Smoke on the Water - T Minus 2 days and Counting

Just a few days now until one of the most anticipated events of the young 2010 barbecue competition season! I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for Friday to get here. Of course, I still have a lot of things left on my to do list before heading out in the wee hours Friday morning.

This winter has seemed extremely longer and colder than past years. I suppose part of that is because of I have been waiting for March 19th to get here just like a kid waiting for Christmas day to arrive. The cold, overcast gloom is finally going to give way to the start of our barbecue season. Surely sunny, warm days are on the horizon?

This contest will mark the furthest we have traveled to compete. That being said, I need to narrow down what I can take to only the essentials. In the past, I have found myself loading items I never touch at a contest (for my first contest I took three barbecue cookbooks - which I never touched!). I will say over the past year I have worked to reduce what I haul to a contest quite a bit. I've found that cluttering up your work area with non-essential items just doesn't make sense. I got so tired of tripping over plastic containers full of things I never touch but thought necessary. Experience is a great teacher and we're all working a little smarter these days.

My goal is to have everything loaded early Thursday evening. Leave Kansas City very early Friday morning and meet up with Darrin and Corey on the highway around Harrisonville, MO. We are shooting for an arrival time around 11 a.m. at the contest site. That will give us time to get set-up and have a little down time before we start our prep work. Brant and his entourage are flying in from Florida so we expect him on site about 5:30 p.m.

There will 228 teams competing for $100k in prize money. The list of teams is like a who's who on the bbq circuit. A good finish here would say a lot about our team. We will really need to be on top of our game to have a shot at a top 40 finish in any category. Regardless of the outcome, it is still very valuable experience for us and another learning opportunity as we "rub" elbows with some of the elite cooks in the country.

Eric Clapton

I was fortunate enough the other night to see Eric Clapton perform at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. This was the first time that I had the chance to see him perform after missing out on opportunities to see him in the 80's and 90's. I liken the whole experience to being in church as you sit and wonder in awe at his guitar playing. Age has not diminished his guitar or vocal skills. Watching him close his eyes and become completely immersed in his playing was truly magical.

He played 15 songs in all. His is set ranged from the blues song "Going Down Slow" to rock standards like "I Shot the Sheriff." Acoustic versions of "Layla" and "Driftin' Blues" were a big hit with the audience. Of course, "Wonderful Tonight" and "Cocaine" closed out the set. He then came back out and played "Crossroads" for the encore which capped a great show.

There were a couple the things I enjoyed about the show. One of which was that EC came out and played through the first 14 songs with no breaks. Also there was no patronizing the audience or preaching from the stage.

Roger Daltrey opened the show and proved he still has the energy and voice to perform. Windmilling the microphone like from days of old, he sang several Who hits and deferred to Pete Townsend's brother Simon to sing "Goin' Mobile." He told the audience the last time he had opened for someone was back in the early 1960's for The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

The amount of rock and roll history and talent displayed on stage that night was amazing!

BACK TO BBQ: We are getting geared up for Smoke On The Water down in Little Rock on March 19th. More updates to follow......

Countdown To Little Rock!

It's the last day of February. That means March and its eventual warmth are here. The Olympics are in the book and the opening ceremonies for Holla-N-Swalla's barbecue season start on March 19th in Little Rock, AR. No huge fanfare or parades. Just we four with our ez-up and equipment hoping to strike gold, or should I say green, against some of the countries top competition. It will be challenging but it will also be fun! I can't wait to get started!

Last weekend all four of us were able to gather at Darrin's house in Louisburg, KS to have a practice run through of all four KCBS categories (but sadly no cider or doughnuts). A big thanks to Darrin for not only suggesting this but hosting as well! This was the first time we had done this and I am not sure why we never thought about it before?

We have been very fortunate that we all can come to an agreement about how we cook each category. Chicken and ribs have been solid categories. Brisket varies for us -some contests it is great and some not so great and pork has been all over the map. We were looking to incorporate some new procedures in brisket and pork I learned about in the off season. This get together enabled us to successfully work through these new processess. I feel very confident in what we are doing and I'm looking forward to getting things kicked off!

Now we just need the calendar to speed up and the weather to warm up!

