunt Mary’s BBQ Brigade Competition set up.

LTH: What are some highlights of your BBQ team, memorable calls you have received?

Baxter’s: We did 7 competitions in 2012, with the largest competition being the Smoke on the Suwanee, in Live Oak, Fl. We got an 8th place chicken call there, with 83 teams. We had a 3 call day, at Pigs and Wings in Perry, Fl. We have competed in 3 competitions in 2013, with several calls, and hopefully more to come.

LTH: What is one thing on your BBQ bucket list?

Baxter’s: The first thing on my BBQ Bucket list is to win our first Grand Championship, hell, a Reserve Grand Championship would be nice right now….

LTH: What is on the horizon for Baxter’s Original, what are some goals you may have?

Baxter’s: We have been growing leaps and bounds over the last 2 years, and we do not see it slowing down anytime soon. Most recently we have been working to add more restaurant business to our books, and now we supply some of the best BBQ  joints on the East Coast. I think we will see a lot more action in this area over the next year or two.

LTH: Where can folks go to get your fine products?

Baxter’s: Please visit our web-site at: www.baxtersoriginal.com or feel free to stop by our showroom.

Thanks Michael for the interview, and all you do for BBQ.

Micheal doing what he loves, with his Stumps Smoker.

Michael doing what he loves, with his Stumps Smoker.

Kebroak; Savor the Flavor!!!

Posted: April 7, 2013 in Editorial, Product Review
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Years ago when I started cooking BBQ, I was like most folks, I will admit it, I used the regular charcoal I bought at the grocery store. What do we grab with the charcoal, something to start it with….lighter fluid!!! Yes it is true. Sometimes I would even buy the charcoal with the lighter fluid already on it, how convenient. Back then, I thought all BBQ had the flavor of lighter fluid, that’s what grilling and BBQ is all about, right? Well I have learned a lot since then.  To get good flavor on your products is always the goal, and one way to do that is, to start where the cooking starts, with your fuel. For BBQer’s and griller’s, that do not use gas or pellets, that means charcoal. I also went the propane route, and again, could not get the flavor on my products. I found myself reverting from my $300 gas grill back to my $60 Weber. My wife thought I had lost my mind, until she tasted the food. If you want to get good flavor on your products, you must start with a good base, and Kebroak & Fogo Charcoals are that base of flavor you need.

My old stick burner coming up to temp with Kebroak Lump.

My old stick burner coming up to temp with Kebroak Lump.

When I started my BBQ team, about 3 years ago now, I was introduced to Kebroak, Lump Charcoal by Chad Ward from Whiskey Bent BBQ. Like I said I was using a lot of the briquette charcoal I would buy from the nearest store, at the cheapest price. One thing I noticed the very first time was, so much less ash. I guess I kinda got use to having that extra crunch and ash flavor, what a difference when it was gone. I’m sure BBQ judges are not happy with ash flavored BBQ. Huge difference when I started using Kebroak. I used the Kebroak as much as I could, then I went to pellet cookers, so I lost contact with Kebroak for a while, due to me not needing the product anymore. I still enjoy my pellet cookers, but I have recently decided to go back to a stick burner. I used the Kebroak in a test cook, with my new stick burner, and it all came back to me. The flavor and ease was still there, I missed that in my cooking. With that being said, lets learn a little about Kebroak and Fogo Charcoal.

Experience the traditional charcoal making process, click on the video below.

Today the folks at Kebroak, still make their charcoal like it has been made for thousands of years. This is the secret why it burns longer, hotter and cleaner than other charcoal.  At temperatures of around a 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, your steak gets seared, sealing the delicious juices inside and caramelizing the crust.

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Kebroak all natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal comes from Central America. They get their product by pruning, clearing forests of  fallen trees and trees marked for cutting, not harming the environment, but making it stronger.

***You can now have Kebroak Hardwood Charcoal delivered conveniently to your door!! FREE shipping means no more hassle carrying heavy charcoal bags to your house. For FREE DELIVERY Click Here

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Like I said, it had been a while since I had the opportunity to use Kebroak charcoal. I ordered a bag to use in my new Lang, and Sebastian Bussert, Managing Director of the Charcoal Company, the makers of Kebroak, suggested I try their latest product Fogo. I said I would really like to give it a try, so he sent me a bag.

First time using Fogo Charcoal.

First time using Fogo Charcoal.

First a bit of background about Fogo. Fogo, like Kebroak is made in Central America, El Salvador to be exact. El Salvador is known for a few things, beaches, surfing & coffee. Coffee needs to have the right environment in which to grow, and one thing that helps insure growers of having the best coffee in the world is proper amounts of shade for their product. Coffee growers are continuously working on their shade trees, cutting some down, pruning them & planting new trees. This gives the makers of Fogo charcoal an abundant and sustainable resource of raw material.

I have to say, the Fogo is definitely lump charcoal for the big boys!!! Fogo is the lump of lump, it did a great job in my Lang, the cook time and ash content was superb. It was obvious to see that Fogo is made from premium hardwood tree, very similar to Oak. The way I understand it, the pieces that make it into each bag of Fogo, are all hand picked by the charcoal maker. I was very happy to have tested this product in my stick burner. I do have a gravity feed cooker, and I do not recommend Fogo for that cooker. The pieces are just too large for me to comfortably use in that cooker. Bridging will be a problem with the Fogo, but the Kebroak would be the perfect solution for anyone with a gravity feed cooker. So, remember Fogo for stick burners, and large capacity cookers, and Kebroak for gravity feed, smaller cookers or any with the possibility of bridging during the cooking process.

Not a bad on in the bunch.

Not a bad on in the bunch.

You will not need much of this lump charcoal.

You will not need much of this lump charcoal.