Big T's Bar-B-Q

February is the time of year I find most difficult. So close to the warming days of March but yet still locked in winter's death grip. On these gray, cold days, I look for any kind of respite or release from nature's injustice.

My release today was venturing over to Big T's Bar-B-Q on Blue Parkway to meet my buddy Larry for lunch. To be honest, I had not heard of Big T's until about a month ago. We have a gluttony of riches when it comes to barbecue restaurants here in Kansas City and I am guilty for overlooking many of these places. Today, I wanted to extend my barbecue dining experience yet again.

We met at 1pm to avoid the lunch rush. Parking was not an issue and service was friendly and quick. The place itself was clean and appealing. I would describe Big T's as a "BBQ Joint." When you walk in you are immediately hit with the familiar smell of french fries cooking inter-mingled with the aroma of meat smoking. A nice jolt to the senses on such a blah day. The walls were ordained with pictures of past Kansas City sports teams. Black and white pictures of the NBA's long gone Kansas City Kings, a picture of the 1946 Negro Leagues All-Star Game, and a 1998 team picture of the Kansas City Chiefs to name a few. A napkin dispenser, bottle of Heinz ketchup and salt and pepper shakers adorned the tables. Extra barbecue sauce was available if you asked for it at the service counter.

The order process here is quite familiar. Place your order at the counter and they call your number when it's ready. I ordered the brisket on a bun , fries and a small ice tea. The total was $7.81. The brisket was thinly sliced and served with sauce on it (I need to start asking for sauce on the side). The meat itself had a slight hickory smoked flavor while the sauce was sweet and thin. I felt the sauce detracted from some of the flavor of the meat. Also I prefer my brisket to be sliced a little thicker than what I received today. The fries were greasy and were your average fare. Larry ordered the burnt end plate and said that the ends were tender and had a good smokey flavor.

I guess a good sign if you don't like something is to leave it on your plate. Both of our plates were empty so we must have liked it. Is Big T's my favorite barbecue place? No, but I would visit again to try out more of their menu.

Silver Dollar City Festivals 2010: Bluegrass & BBQ

Sweet sounds and sweet sauce will prevail during Bluegrass & BBQ at Silver Dollar City, May 13 through May 31. The top names in bluegrass will perform while experts cook up the ribs and burnt ends. The House of BBQ will serve Memphis dry rubs, sweet and tangy Carolina vinegars, smoky Texas-style and Kansas City-style barbeque that will make your nose twitch and your mouth water.

Silver Dollar City has earned its reputation as one of the nation’s premier amusement parks with events such as Bluegrass & BBQ. Located in Branson, Missouri, within walking distance of the well-known Lodges at Table Rock, Silver Dollar City offers a 1800s-themed environment complete with arts, crafts, cooking lessons, period displays, rides and much more. Bluegrass & BBQ is only one of a number of extended events held throughout the year.

For 19 days, Bluegrass & BBQ will serve up electrifying performances by rising stars and veteran favorites in bluegrass music. They come from all over the country to the place bluegrass belongs, the Ozark Mountains.

Some of the acts you can expect to see and hear include:

Nothin’ Fancy-Formed in 1994 to compete in the East Coast Bluegrass Championship in Crimora, Virginia, Nothin’ Fancy has since released eight albums and one CD single. The group has played the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee; Lincoln Center in New York; and the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. The band has also hosted its own festival in Buena Vista, Virginia, and won The SPBGMA Entertaining Group of the Year award in 2008 and 2009.

Red Head Express-This group has it all — a variety of musical styles, dancing, comedy, you name it. And they all get along, even though they’re family: Mom, Dad, four daughters and three sons. They’ve played throughout the Midwest and South in performing arts centers, at festivals and in theaters and opry houses, and they’ve had two seasons playing in Branson.

Hunt Family Bluegrass-Born in Orlando, Oklahoma, in 2004, Hunt Family Bluegrass has become known for its hard-driving style. The family includes Terry, the dad, who plays guitar; Leanne, the mom, who plays bass; 17-year-old Andrew on mandolin and fiddle; and 15-year-old Jonathan, who plays banjo.