Great pieces that have been hand picked.

Great pieces that have been hand picked.

Some good smoke using the Fogo Charcoal.

Some good smoke using the Fogo Charcoal.

Some great flavor on this pork, cooked with the Fogo Charcoal.

Some great flavor on this pork, cooked with the Fogo Charcoal.

Finished pork from test cook, using Fogo Charcoal.

Finished pork from test cook, using Fogo Charcoal

Fogo Premium Hardwood Charcoal is gaining popularity amounts well known restaurants in the U.S. Fogo has only recently become available to the general public, and it is gaining momentum and a growing fan base. The best way to get a bag of Fogo sent to your home, without paying shipping, is through Amazon.com. Why mess with going and picking up a bag at the store, have it delivered to your front door for free. To order your 35lb bag of Fogo Charcoal Click Here Amazon ship their product extremely quickly, and if you do not like the product, you can just return it to them. Not a lot of risk there, but I know you will like it, I do.

Related articles

The BBQ Roamer

Posted: March 31, 2013 in BBQ, Editorial
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One of my first attempts doing a Pork Butt, old school Char-broiler.

One of my first attempts doing a Pork Butt, old school Char-broiler.

I have been asked many time, “how did you get involved with BBQ?” I don’t know if it is how, as much as why… Some folks are just born with BBQ in their blood, their family has being cooking Q for generations. Others get involved with the socializing aspect of BBQ, just hanging out with some buddies and figure, “let’s take this party on the road”. Still others, like myself, start off in the backyard with the family, and with the encouragement of friends and family decide to enter a competition, and
get totally sweep up in the excitement of the competition.
No matter how we got involved with competition BBQ, I think we all have a couple of things in common, we all enjoy the spirit of competition, we all love cooking BBQ (kinda tired of eating BBQ though lol) and we all have, what I call a need to roam. I can only speak for myself of course, but I have a family and my regular job that keeps me very busy, and I have to find time to “schedule” BBQ into my life. I am very lucky, as I have a very understanding and supportive family, and they allow me time to engage in my favorite hobby, but after a while the backyard becomes very small, and unable to fulfill your BBQ desires. Soon you start to expand your BBQ domain and enter a local competition, that goes well, and if you are very lucky, get the thrill of having your name called during the awards ceremony, now you are hooked. Willing to travel to compete, your comfort zone just went from your backyard, to city wide, county wide, state wide & and for some folks, nation wide. To me the desire to compete is a big part of doing competitions, but the excitement of traveling to new locations, seeing new things, and of course meeting new people, that is a huge part of the competition BBQ scene. The cooking portion of the competitions is the art of BBQ, but the travel, and meeting folks is the life of BBQ!!!

Too many good friends to list and show all, below are just a few pics of friends and BBQ family.

HWG Cook Team, 2013

HWG Cook Team, 2013

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HGW set up at Eagle Lake.

HGW set up at Eagle Lake.

You know what you are going to cook at each competition, before you get there, but you do not know who you will meet, what your site looks like, exactly what the venue will be like, sometimes these things do not reach our expectations, but for the  most part, we are happy with the out come. At times our “regular” lives over run any individuality we may try to express, but getting out on the highway, jumping on that plane or just breaking away from the ordinary routine, helps add some spice to life. For me, change is what keeps my heart beating, helps the blood surging, I love it. I am waiting, not very patently, mind you, for our next competition. We had a very good time at our last competition in Eagle Lake, FL. Jim Elser (Pitmaster from Sweet Smoke Q) and his team did a great job. We got a great call in ribs, third place.  What fun it is to hear your name called, but I have also had it go the other way, no calls at all, what a bummer that is, but then you start to think of the great time you had there, the hard work you put into it, the money you paid………yep, even more of a bummer!!! lol Kidding aside, I do love to hear our name call, but being there and competing on the level that today’s BBQ is at, is really an incredible feat on it’s own. Then getting to meet the fine folks involved with competition BBQ, is always a great thrill.

 

A very old chicken practice for me. Toothpicks? Really??

A very old chicken practice for me. Toothpicks? Really??

I’m like many, we do a lot of practice cooks at home, between competitions. When I started out, I had my family who were so eager to be my little Ginny-pigs, and try out as much BBQ as I could cook up for them, but now after doing this for a couple years now, it seems like everyone is busy when I want to do a cook. So, I have to hit the streets with my BBQ, getting friends and extended family, that I haven’t over used yet, to eat some BBQ. Honestly, my family is always there for me, with open hearts…..and empty stomachs. I would not have even started this team if it was not for y’all, thanks!!! (See what you guys started?) Getting back to the
practice cooks, I enjoy doing them, then getting to write about them after I have finished, it is a great way to keep up my skills, both as a cook and a writer. I have two primary grills that I cook on, first is a Lang 36 patio, I just picked this cooker up a couple months ago, and I am very happy with it. pp1
My second grill is a GMG (Green Mountain Grill), a pellet smoker. I love turning on my cookers, the smells from the competitions come rushing back as soon as that smoke hits the air. Thanks to Chad Ward from Whiskey Bent BBQ, I have had a GMG at every competition I have done, but to me the smell and sounds created from the GMG are part of the competition, in the middle of the night, when it is finally quite around the competition site, except for a couple of Karaoke freaks going all hours of the night…that’s another story, listening to the auger feeding the pellets into the fire box, and the wonderful aroma created by the woods within the pellets, the smell of the meat cooking.

Practice makes perfect!!!

Practice makes perfect!!!

I truly enjoy that experience, and by getting a small feeling of that here at home, helps me feel connected to what I love to do, in a small way. I really wish I could do more competitions, if it were up to me, I would be at everyone of them, but as I said earlier, BBQ still has to be scheduled around the “regular life”. Not to mention, doing a BBQ competition is not the cheapest thing in the world. You have your fees for getting into the venue to compete, meat costs, spices, gas(that’s a big one now), equipment, entertainment & drinking cost. With the prices of meats going through the roof many teams are drawing back on catering due to the high cost of meat and gas. Pulling my trailer will really eat up the gas. If I have a customer for BBQ, I try to set up a home or office delivery only, much easier on the pocket. Another thing many teams are doing to try and off set cost is taking on a team sponsor, this has been something some teams have some for years, but now a days, most teams have, or are looking to have team sponsors. Many sponsors are will to help with the cost of doing competition BBQ, and others are able to offer products, for no cost, but help to offset some BBQ expenses. We have been fortunate to be able to work with Pitmaster BBQ Sauce (formally known as Rooftop BBQ sauce) as a team sponsor, they have a great sauce. Andy Allen and his Rooftop BBQ team are BBQ competitors as well, so they understands what a team needs at the competition, and also knows the flavor profiles that the teams are looking for. That is why their sauce is great, on it’s own, for the competitions, or for home. Go to greenmountaingrills.com to find a GMG dealer that carries Pitmaster BBQ Sauce.

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We have been lucky enough to get hooked up with a great wood company, Baxter’s Original. Mike Baxter is also a BBQ guy, and knows exactly what teams are looking for in quality of wood. I have dealt with other wood providers, in the past, and I can honestly say, the quality of wood offered by Baxter’s Original is the best quality I have seen, and the customer service is tops. Please check out Baxter’s website, where they offer all types of BBQ necessaries. www.baxtersoriginal.com

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We here at Hogs Gone Wild BBQ team are very pleased with being chosen to have a sponsorship association with Oakridge BBQ. We have used a couple Oakridge products in the past, and loved them. We have started using their products in all four of our competition turn-ins, and have had great results. We are looking forward to a long term relationship with the Oakridge BBQ family.  Do yourself a favor and take a look at www.oakridgebbq.com to pick up some of the best rubs on the market.

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If you would like to combine everything into one order, and check out some of the best products available to BBQ with,  please check out our latest sponsors at pitmastersdepot.com Jay with Pit Masters Depot, is still working on his web-site, so if you would like to order anything from them, including GMG products, please contact me, and I will let you know how to get what you need. Jay is adding plenty of products to their innovatory, and will truly be a one stop shopping destination for all BBQ’ers.

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I will be announcing a new sponsor here in the next week or two, we are very excited about this sponsor. All I can say, at this moment is, if you want to take your pork to the next level, this will help you get there!!! A truly amazing product!!!!

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There are so many folks, I could not even think of listing them all here, BBQ folks are the salt of the
earth, and at times, refer to one another as family. I know, by personal experience, that when you are
out at a competition site, you may have forgotten something, or a piece of equipment has failed, do not
panic, many folks will be glad to step up and give you a hand, I have done it myself. Now I’m not
saying you should show up empty handed and expect everyone to pitch in and give you everything for
your cook, someone may just put you out on your ear if you try that, but I am saying that BBQ folks
like to help. Helping, isn’t that what we are all here to do? Look at all the relief efforts BBQ folks have
organized and executed, just recently for the tornado victims throughout the U.S.A., there were BBQ
folks lined up to help. Having a good time, sharing life with those you care about, and making the most
of the short time we have here, and for me BBQ is one big way I can achieve what I am looking for in
life, happiness. After all, in the end, all we have are memories; make as many as you can.

HGW

Results: Eagle Lake BBQ Festival – Eagle Lake, FL

Posted: March 28, 2013 in BBQ, BBQ News, Competition Results
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We had a great time at the Eagle Lake Competition this past weekend. Thanks to Jim Elser and his team for putting on a great event, we will be back next year.

I will have an article about this fun event in the National BBQ News, but I wanted to take a minute to congratulate the winners, Team Unknown BBQ on their GC at this event. While I was cooking and making my turn-ins, I felt good about what we were turning in, until I had the opportunity to taste Team Unknown’s pork, oh my!!!! That was some good pork, all I can say is these guys definitely earn every score they get at any competitions.  Great job Unknown!!!

Also, a huge congrats to Terry McKay at Git-R-Smoked and a strong RGC. Take a look at the scores below, and you will see how high the scores at this event were. These teams have cooking BBQ down, and can compete with the best in the country. Great job Terry.

We (Hogs Gone Wild BBQ) had some good scores, and some middle of the road scores. We took a 3rd on ribs, and between us and 1st places was less then one point, some great scores.

Please enjoy some fun photos from this great event.

HGW set up at Eagle Lake.

HGW set up at Eagle Lake.

Rain moved in around early evening.

Rain moved in around early evening.

It rained well into the night.

It rained well into the night.

Rain will not stop teams from heading to cooks meeting.

Rain will not stop teams from heading to cooks meeting.

Team HGW at work

Team HGW at work

Ribs looking good at Eagle Lake.

Ribs looking good at Eagle Lake.

Team Unknown GC at Eagle Lake.

Team Unknown GC at Eagle Lake.

Git-R-Smoked!!! RGC

Git-R-Smoked!!! RGC

3rd place ribs call.

3rd place ribs call.