In all, about 40 bluegrass bands will perform during Bluegrass & BBQ, and the barbeque will be available the whole time. Whatever your taste in music or food, this event is sure to satisfy.

While you’re in Branson and visiting Silver Dollar City, you should consider staying at The Lodges At Table Rock. Among lodges in Branson, it has a reputation for family-friendly excellence. Many people think of it as the Silver Dollar City lodge because it’s so close to the park, or the Table Rock lodge because of its proximity to Table Rock Lake. It’s also one of the most popular Branson lodges for people who are visiting the area to enjoy the lakes and Branson attractions other than Silver Dollar City.

So, when you’re looking for lodging near Silver Dollar City, be sure to visit www.LodgesAtTableRock.com where you can learn more and make your Table Rock Lodge reservations. You’ll enjoy the convenience as you take in Bluegrass & BBQ.

Say Good Night Gracie

Tonight season one of Pitmasters rides off into the sunset. I find myself running after it and calling its name like Brandon De Wilde chasing after Alan Ladd. "Shane" didn't come back but hopefully TLC will heed the calls and "BBQ Pitmasters" will return for a second season.

This series was eagerly anticipated by the barbecue world. Sure the Travel Channel or Food Network would occasionally throw us barbecue cooks a bone but I was always left with wanting more - enter Pitmasters. What the competitive barbecue world received was not only a show for us but also a show to help enlighten non-Q'ers on what competing is all about. Like a zombie drawn to a mall, I was drawn to the show.

From my experience, the show has opened up the barbecue competition world to more people. I have talked to many people who have no real interest in barbecue but have watched the show and enjoyed what they saw. In fact, the question I have to answer most is regarding Myron and "What's he really like?" It's good to see the interest generated about barbecue.

I will not be surprised if we see a second season of Pitmasters. If TLC wants no part of it, I am sure some other network would. The show has clearly marked out its territory on the reality show map. It will be interesting to see the impact the show will have on the competitive trail this season. Will there be an increase in rookie teams? More contests? More barbecue groupies? I can't wait for our competition season to start so I can find out. In the meantime, I'll head back to the farm and see if Shane shows up!

Happy Trails!

Looking Ahead

First, I wanted to thank Greg Rempe for having me on his BBQ Central Radio Show last Tuesday (1/19). We discussed our teams' experience with being on "BBQ Pitmasters," our teams' background and feelings about Myron Mixon . I enjoyed giving the amateur team perspective on things. Thanks again Greg!

All the snow has melted in the Kansas City area. It has taken a month to get rid of it but it's gone! Hopefully for good! Temperatures have rebounded from highs around 0 degrees to what feels like tropical highs in the 30's! The warm-up in the weather really gets the competition juices flowing.

Darrin, Brant and myself met at Darrin's house to have our preseason game plan discussion last weekend (Corey was busy cooking and couldn't attend. We'll forgive him as it was bbq related.) This is a good strategy session for us as we can lay out our competition schedule for 2010, address any cooking related issues or adjustments we want to make, discuss marketing/sponsorship items and hash out any issues from the previous year.

Contest selection is what drives the bus for us and it is important that we choose wisely. We decided to kick off the cook season with the Smoke on the Water contest in Little Rock, AR. The total prize package is a staggering $100k and they are paying out 1st through 40th place in each category. It is a great opportunity to compete with many of the top teams from across the country early on in the BBQ season and to capitalize on our success at the American Royal. This will be the first time that we step out of the Kansas City area to compete.

In addition to Little Rock, we are looking at the Springfield, MO contest in mid April, Great American in May and the American Royal in October. We will also look at adding an additional 2 to 4 contests dispersed across late April through September. I'm really looking forward to the 2010 season. Hurry up and get here March!

Darrin also is organizing a practice cook at his house in February. After I attended the JOS cook school this past November, we decided that we need to incorporate the brisket and pork butt techniques into our cook process. This will give everyone a chance to work through these techniques together after having practiced them separately. Also another area we will explore will be our rib process. We've been happy with our ribs but want to give the JOS process a try as well. It is nice to know that we have 2 solid rib techniques to utilize. For now, the chicken process will remain the same but I feel we can make 2 minor changes and still attain the same solid finished product.

I'm ready to cook!