 

Overall:

Rank Team Total Chicken Ribs Pork Brisket
1 Team Unknown 777.99999 193.3833 196.6667 195.0500 192.9000
2 Git-R-Smoked 774.43330 185.8500 195.9333 194.0667 198.5833
3 Whiskey Bent BBQ 769.51666 192.2167 194.3333 190.0833 192.8833
4 Blitzkrieg BBQ 767.48331 192.7000 189.5000 195.7500 189.5333
5 United Pork Smokers 764.16665 192.1833 184.7833 193.8167 193.3833
6 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 763.29999 193.6000 189.5833 192.6500 187.4667
7 Swinos 762.63333 191.5000 192.6667 186.2833 192.1833
8 Hot Wachula’s 762.56666 188.8833 192.8667 183.6333 197.1833
9 Smokin’ Pink BBQ 756.54999 191.5167 182.9833 194.1167 187.9333
10 Red Raymond’s BBQ 755.94998 194.0166 189.1167 186.9500 185.8667
11 J & J Bar-B-Que 754.41664 188.1833 183.8667 196.4333 185.9333
12 Palm Beach Porkers 752.83333 188.1833 182.1667 196.2167 186.2667
13 Get-Cha-Some BBQ 751.61667 183.0167 186.8000 187.7000 194.1000
14 Hogs Gone Wild 749.91665 189.1333 195.7667 183.9333 181.0833
15 All Racked Up BBQ 749.83334 196.1833 193.1333 177.8333 182.6833
16 Beachneck BBQ 749.81666 190.1000 184.8167 182.9333 191.9667
17 Cedar Creek BBQ 748.89998 194.3667 187.4500 180.1167 186.9667
18 The Woodhouse Grill 748.68333 181.3333 186.7333 189.3833 191.2333
19 Smokin Blue Q 748.55001 192.6000 185.5667 189.1000 181.2833
20 Boca BBQ 748.19999 185.6167 188.1667 188.6500 185.7667
21 Smokin’ Hooligans 742.53332 195.2833 177.4333 190.2000 179.6167
22 Smokin’ J’s Florida 739.65000 184.1667 182.6000 189.3000 183.5833
23 Kings Burgers & BBQ 737.71667 182.7667 189.8667 181.9333 183.1500
24 Shanty Town BBQ 737.44999 191.5000 182.6667 181.0167 182.2667
25 Florida Skin And Bones 733.26671 194.7667 182.3167 176.1000 180.0833
26 Gourmet Rednecks 728.44998 179.9167 186.2500 191.9833 170.3000
27 The Swhinery 722.15001 189.8000 166.7500 180.2833 185.3167
28 Too Talls Cook Shack 721.36667 187.7167 180.4167 184.5000 168.7333
29 American Piggers 711.04999 173.5833 180.3333 185.3167 171.8167
30 Mean Green Cooking Machine 516.58332 170.6500 168.5333 177.4000 0.0000

Chicken:

Rank Team Score
1 All Racked Up BBQ 196.18332
2 Smokin’ Hooligans 195.28332
3 Florida Skin And Bones 194.76668
4 Cedar Creek BBQ 194.36666
5 Red Raymond’s BBQ 194.01665
6 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 193.59999
7 Team Unknown 193.38333
8 Blitzkrieg BBQ 192.69999
9 Smokin Blue Q 192.60000
10 Whiskey Bent BBQ 192.21667

Ribs:

Rank Team Score
1 Team Unknown 196.66666
2 Git-R-Smoked 195.93332
3 Hogs Gone Wild 195.76666
4 Whiskey Bent BBQ 194.33333
5 All Racked Up BBQ 193.13334
6 Hot Wachula’s 192.86667
7 Swinos 192.66667
8 Kings Burgers & BBQ 189.86667
9 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 189.58334
10 Blitzkrieg BBQ 189.50000

Pork:

Rank Team Score
1 J & J Bar-B-Que 196.43332
2 Palm Beach Porkers 196.21666
3 Blitzkrieg BBQ 195.74999
4 Team Unknown 195.05000
5 Smokin’ Pink BBQ 194.11666
6 Git-R-Smoked 194.06666
7 United Pork Smokers 193.81667
8 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 192.64999
9 Gourmet Rednecks 191.98333
10 Smokin’ Hooligans 190.20000

Brisket:

Rank Team Score
1 Git-R-Smoked 198.58332
2 Hot Wachula’s 197.18332
3 Get-Cha-Some BBQ 194.09999
4 United Pork Smokers 193.38332
5 Team Unknown 192.90000
6 Whiskey Bent BBQ 192.88333
7 Swinos 192.18333
8 Beachneck BBQ 191.96667
9 The Woodhouse Grill 191.23332
10 Blitzkrieg BBQ 189.53333

Keeping up with the “Super Teams”

Posted: March 16, 2013 in BBQ, BBQ Cooking Techniques, BBQ News, Editorial
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It has been a while since I have just sat do and wrote about, BBQ and all that means to me. I have been busy, like the most of us, keeping up with, real life duties, ie, Family, Job & Life as a whole.  After a while the competition scene, gets put on the back burner, literally. Unless you are one of the lucky few that can do competition BBQ for a living, this is something that happens to all teams, from time to time. When this happens to a team, it puts you off your game. It is no secret, the teams that consistently win, compete the most. Sure there are times where a surprise team will come in, and take the competition, on any given weekend, but for the most part, the winning teams are going to be the seasoned professional.

Living here in Florida, definitely has it’s advantages, when it comes to cooking BBQ.  Minus a hurricane, or two, we can pretty much BBQ year around. The FBA (Florida Barbecue Association) competition schedule starts by the second week of January, and runs well into December. The biggest break is normally during the middle of summer, July & August, just too hot to be spending a long amount of time outside. Throw in a couple of KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) events, a Sam’s club event, and even shoot across the border into Georgia, and try out a GBA (Georgia Barbecue Association) or an MBN (Memphis Barbecue Network) and there is a BBQ competition darn near every weekend of the year. Folks up north are just digging their cookers out of the snow, and FBA teams already have 3-4 competitions in for the year. It would be save to say, the competition here is very tough, and some of the best teams in the nation cook here in Florida, but not all of us are lucky enough to get after it every weekend. How can we close the gap, and be able to compete with these teams? Teams like mine, that usually hit the scores in about the middle of the field at many competitions, have to try and make up ground by practice cooks, by judging competitions and by attending the occasional class put on by a BBQ expert. All are great ways to make up a little ground on the super teams. Nothing will make up for real world experience, but practice and more practice will help to keep pace with the other teams.

Practice cook for chicken

Practice cook for chicken

Getting the Lang ready for a parctice cook, using some Kebroak Lump

Getting the Lang ready for a practice cook, using some Kebroak Lump

Practice Pork!!!

Practice Pork!!!

Practice cooks will help a team on many levels. It helps to try out those flavor profiles, and to get down the cooking times for each category. Getting familiar with the cooker that you will be competing on helps, and we even go as far as practicing boxing as we would for turn-in. I really enjoy doing practice cooks, and it really helps my confidence level, going into a competition. The one problem I have is, finding volunteers to eat all the BBQ. When I started BBQ I never thought this would be a problem, but after years of forcing BBQ on my family, to critique, they go running for the hills at the first sign of smoke. I’m glad I have a lot of folks at my real job who are still BBQ fans. My wife gladly helps me pack all the BBQ up, to take to work and offer up to all my friends.

In my opinion, judging is a great way to up your BBQ awareness. You will get the best bang for your buck through judging. If the competition you will be judging is a local one, all you have to do (once your a certified judge) is show up and eat some BBQ. Normally a judge will need to contact the event organizer to get on the list to judge, but judging is a good time, and great information that many cook teams will not experience. I have heard many cook teams ask, “What the hell was that judge thinking?”. What better what to find out then by setting at the table while food is being judged. While the actual judging is going on, judges are not allowed to commit on the entries, but after all scores have been recorded, judges are free to discuss the entries they have sampled. So not only has the judge experienced what 5-6 other teams have turned in, but they also get to participate in a discussion on what the judges liked or did not like about these entries. I have been privileged enough to judge at a few competitions, and I can honestly say, I have learned something at each judging. I think each cook team should really try to judge at least one competition, if only to experience the other side of competition BBQ, that most teams do not see. I also think judges should try to cook with a cook team, if possible. Great knowledge comes from experience, so get out there and experience as much BBQ as you can!!! It will not only be beneficial to you and your team, but to the sport of BBQ as a whole.

FBA judging at Grant, FL

FBA judging at Grant, FL

Judging FBA in Haines City, FL

Judging FBA in Haines City, FL

One very popular way for many teams to help them keep up with or over take the competition is by taking BBQ classes given by BBQ experts. This has been an option that has been growing in popularity over the past 5+ years. Many BBQ professionals have recognized that there is a great market for their skills, and classes are filling up across the country. Classes have seen cook teams travel from out of state & even from out of the country, to attend their, not to mention putting out hundreds of dollars. I am a fan of these classes, and have been to one organized class from; Dana and Janet Hillis, of Big Papa‘s Country Kitchen. For more information, on Dana’s class, please visit the FBA sight HERE contact information is listed in the competition schedule under; Big Papa’s Competition BBQ School – Naples, FL.

I have known Dana & Janet Hillis, for a couple of years now, from the BBQ circuit. I saw them walking to the stage, a lot, before we were able to meet personally. We were lucky enough to set up next to them at a competition in Sebring, FL a couple years ago, and they were very welcoming, and helpful. Us being the new team, Dana & Janet were happy to lend a hand, and give advice. Dana was so excited to try out and give us his opinion on our food, and it really helped, we got three calls that competition, and came very close to getting a GC, (tanked one category).  I knew that if Dana ever came out with a class, I would take it. We took Dana’s first class in the summer of 2012, and we had a great time. My team has not won a GC since taking Dana’s class, but it has kept us competitive in a very talented field of BBQ cooks, around the Central Florida area.  So, look around for a class that best suits you, and sign up for it. They do vary in price a bit, I have seen some that run about $150 for a one day class to $700-$800 for a two day class. Most classes will give a discount for folks who would like to bring their spouse to the class, as well.  Many classes offer a fine dinner, cooked by your host, and plenty of goodies in your team bag. Sponsors are happy to give some sample products for folks in the classes to try out, because they know these are folks that are going to be doing BBQ for a long time, and could be a future long term customer. Another plus for taking a class is, not only do you get to see what a true Pitmaster does to compete in BBQ, but there is opportunity to meet some other great BBQ folks, who are there to take the class. A lot of discussion about procedures and other secrets, are normally shared during these classes, even amongst the students. I know we had a great time at the class we took, and will do it again.  I also feel that we learned a lot during the class, and it was money well spent.

A few of Dana's awards are a great back drop for his class.

A few of Dana’s awards are a great back drop for his class.

Tables set up, and ready for students, at Big Papa's Country Kitchen, cooking class.

Tables set up, and ready for students, at Big Papa’s Country Kitchen, cooking class.

Dana, giving some hands on experience to my wife, Biggi. She was the teacher's pet!!! :)

Dana, giving some hands on experience to my wife, Biggi.

 

 

These are in my opinion, three ways to up your game as a professional BBQ cook team. I know there are more schools out there, and a few that are on-line or CD classes. I hope to be able to check them out, one day, and be able to render an opinion on them as well, but for now this is all the first hand experiences I have.

It is not easy to keep up with the “super” teams, and it is even more difficult to know just, “what the hell was that judge was thinking?”. I have heard it many times on the competition trail, it has a lot to do with luck, and that is very true, to a point. Luck does play a part in, which tables your entries land on, and which judges are at that table, and even which competitor’s entries are at the same table as your entry. Those are things you, as a cook team can not control, but what you can control is, the quality of BBQ you choose to turn in at any given contest. You and you alone will decide what your flavor profile should be, if your entry is cook to your liking, how you want to arrange your box for turn-in, sauce or no sauce, these are examples of things with in your realm of circumstances that you can control at a BBQ competition. The best thing we can do as cooks is to make the most informed decisions that we can make, this will help us with our performance at a BBQ competition.  The best way to make a sound informed decision is by educating our selves as much as possible. Please go out and get involved with competition BBQ, if you can’t cook on a given weekend, go judge an event. Volunteer some time to a organization in your area, I know they would love the help. This is all good stuff to help our sport grow, and when competition BBQ grows, it’s good for all of us. I think I will take some of my own advice, time for a brisket practice cook. :) Thanks all and God bless!!!

HGW

Southern Pines Blues & BBQ with the 2012 The FBA Triple Crown Championship – Perry, FL: RESULTS

Posted: December 9, 2012 in BBQ, BBQ News, Competition Results
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What a great weekend to end the competition year in the FBA. An invitational event & and an open event, being run simultaneously, with the best teams in the FBA, going head to head, and in the end it was Swamp Boys taking home the FBA Triple Crown!!!! Rob “Rub” Bagby, has had an incredible run in the FBA, the last few months, earning GC’s in 5 of his last 6 competitions (in the FBA, Rob has been scoring well in KCBS also), including the invitational this weekend. Great job, to a great team, congratulations Swamp Boys BBQ!!!  Be sure to check out Rob’s upcoming BBQ class, he will be teaming up with the guys from 3 Eyzs BBQ, you DON”T want to miss this one!!! For information on this great class, Click here

Terry Mckay and team Git-R-Smoked, have yet another great competition here, heading home with an impressive RGC!!! Terry and crew are ALWAYS in the front of the pack at any competition they go to, not to mention, they are really nice folks also!!! Terry earned runner up in the triple crown, but also for the FBA TOTY event, congratulations Terry, another great year for you and the entire team!!!! Please check out Terry and his wonderful graphics business at: Custom Graphics & Signs

Hardware Unknown BBQ earned this weekend, the whiskey is a sponsor.

Hardware Unknown BBQ earned this weekend, the whiskey is a sponsor.

A big shout out to our friends at Unknown BBQ, what a year these guys have had!!! Tearing it up, all year in the FBA, and a very successful trip to the World Food Championship. They end the year off by nailing down a strong third place in the invitational event this past weekend!!! Great job Unknown BBQ!!!!

 

One last acknowledgment to our friends from Q-Fused BBQ and their first place pork call in the invitational. They beat out some of the BEST pork cookers in the business!!! Congratulations to Dwight & Will, that must have been some terrific pork, well done!!!! Please check out Q-Fused on Facebook at: Q-Fused BBQ Team

qfused

The OPEN competition from Perry, FL this weekend, also was packed with very talented BBQ teams. many of the teams competing in the invitational, also competed in the open, so it was a tough group. The GC when to: Cook’s Portable Smokehouse, now I have to admit, I do not know much about this team, I have heard their name before, I just have not had the opportunity to met them. It looks like they had a very constant cook, and with scores like that, I’m sure we will be hearing from them again.

The RGC in the OPEN goes to, our good friends Dana “Big Papa” & Janet Hillis. Team Big Papa’s Country Kitchen has had a great year as well. A very big year in the FBA, earning numerous GC”s and ending the year as the FBA’s Team of the Year!!!! Great job guys!!!! Dana & Janet also had a great year outside the FBA, with most notably, earning RGC in the BBQ category at the World Food Championship!!!! I have attended Dana & Janet’s cooking school, and invite everyone to do the same, it was a good time, with good folks. Most of all, there was some great BBQ information shared there. For more information e-mail Dana Hillis at:  bigpapabbq@gmail.com

Big Papa & Janet

Big Papa & Janet

 


Grand Champion: Swamp Boys
Reserve: Git-R-Smoked
Rank Team Total Chicken Ribs Pork Brisket
1 Swamp Boys 771.98331 198.6000 192.3833 189.3333 191.6667
2 Git-R-Smoked 768.34996 191.3000 189.1000 191.0000 196.9500
3 Unknown BBQ 765.28331 184.8667 191.2667 196.5000 192.6500
4 Chatham Artillery BBQ 763.39997 195.7500 184.0167 190.0667 193.5667
5 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 761.95000 196.4500 187.2667 191.7167 186.5167
6 Bub-Ba-Q 761.74998 193.3500 192.3667 188.6333 187.4000
7 Great Lakes BBQ Feed Company 761.30000 188.1500 190.9333 191.6833 190.5333
8 Suwannee River Smokers 760.43334 188.6000 188.6167 194.3500 188.8667
9 Munchees Smokehouse 759.99998 191.7000 186.9667 193.6167 187.7167
10 Sweet Smoke Barbecue 759.70000 193.8333 189.0667 192.6667 184.1333
11 Budmeisters 759.41665 194.3167 179.4500 197.8833 187.7667
12 B & T BBQ Cook Team 758.68333 191.2500 189.6000 195.0500 182.7833
13 Lang BBQ Smokers 757.68333 194.3000 191.6833 192.2667 179.4333
14 U Rub Me Raw 755.04999 192.2167 185.5333 191.5000 185.8000
15 Getta Grip BBQ 753.18332 188.6667 179.1667 192.9500 192.4000
16 Forrest’s Fine Foods 751.69998 182.7167 177.7667 195.0333 196.1833
17 Q-Fused 750.98331 191.2833 177.9500 198.5833 183.1667
18 Hot Wachula’s 749.89999 188.1500 183.1167 194.2667 184.3667
19 Heavenly Hawgs BBQ 749.09999 187.9500 189.2833 191.5333 180.3333
20 LJ Smokin 748.21667 187.7333 189.3667 187.9167 183.2000
21 Wooley Bully BBQ Mafia 748.04999 184.8167 187.6167 182.2167 193.4000
22 Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 747.26666 194.3333 186.0000 183.9000 183.0333
23 Smokinwilly Squealers 746.76666 183.1500 186.5167 187.9667 189.1333
24 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 742.68332 181.0833 190.3000 186.0167 185.2833
25 Team Waterdog 734.70000 191.5000 183.1833 193.6333 166.3833
26 Big Kahuna BBQ 732.99998 188.4000 191.2333 174.5833 178.7833
27 Trippsmoke 730.15000 189.5500 182.0167 186.5167 172.0667
28 The Ross Team 727.96665 188.4167 185.7667 185.2000 168.5833
29 Jacks Old South 719.31667 181.7333 187.3500 181.2167 169.0167
30 Smokey Butts 716.31667 178.5500 172.7333 186.5333 178.5000
31 Second Star BBQ 553.76668 0.0000 188.4167 181.9667 183.3833
Chicken

Rank Team Score
1 Swamp Boys 198.59998
2 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 196.44999
3 Chatham Artillery BBQ 195.74999
4 Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 194.33333
5 Budmeisters 194.31668
6 Lang BBQ Smokers 194.30000
7 Sweet Smoke Barbecue 193.83333
8 Bub-Ba-Q 193.34999
9 U Rub Me Raw 192.21666
10 Munchees Smokehouse 191.69999
Ribs

Rank Team Score
1 Swamp Boys 192.38333
2 Bub-Ba-Q 192.36666
3 Lang BBQ Smokers 191.68333
4 Unknown BBQ 191.26667
5 Big Kahuna BBQ 191.23333
6 Great Lakes BBQ Feed Company 190.93334
7 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 190.30000
8 B & T BBQ Cook Team 189.60001
9 LJ Smokin 189.36666
10 Heavenly Hawgs BBQ 189.28333
Pork

Rank Team Score
1 Q-Fused 198.58332
2 Budmeisters 197.88332
3 Unknown BBQ 196.49998
4 B & T BBQ Cook Team 195.04999
5 Forrest’s Fine Foods 195.03334
6 Suwannee River Smokers 194.35000
7 Hot Wachula’s 194.26665
8 Team Waterdog 193.63333
9 Munchees Smokehouse 193.61666
10 Getta Grip BBQ 192.94999
Brisket

Rank Team Score
1 Git-R-Smoked 196.94998
2 Forrest’s Fine Foods 196.18332
3 Chatham Artillery BBQ 193.56666
4 Wooley Bully BBQ Mafia 193.39999
5 Unknown BBQ 192.64999
6 Getta Grip BBQ 192.40000
7 Swamp Boys 191.66667
8 Great Lakes BBQ Feed Company 190.53333
9 Smokinwilly Squealers 189.13334
10 Suwannee River Smokers 188.86668

THE OPEN: PRO DIVISION!!!


Grand Champion: Cook’s Portable Smokehouse
Reserve: Big Papa’s Country Kitchen
Rank Team Total Chicken Ribs Pork Brisket
1 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 759.56666 192.6833 184.1667 189.3333 193.3833
2 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 757.18332 188.1667 188.6667 194.3000 186.0500
3 Lang BBQ Smokers 755.85001 191.6500 192.1167 181.8000 190.2833
4 Haulin’ Butt BBQ 753.76667 185.0834 187.4167 189.8500 191.4167
5 Smokin’ Your Butt 753.13332 185.1667 189.8167 188.3667 189.7833
6 Budmeisters 752.74999 183.6833 186.9833 197.8667 184.2167
7 LJ Smokin’ 752.36667 183.9667 184.8167 192.6000 190.9833
8 Forrest’s Fine Foods 752.06669 184.3667 192.3833 187.1667 188.1500
9 Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 751.55000 181.2167 193.1000 192.2333 185.0000
10 Wooley Bully BBQ Mafia 751.29997 181.6833 191.9000 191.4167 186.3000
11 Glenn Bob’s BBQ 749.06666 190.0667 181.2000 185.3667 192.4333
12 Hot Wachula 747.09999 192.6333 190.0167 181.5000 182.9500
13 Bub-Ba-Q 745.75000 187.2333 187.6833 187.6667 183.1667
14 Chatham Artillery BBQ 745.01665 179.9667 193.3167 183.9167 187.8167
15 Getta Grip BBQ 744.59999 187.6833 187.8833 180.6167 188.4167
16 U Rub Me Raw 744.35001 185.1667 192.1333 181.5333 185.5167
17 Jacks Old South 744.03335 184.1333 190.2500 181.9833 187.6667
18 Sweet Smoke Q 743.71666 192.9333 185.1167 186.2833 179.3833
19 Smokinwillys Squealers 743.53333 188.5833 176.5000 191.7000 186.7500
20 Blue Butt Farms 741.18333 184.6167 189.8000 191.4833 175.2833
21 Great Lakes BBQ & Feed Company 735.38334 186.1667 176.0000 191.0000 182.2167
22 Smokey Butts 732.51668 180.8500 180.4833 187.7000 183.4833
23 Sweet Rack Rib Shack 728.11666 179.6000 185.2333 188.6167 174.6667
24 Git-R-Smoked 726.56666 179.2167 184.5833 182.4833 180.2833
25 Pork Rindz 724.63335 189.5667 177.8667 175.6500 181.5500
26 Second Star BBQ 723.59999 189.7500 191.4833 168.1500 174.2167
27 Aunt Mary’s BBQ Brigade 719.86667 180.3500 176.9333 182.1333 180.4500
28 ET’s BBQ 717.95000 181.0167 190.3000 179.6333 167.0000
29 JB’s BBQ 716.66665 181.5833 179.7500 175.0833 180.2500
30 Barn Goddess BBQ 705.86665 183.5167 173.9167 175.4333 173.0000
31 Smokin’ Gillboys 704.90000 177.0167 175.3833 170.1000 182.4000
32 Smoke Shack BBQ 664.85000 176.9000 159.9167 171.1000 156.9333
33 Tombstone BBQ 654.88332 169.3000 158.0500 178.6000 148.9333
Chicken

Rank Team Score
1 Sweet Smoke Q 192.93333
2 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 192.68333
3 Hot Wachula 192.63332
4 Lang BBQ Smokers 191.65001
5 Glenn Bob’s BBQ 190.06666
6 Second Star BBQ 189.75000
7 Pork Rindz 189.56667
8 Smokinwillys Squealers 188.58332
9 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 188.16666
10 Getta Grip BBQ 187.68334
Ribs

Rank Team Score
1 Chatham Artillery BBQ 193.31665
2 Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 193.10000
3 Forrest’s Fine Foods 192.38334
4 U Rub Me Raw 192.13334
5 Lang BBQ Smokers 192.11667
6 Wooley Bully BBQ Mafia 191.89999
7 Second Star BBQ 191.48332
8 ET’s BBQ 190.29999
9 Jacks Old South 190.25000
10 Hot Wachula 190.01667
Pork

Rank Team Score
1 Budmeisters 197.86666
2 Big Papa’s Country Kitchen 194.29999
3 LJ Smokin’ 192.60000
4 Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 192.23332
5 Smokinwillys Squealers 191.70001
6 Blue Butt Farms 191.48334
7 Wooley Bully BBQ Mafia 191.41666
8 Great Lakes BBQ & Feed Company 191.00000
9 Haulin’ Butt BBQ 189.84999
10 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 189.33333
Brisket

Rank Team Score
1 Cook’s Portable Smokehouse 193.38333
2 Glenn Bob’s BBQ 192.43332
3 Haulin’ Butt BBQ 191.41666
4 LJ Smokin’ 190.98334
5 Lang BBQ Smokers 190.28333
6 Smokin’ Your Butt 189.78332
7 Getta Grip BBQ 188.41666
8 Forrest’s Fine Foods 188.15001
9 Chatham Artillery BBQ 187.81666
10 Jacks Old South 187.66668

26th Annual American Royal Invitational Contest Qualification Criteria Announced

Posted: August 5, 2012 in BBQ News
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26th Annual American Royal Invitational Contest Qualification Criteria Announced

August 3, 2012

 

26th Annual American Royal Invitational Contest

Qualification Criteria

A new system has been instituted for qualifying Invitational Teams in 2012-2013. Qualifying criteria must be submitted to the American Royal within 7 business days of the qualifying contest by the contest organizers and each Grand Champion team in order for the team to be invited to participate in the Invitational contest.

The forms and any accompanying information may be emailed (BBQ@AmericanRoyal.com), faxed (816-221-8189), or sent standard mail to: Invitational Contest – American Royal World Series of Barbecue® 1701 American Royal Court, Kansas City, MO  64102

 

 QUALIFICATION CRITERIA SUMMARY FOR US TEAMS

Qualifying Period: August 1, 2012-July 31, 2013 – All exceptions must be approved in advance by the American Royal. 

Invitations:

Only Grand Champions are invited. No pass downs will be accepted. Invitations will be extended to the qualified team name/head cook combination. Should the team name or head cook change after qualifying, the team MUST enter the American Royal Invitational under the qualifying combination. Should the same head cook have qualified with more than one team, he/she may enter the KC Masterpiece American Royal Invitational Contest only one time.

An invitation will be mailed from the American Royal to the qualifiers upon receipt of the enclosed forms and requested documentation. If an Invitational team would like to also compete in the Open Contest, it is MANDATORY for that team to complete the Open Application ahead of time so a space can be reserved.

Qualifying Contest Criteria:

  • Contests MUST have at least 15 competing teams the first year and 25 competing teams each subsequent year.
  •   State proclamations will no longer be required.  In lieu of a state proclamation, all contests MUST be sanctioned by an American Royal approved sanctioning body.  Qualifying contests MUST be open to all contestants.
  •  A state with only one contest MUST have a minimum of 15 competing teams to be considered, and MUST be sanctioned by an American Royal approved sanctioning body. Qualifying contests must be open to all contestants.
  • Contest categories submitted for judging MUST include beef, pork, and poultry to be considered a qualifier. To be considered a “competing team,” for the qualifying contest, teams MUST submit entries for ALL contest categories required to be the Grand Champion or overall winner of that event.
  • The American Royal reserves the right to request contest results for authentication from contest organizer, to include judging results and total number of teams competing in the event.

Sanctioning Body Criteria:

  • The sanctioning body must have a physical address.
  • The sanctioning body must be a registered business within the state of its physical address, whether for-profit or otherwise, and must provide a state certificate of good standing.
  • The sanctioning body must have printed rules, including disciplinary action for rules violations.
  • The sanctioning body must be able to provide printed, complete, contest results, including tabulated judging details and number of teams competing.
  • The sanctioning body must sanction a minimum of ten (10) BBQ competitions in the qualifying period.
  • The sanctioning body must cooperate with the American Royal for the purpose of certifying contest winners for Invitational Contest qualification.

Automatic Entries Go To:

*Grand Champion of previous year’s American Royal Open Contest
*Grand Champions of previous five (5) year’s American Royal/KC Masterpiece Invitational Contest
*Grand Champion of previous year’s Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue
*Grand Champion of current year’s Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest *Grand Champion of current year’s Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest