While at a contest...

......what do YOU eat?


We all know the stories and tales of revulsion associated with eating BBQ at a BBQ contest, especially AFTER turn in. Much has been written about the assorted foods that folks crave after a contest, one thing that is fairly consistent, it won’t be que, I have even opined in the past on this very topic and believe it or not, that story was one of the most commented on articles I have ever written, with most folks agreeing with me, unusual for sure.


Instead, this month’s article will touch on the foods that you do eat while at a contest, sometimes known as ‘camp food’. One only needs to poke around the contest grounds on Friday night to see what I am talking about. Some teams will go all out with their menus that will include appetizers and a full course sit-down spread. While other take a little easier route, opting for dips, wraps, and assorted other finger type foods. Still others, like it easier still, and will dine on carryout foods or something prepared by a nearby event vendor.


As for the WATG? gang, we have served the entire gamut at times, I guess, depending upon the situation or our mood. If the contest includes a chefs choice or anything butt on Friday night, many times we will just make a little extra for the team members to enjoy after the last turn in. If the mood strikes us, we might prepare something completely different. We have served everything from grilled New York strip steaks and twice baked potatoes to pasta or home made chili on for Friday’s dinner. All served with the appropriate bottle of vino of course.


I have prepared steamed shrimp and many other assorted appetizers for the team members and guests around the camp to nosh on while sipping cool drinks under the lighted canopy on Friday eve. I have even went the super easy route and ordered delivery subs or pizza be brought to the site, when we just didn’t feel like cooking, just like at home.


Many times, as other cooks and pit masters stop in for a visit, we invite them to join us or at least have a taste. We usually always invite our neighbors or at least make them a plate to enjoy. We have even been known to wrap a carry out package up and deliver it to a team located on the other side of the grounds, just because we know they like what we were having. What goes around comes around, I believe in that one for sure.


Our team has even been known to arrive at a certain favorite contest area on Thursday night, with the event promoters’ prior permission of course. With contest preparation not beginning until the next day, the past two years we have whipped up an old fashioned Maryland style crab feast on Thursday. The table is complete with steamed on site #1 Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, fresh picked sweet corn swimming in butter, ice cold sliced garden tomatoes and chunked cantaloupe for dessert. Just writing about that meal here in mid February is making me mouth watering hungry. It don’t git no better than that!


Another method that our team has been known to employ from time to time is known as the walk about dining method. The trick here is to mosey around the contest grounds on Friday evening around about 8-9:00. You need to wear a look of extreme hunger, which usually isn’t very hard for me, while wandering around site to site. As you can imagine, many of the other teams will be busy whipping up or serving their own camp food to their members and guests. BBQ folks being some of the nicest and most hospitable folks on the planet inevitably are going to ask, would you like something to eat or try one of these. You are in luck.


I have had some of the tastiest samples of many assorted foods while panhandling at a BBQ contest. One well known New England team is known far and wide for their offering of what is known as Damn Dip. A word of warning here though, you’d better get to their camp when the dip is served, cause it doesn’t stay around very long, trust me.


Many times, folks are even nice enough to share their recipe or methods of preparation with you. I have picked up a ton of tips and great recipes from my fellow competitors while at a contest. I guess what I am saying here is you don’t need to sweat the details as to what you are going to serve the gang for Friday nights dinner, just load your pockets up with cold drinks and take a walk. You are bound to scare up something good to eat; after all, you are at a BBQ contest. Hopefully, it will be something besides BBQ!

The cream rises to the top......

……the question is why?


Let me start out by saying, please don’t panic. I have not switched gears and am not going to write a column on baking or even the latest craze to sweep the Country, the cupcake. Unlike the Food Channel, which at times should call itself the baking channel, you will not hear me go on and on about how hard it is to move a giant cake that can’t be eaten from place to place. Speaking of the cupcake, since when did this little morsel become the latest hot lick? My guess is they needed something else to help support the sale of $5 coffees so they gussied up the cupcake and now charge you $4.50 for something we used to sell at Cub Scout bake sales for ten cents. I am guessing that raspberry scones just weren’t cutting it anymore, result, designer cupcakes.


But, I digress, what I am speaking of here is the cream at a BBQ contest, que cream so to speak. Now, what I am about to say is speaking in generalities at best. This is by no means scientific, accurate or proven. I have nothing to base it on and absolutely no evidence in support of what I about to say. In fact, it is pure conjecture, a fabrication on my part.


It is my contention if you take a walk around any of the numerous BBQ contests held each weekend around the Country and you know your BBQ teams from the region, you can pretty much, with a relative degree of certainty, pick out what eventually will be the top ten overall finishers. Keep in mind, these observations are not always dead on, but most times are pretty close. The nagging question is why? What follows are my theories as to the explanation for this particular phenomenon.


1)In general, the top flight teams are not hard partiers. I know I will get a good deal of argument here, so I will clarify. What I am saying is these guys are focused. They are at a contest to cook good competition quality que, not to drink and carry on. This does not mean that the good cooks are not social or like to have fun, on the contrary, most are very social and love a good time. They just know when to party and when to be serious. When they are in the “show time” window of a contest, most are working hard to reach their goals and are not drunk or hung over. Again, this is not an absolut. Pun intended.


2)Repetition, that’s the ticket. Many of the more successful pit masters are cooking more than a handful of events a season. These guys are cooking a lot, they know their equipment, how it performs and what to expect regardless of the weather conditions. They are very comfortable in their smoky surroundings is what I am trying to say here.


3)Timing is everything. Pick a first rate team, go by their site at 12:30 AM on Friday night, go by their site the following week at the same time and I guarantee you’ll see the same thing. These guys are on automatic pilot, they’re in the zone, again, focused, they know what they are doing and when they will do it before the fire is even lit. I even know of one very successful pit master that can be seen crawling into his truck at the exact same time on Friday night for his required siesta. To say these guys are on a fixed schedule is an understatement.


4)If something is not working, you need to fix it. One thing I learned from the guys I have met that are winning is they are constantly looking for an edge. They are never idle, if a category is not getting the job done, they are not afraid to make changes in the quest for improvement. Some times the change is subtle other times drastic but these fellows are not afraid of change. I have even known of guys that have changed what would be considered successful processes in the never ending quest for improvement.


5)Consistency is not only a good thing, it is a requirement. Again, not a hard fast rule, but most of the top scoring teams are doing well in all four categories. They may not be walking in every meat, although that surely wouldn’t hurt. The key is the team is not tanking in even one category and that is what is important. You need to be consistent across the board to hear your name called with any regularity.


6)Teams that are consistently in the top ten would be considered dedicated, in my humble opinion. Most would admit to having que on their mind for most of their waking hours. Where else could you find someone that is willing to engage in a 1.5 hour conversation as to the interactions of rub and or marinade to the eventual crunchiness of chicken skin. Find yourself one of these top ten pit masters and see if you can get them to talk a little que. The only problem is, trying to get them to stop.


7)Attention to detail. Most of the guys that are successful week in and week out are very detail oriented. As I stated above, they operate on a set schedule, their equipment is all in the right place, and their cook areas are neat and organized. They pay attention to even the smallest detail, always searching for a way to do it better or more efficiently.



Again, this is not meant to be a scientific study or report, it is merely the dimwitted observations of a slightly past middle-aged, half crazed, BBQ wannabe. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked, “how can you continually cook a good product when at each contest you have different judges….it is so subjective, how can you be consistent?” My answer is always the same, “you’ve got teams out there that can win in California, Texas, New England, Florida, Kansas City and everywhere in between, they must be doing something right”. In our sport, as is the case in any competition ever held, the cream always rises to the top. Only in our case, the cream smells a bit like smoke, and that is a good thing!

Starting the New Year right…

....what are your Que resolutions?


As the smoke dissipates on the year 2010, the question that many of us ask is where did it go? It seems like just yesterday we anxiously awaited the start of the season watching the events move north from the southern locations that dominate the early season. When the season finally kicked off here in the northeast in April it seems I blinked my eyes and it was October.

We cooked 6 contests in 2010 and are planning about that number for the year 2011. As I look ahead and make my plans the thought came to me about New Year resolutions. Each year in January we hear news stories and talking heads from every sort of media outlet pontificating on what resolutions are made and who makes them. I myself would like to see a follow up story somewhere to report how many of those stated resolutions actually made it past January 2nd.

It dawned on me there is no collection of resolutions made by the cooks, pit masters, and personalities in the BBQ world, at least that I was aware of. What a great idea, interview the top 10 or so BBQ folks and get their resolutions for the upcoming season, that would make great reading. Of course, I was one day away from my deadline when I came up with this brilliant idea. The time needed to reach out to the people to be interviewed, wait for their response, collect their thoughts, and then write the article might take a little longer than a day. It appears that this idea will have to wait until next year when I have a bit more time. For now, you will have to suffer through a compilation of my own Que resolutions for 2011. If it would make it any easier reading, you can pretend that I am in fact, a noted BBQ personality, at least for purposes of this particular article.


1)Be more focused- It seems like in the year 2010 I only thought about BBQ for 364 days. There were a few days that I did not check the forums or read an article or story relating to BBQ. I know there was a weekend or two when I cooked only seafood or pasta. I need to get back on track, get more focused, practice with the big 4 and work additionally on my whole hog and other ancillary submissions. I have two certified BBQ judges residing within walking distance of my home base. If I could just convince four more of my neighbors to take the judges class, (I would even pay their way), I could have a full table to submit my offerings to each weekend as a practiced my methods and flavor profiles. Now that sounds like a good idea.


2)Be More Prepared- As part of my routine at a contests or catering gigs I keep lists, notes and records. This year I vow to actually read those lists, notes and records more than one day ahead of my next event. My particular focus here would be the supply list. We keep a detailed list of items that need to be restocked in our trailer before the next event. If I were more prepared, I would actually read over that list a week or so ahead of the next event so that items that have to be ordered, can be handled BEFORE I am short on time and have to pay four times the shipping costs to have the items sent overnight.


3)Work neater- As I cleaned my equipment for the final time before stowing most of it away for the winter I was continually amazed at the places I found BBQ sauce and various other overspray and debris. I won’t even discuss my aprons, shirts, shorts and shoes after an event. Let’s just all agree, I certainly have room for improvement when it comes to ‘working neater’. In 2011, I will look like Mr. Clean, or at the very least, Mr. Not So Filthy.


4)Stay more sober- I am talking about while at a contest, not at home, why in the world would I want to remain more sober at home? This would fall under the ‘more focused’ section as well. While there is nothing wrong with having a cool drink or two in the contest setting, in my opinion there is a fine line between ‘enough’ and ‘too much’. I will admit, there has been the occasional time when I crossed that line, or at the very least, staggered over it. My plan in the upcoming year is to limit my alcohol consumption while at a contest which I believe will assist me with resolution number one. Besides, everyone needs to make at least one resolution that they KNOW they aren’t going to keep, this way, maybe the others will be more successful.


5)Take more pictures- I carry my camera to each and every event. Sometimes when I get home, I have less than a dozen pictures from the entire weekend, and four of them are of my turn-in boxes. I vow to take more and better quality pictures this year. I am even thinking of hiring a photographer to hang with us for the weekend to get some really great and candid shots. I wonder if I can find a cameraman that will work for Que? This entire premise is based on the assumption that everyone one on the team is in compliance with resolution number 4, if they are not, I surely don’t want any incriminating photographic evidence being collected.


6)Have more fun- I am not quite sure that this is a possibility. Not that we don’t like to have fun. But I believe, based on our past contest behavior, that we are having the maximum amount of fun allowable by law at each and every contest we attend. I also believe that there may be a certain amount of fun participated in by our squad that could very well be prohibited by law in some States in the Union. If we are not having funis maxiumis, I think we would hang it up. However, that being said, there is always room for improvement. We will work hard to maximize the reading on the fun-O-meter, even if it involves completely scraping item number four before the season opens.


So there you have it folks, six BBQ resolutions for the upcoming year 2011, five of which I might even try to comply with, I’ll keep you posted in next years column how successful I was, or wasn’t. I’ll toss number four in with my yearly personal New Years resolution that I am going to drop 10 pounds. That one usually flies out the window on New Years Day!


Anyway you look at it resolutions are a good thing, they cause you to pause, reflect, prioritize, and have a few laughs. If there is one thing that we all could use these days it would be a good laugh or two or three. In addition, I would like to wish everyone a fun-filled, safe and successful 2011 BBQ season. Hope to see you out on the trail.

Christmas is coming................

and the goose is not the only thing gettin fat!


I realized early this year that Christmas is coming like a runaway train. I know this because here in the Northeast, the continuing barrage of annoying commercials being aired by politicians of various ilks has now been replaced with assorted offerings as to what you should purchase for your significant other or family member this upcoming season. Despite the frequency of spots for cars and expensive jewelry as gifts, here at the Hensler House, we are trying to cut back a bit with our holiday spending.


With that thought in mind, I have come up with a list of gift possibilities for that aspiring pit master that you both know and love. I have tried to include a range of prices to be able to offer a reasonable selection without breaking the bank. Although, a brand new diesel powered, heavy duty ¾ ton, 4 wheel drive pick up truck with a trailer towing package is sure to bring a smile to even the most discriminating Humbug on your list.


I realized long ago after watching TV commercials of large and lavish gifts being given out on Christmas morning that I was apparently born on the wrong side of the tracks. Where I come from, family, friends, and quality time are what are most important around the Holidays, and the rest of the year as well.


Anyway, here is my list; I hope it is of some help. I also would like to take this time to wish my readers a joyous, happy, smoke filled and safe Holiday season!


Dr BBQ’s Big Time Barbecue Cookbook, $16.95- Ray Lampe, St Martin’s Griffin- What I consider one of the most complete BBQ books for both the beginner and intermediate pit master. Great stories and good recipes are included along with some very helpful information. This book belongs on the shelf of any serious BBQ chef, backyard or on the competition circuit.


There was another book that I wanted to add here for folks thinking about getting involved in competition BBQ. At the time of this writing, the title and author has slipped from my failing memory. If my internet was up and running, I would try to Google “everything you need to know about starting a competition BBQ team”. I believe that would sufficiently jog my brain cells. It is amazing what you can find through a good old fashioned Google search. If I remember the title or author later, I will pass it on. I have it from a good source, the book does exist.


DigiQ DX- Made by BBQ Guru. A power draft air control system- $179.00 (base price) available from www.thebbqguru.com. A very reliable system that allows you to control the air flow to your BBQ cooker resulting in more constant temperatures producing a better end product as well as a more steady, trouble free cook. This system is adaptable to a wide range of cookers. In my humble opinion, the support service offered by the folks at The BBQ Guru is first rate.



16 slot Cordura Book Style Knife Case made by Messermeister, $59.75, available from www.knifemerchant.com Safe transportation of sharp knifes is essential for any traveling cook or BBQ’er. Knifes left in a drawer or box along with other utensils is an accident waiting to happen. This case is very handy and includes a zippered mesh compartment in the rear for transportation of other small cooking essentials.



The Splash Proof Super-Fast Thermapen- $96.00- available from www.thermoworks.com. A good insta-read thermometer is a necessary tool in any kitchen or BBQ camp. The newest model gives you a digital temperature readout in only 3 seconds. Debate continues amongst many experienced Thermapen users as to what color works faster, for my money, I think yellow rules.



9-LED Strap-on Headlamp- $9.86, available at www.overstock.com A great stocking stuffer. This is a great tool to have when moving around your cooking or grilling area during the night or early morning hours. The light also has many uses away from the cooking setting and just a good all around gift. I own several.

Life before Que

…am I obsessed?


I just finished up my 4th year on the competition BBQ circuit with my own team. If you add in a season or three where I cooked a few amateur events and helped an existing team, pretty soon I realize I been fooling around this game for about 7 years. Still what I would consider somewhat of a rookie compared to many guys on the circuit, what I’ve noticed is BBQ and outdoor cooking is taking more and more of my time.


This year my team cooked in 6 contests. If you add in a weekend cooking class, 3 additional contests attended as a spectator, a Que trade show weekend, 2 judging events, a couple of catering gigs, numerous practice cooks, and before you know it there is not much time for anything else, which is exactly my point here.


When I first toyed with the idea of starting my own competition team I was still busy, or so it seemed, but I did have some free time. My lawn, while not the neighborhood showplace was at least, fed, watered, cut and trimmed. I maintained a large perennial garden at home, spent a lot of time hunting and fishing, kept my truck washed, and occasionally had time to clean the garage. Alright, I am exaggerating about the garage part, but you get my point.


It seems today, if I am not cooking, grilling or smoking, then I am at home, surfing the net looking, reading and writing about some type of outdoor cooking. I lay in bed at night thinking and scheming of ways and methods to try and improve my product. While taking my afternoon walk, I think about my equipment list and what I need to replenish before our next event. Do I need another cooker? Should I practice this weekend? What will we do for the chefs’ choice in Salisbury next spring? And on and on and on.


This is not to mention the list I have put together for products I would like to design and develop to make things easier for folks involved in competition BBQ cooking. I have a list started; I just need a couple of weeks and a few thousand dollars to finish the designing and to build a few demos to test. I am sure I’ll find the time to get to this during the offseason this winter. Yea, right.


Last night, as I returned from my walk I glanced into what, just a few short years ago, was a very fine collection of the genus Hosta. Instead of a collection that any gardener would be proud to display, I see a collection of plants that need some attention, surrounded by weeds that have been neglected and are now thriving. The entire area is quickly becoming inundated with the latest seasonal tree dropping, leaves. I continue towards the house, past my dirty truck and into my garage. The 2 car garage, which up until about 4 years ago used to actually contain a car once in a while, is now cluttered with a collection of coolers, foil pans, large pots and lids, smokers, bags of charcoal, a pig roaster, folding tables and chairs, EZ-Ups, well you get the picture.


I was thinking the other day that I should seek professional help, but decided against the idea, fearing what the councilor might say. Maybe I just need to take a time management class. I saw in the catalog that several are offered at our local Community College as non-credit adult evening classes. Maybe I am not obsessed; I just need to prioritize a bit better. I am sure I can find some time to tend to a few of the duties and tasks that have fallen victim to my addiction to Que.


Besides, if I could find a few hours a weekend, I could work on developing that new brisket and pork procedure that I read about last weekend on the internet. As for all those leaves that I see falling onto my formally well maintained lawn and garden, maybe I can get one of the neighborhood kids to rake them for me, you know, free me up for something more pressing, more important, like practicing my chicken!

Keystone BBQ Contest -Harrisburg PA- Oct 1 & 2 2010

Oooooh that smell, can’t you smell that smell?


We cooked the Keystone Classic BBQ Contest at the farm complex located in Harrisburg PA this past weekend October 1 & 2, 2010. For those that do not know, this contest was the site of our first (and only), Grand Championship trophy last year. We were defending champs. It was our time to shine, to rise above the fray and really show what we were made of….either that or we could lay an egg, stink the joint up, the choice was ours, or more specifically, mine. As they say in radio, and now, the rest of the story.


The weekend before our last scheduled contest in Harrisburg I spent the day going over the trailer, checking and rechecking, making sure all necessary gear was on board and in place. The only thing I had forgotten to do was to look at the list we keep at each contest itemizing everything we need to get before our next outing. As I glanced at the list the Wednesday before leaving for Harrisburg, I noticed I had forgotten to order more rub for our brisket. No biggie I thought, I am sure I would have enough to do the job this weekend. If that is the only Gremlin involved issue that I am going to have, this weekend coming is going to be a cake walk.


Thursday afternoon and I am humming along at work wrapping up loose ends and finishing projects as I am preparing to take Friday off for the contest. Things are going very smoothly, no problems, no issues, until late afternoon when my phone rings. Bobby stopped on his way home from work to pick up our briskets and was told due to the storm, the delivery truck never arrived. They would be in sometime late Friday afternoon, the trouble was, we’d be in Harrisburg by then. Hmmmmmm…….


Oh, did I forget to mention the storm? A huge tropic weather system was streaming up out of the south and pounding the area with very heavy rain and strong winds, which in my area translates into power outages. Some areas received over 5 inches of rain, but the weather folks said it would clear the area by Friday morning, lets hope they would be right, for once. So Thursday afternoon, between power failures, I was on the horn trying to track down a source for a couple of briskets to cook at the contest.


We cook what is known as a full brisket or packer cut, a chunk of brisket meat containing both the flat and the point cut. The problem is, when you call around and ask for the cut, many folks don’t have a clue what you are talking about. They will tell you they do carry them, when you drive to their location, you find they only have the flat cut, which is typically sold in most stores. Some “meat” guys don’t even know the difference.


I finally got a guy on the phone from a nearby Wallmart that sounded like he knew what I was talking about. He told me they had “a few briskets left”, but couldn’t hold them until the morning, (when I would be driving right past that store). So, after work, I jumped in the truck and took the 45 minute drive one way to Shrewsberry PA to check out the Wallmart briskets. Several downed trees along the way made for a bit of a longer journey, but the trip wasn’t too bad. Sure enough, they had a few in the case; two looked like they would work, I snatched them up and paid the bill, then returned home to finish readying for the contest. Take that you smelly little bugger, (the Gremlin that is).


The trip up to Harrisburg on Friday was uneventful, the rain had quit and the sun was beginning to make an appearance. Arthur wasn’t coming to the contest this week, Jo was coming up on Saturday morning, Bobby had to work a half a day on Friday, so it was Erich and I to set the site and get things started. There were two ancillary categories Friday night, burger and Lebanon bologna; we were planning to do both. Erich would do the burger while I prepared the bologna.



For a bit of a different twist, at least for contests that we have cooked, they gave the ancillary awards out on Friday night. I thought this was a good idea. We heard our name called for 10th place bologna for my submission of a chicken cordon bleu with a back fin crabmeat cream sauce. Erich’s burger was 24th. Overall, we were pretty happy. The night was cool, a light breeze, smoke in the air, it was good, at least for now.



We wondered around, had some laughs, tipped a few beers, loaded our cookers, and then turned in for the night. Not a Gremlin in sight. I was actually sleeping really well when I heard a voice. I suppose you are expecting me to tell you how the voice was telling me how good we would do in the contest or some other words of wisdom. The voice, however was saying, “George, your cooker is on fire!” Was I dreaming? I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter. I wasn’t dreaming, as I glanced outside, I saw flames leaping from the open door on the WSM, which apparently had fallen off as I slept. I could see smoke rolling into the night sky as my buddy Red Todd replaced the door on the cooker which quickly extinguished the flames. A huge thanks to my observant neighbor and Red for waking me up and putting out the fire, thanks guys. The pork butt that had been in the cooker was at temperature and was transferred to the cambro to await turn-in time, a mere 9 hours later. Oh well, might as well get a little more sleep while I can…….. They’re back.



Bobby and I get up at 6:00 to get the ribs ready for the cooker. As part of our morning routine, we check all of the big meats to see where they are in the cooking process and when they will be ready to be wrapped. A check of our number 1 brisket found it ready, not ready to be wrapped, but ready as in done, finished, ready for the rest. Which at this time would only be about 7 hours, oh joy, it just keeps on getting better.



I can’t figure it out. We did everything the same as we had always done, what is going on? Gremlins at work for sure. The short cooks for chicken and ribs would be uneventful for sure, how much worse can it get? Note to self: Never ask “how much worse can it get?” again. I have been cooking my chicken the same at every contest for the past 2 years and have cooked a piece or two for practice. I haven’t overcooked my yardbird since Dover 2007, that is, until yesterday in Harrisburg. At 11:00, my chicken was at temperature; don’t ask me how or why, because I surely don’t know. What I can tell you is holding chicken for 1 hour until it is time to turn it in doesn’t have the same effect as holding a butt or a brisket. Result, 37th place in chicken, oh boy, repeat champs, I think not. Farkin Gremlins.

Our final results were 37th in chicken, 10th in ribs, 35th in pork, 20th in brisket, good enough for 25 overall out of 45 teams. Less than mediocare is what I would call it, and that would be being nice. In short we stunk up the joint, big time.

After I returned home from this contest and spent a few hours contemplating its outcome, I cobbled up a forum post regarding a possible aroma drifting through the air at the Farm Complex. Upon further reflection and soul searching I realized what it was that I smelled. It wasn’t the aftermath and droppings from nearby livestock, it was the distinct odor wafting from my trailer as a result of my less than dismal contest performance, which, in it of itself, smelled like gremlin S**T.



The only bright spot of the day was our ribs, we received a call to the stage for 10th place in this category. Bobby has taken this category and ran with it. He has trimmed, prepped and cooked the ribs for the last 2 years for the WATG? squad, and done a great job. Many times this year, the ribs have been our only call to the stage. Thanks Robert. While I am on the soapbox for this season ending post, I would like to take a minute to thank all of my teammates, Arthur, Erich, Bobby and Jo. They help me immensely at each event, prepping, setting up, cooking, tearing down and cleaning up. At times, they have to put up with my moods, grouchiness and occasional short fuse. They even have to tolerate me bickering with my teammate/wife, which most times is as a result of the aforementioned grouchiness on my part. I couldn’t do it without them and I know it wouldn’t be near as much fun, so for that I say thanks to my teammates/friends, you are the best. We might not have walked a lot this season, but we sure laughed a lot, good times and memories for sure.


This year we competed in six events and overall didn’t do too bad. I would like to do more contests, but with a few catering gigs, a family vacation, and an occasional “off” weekend the cooking season slides by pretty quickly these days. I have dubbed this season, “the year of the ribbon” as we have won only ribbons, medals and certificates, nary a trophy to be had. I will continue to work to improve my process and concentration and look forward to next year getting back into the smoke with my teammates and all of my BBQ friends, all in the quest for the all illusive plastic pig, gremlins be damned!!

Tunes to Que by

BBQ Boogie


Go onto any of the current BBQ forums and ask the question what Pit Masters consider most important when it comes to cooking good que and see what happens. Of course, it goes without saying that you will get the standard boring run of the mill answers. You know, temperature control, knowing your cooker, good quality meat products, blah blah blah. Ask those same Pit Masters what they feel is essential to cooking good que and inevitably you’ll get the answers, good friends, cold adult beverages, and good quality tunes.


Depending upon who you ask and when, you might even be told the last 3 are more important than the first 3. The topic of what would be considered good quality tunes to que by can elicit a discussion as spirited as to which type of cooker is best. A stroll around a mid sized BBQ competition to take in the musical offerings will find an assortment of tastes ranging from head-banging to jazz to classical.


Sometimes, you can take a look at the make up of the team and pretty much predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy what type of tune will be emanating from their I-Pod speakers. A group of 50+ year old men, chances are you’ll be listening to a mixture of classic rock and the blues. Toss in a couple female teammates you can be sure a few country tunes will be heard. A couple of early 30’s cookers and your likely in for a few selections from Slipknot or Korn. At the risk of sounding too much like my parents back in the late 60’s, for the life of me, I don’t understand how they can call that stuff music, but I will leave that discussion for another day.


For us, a group consisting of a couple of guys on the back side of middle age and my wife, our Pod consists of a wide variety of selections that range between The Mills Brothers, Glen Miller, The Beatles, Muddy Waters and everything in between. Well, everything except opera. I say not opera but have forgotten about one of my favorite selections to play on turn in morning, Wagners Ride of the Valkyries, so much for my everything but opera claim.


In my recently released book Startin the Fire I have listed a collection of tunes to be included on your I Pod playlist used on turn-in morning. I have the selections broken down between prep time, the four meats and clean up. I had a ball as I collected songs to complete the lists. I used forum posts on the topic, internet searches as well as good old fashioned research sources to come up with what I consider a pretty complete listing. I always have my eyes and ears open for songs that would fit the bill and could be added to my list, which, by the way, has grown even since the book was published. I have listed what I would consider a few of the “essential” compilations that must be included on everyone’s BBQ playlist.


Chicken Shake Boogie- A tune from Amos Milburn first recorded in 1948. I enjoy the original version but prefer a newer recording by Willie And The Poor Boys, a group formed in the early 80’s by Stones bassman Bill Wyman and included an assortment of members from time to time that included Ron Wood, Charlie Watts, Jimmy Page and Ringo Starr.


Milk Cow Blues- This song has been covered by everyone from Elvis to the Kinks. My favorite cut is probably one of the earliest by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. If you can listen to this song without tapping your toe, I would have to question your reason to live.


I Love My Babys BBQ- Recorded by RJ’s Rhythm Rockers. A little hard to find but well worth the hunt, very snappy lyrics.


Barbeque- Robert Earl Keen. A slower selection, great for watching the smoke roll out the stack while sipping a cold drink.


Too Much Barbeque- Big Twist & the Mellow Fellows- How can you not have a tune by a band with this name on your I Pod?


Barbecue- Washboard Sam-This is an old recording that just cries out for someone to cover it again, Washboard asks, “baby, who’d you give my barbecue to?”


Mess around- Ray Charles- The first words of the song are, “talk about the pit, Barbeque”, how can you go wrong?


Good BBQ- The Riptones- “Shes a fine young thing that likes good BBQ”, nuff said.


As you can see from this small list, there is no shortage of songs about BBQ and related topics. Half the fun is hunting for them, the rest of the fun comes when you’re tapping your foot while loading your cooker or grill. Search for songs about smoke, fire, cooking, food, you can see what I am talking about. Have fun with it. I only ask that if you come up with any good ones, you drop me a line so I can add them to my playlist. I am always looking for new tunes to que by.

New Holland Summer Fest 8/27-8/28 2010

Time sure flies when you’re having fun, and one thing is for sure, we like our fun.



The calendar says that it’s the end of August and time once again for one of our favorite contests of the season, the New Holland Summer Fest. Wow, where did summer go. It seems like just last week we headed south for the season opener in Salisbury MD, Pork in the Park. While this is not our last event for the year, it certainly is a reminder that the cool nights and shorter days of fall are just around the corner.


This year, as we have done in the past, the team traveled up to New Holland PA on Thursday evening slipped into our space and got set up before dark. We took along a few dozen live blue crabs, some fresh picked sweet corn and red ripe tomatoes. Talk about a meal, steamed crabs, buttered corn on the cob, sliced Maryland tomatoes and ice cold beer. It don’t git no better then this! It was a tremendous fest and a great way to mark the waning days of summer.


Being set up at a contest site when you get out of bed on Friday morning sure is the way to go. Much less rushing around, able to relax, enjoy the day, visit a bit, it just makes for a much more enjoyable contest experience. It is easy to see why several teams make it their SOP to arrive on site on Thursday evening. Not to mention the fact that early bird teams get an additional night to play before the real business of contest cooking begins on Friday night. And play we did, nuff said.


Last year the weather gods did very little for the fine folks that run the Summer Fest but they made up for it this year as beautiful skies and very comfortable temperatures were the rule of the day. It was great weather for sleeping outside; even cool enough to zip up the sleeping bag as there was a bit of chill in the night air. The best part though, was that it was dry.


The prep work and trimming went off without a hitch, things were going along very smooth, almost too smooth. I should have found it a little suspicious as the appointed hour for the cooks meeting crept closer and closer. Usually, I can persuade a team member to volunteer to attend to represent the team but this evening, no one stepped forward, in fact, they were as a group being fairly elusive. Being all caught up with my prep work due to our early arrival, I reluctantly trudged off to attend as our team representative without giving a second thought as to the source of their reluctance. I had a slight feeling that something was afoot, but could not isolate it, and quickly dismissed the thought as my pea sized brain switched into contest mode and was thinking about the times and tasks that laid ahead.


Twenty seven years as a law enforcement officer you think I would have learned to always follow my gut instinct, especially when you have a gut the size of mine, that’s a lot of instinct! As I ambled back from the meeting with my goodie bag in hand I rounded the corner at our site and was met with a very humorous sight. There stood each and every member of my team all sporting straw skyzoo’s with tropical headbands identical to the one that I have taken to wearing at contests. Too funny.


Regular readers will know that I began wearing my current contest headpiece a little over a year ago. The hat has become the target of some minor ridicule and scoffing from many members of the team. The result of which has prompted me to make the hat required headgear for each and every contest that we cook. I even had a cook on another team tell me at Bel Air as I was wearing old faithful, “Man, you need a new look”. I attribute the comment to too much alcohol consumption on his part, (it was rather late Friday night), and the fact that the lighting wasn’t what it should have been. Or it could have been too much alcohol consumption on my part, either way.


While at various contests my hat has been stolen, filled with things, and clamped to the top center strut of our canopy. It has been hidden from my view, screwed to the interior wall of the trailer, held for ransom, and a few other things too gruesome or obscene to mention considering this is a family show. I have a good idea that a person or persons on my team have been responsible. That’s right; I have determined it is an inside job, possibly a group effort. I didn’t do 27 years in law enforcement for nothing, just call me Inspector Clouseau.


Upon closer inspection, the headbands for the guys had been inscribed with the words, “we were those guys” a reference to the team name they plan to take when they secede from out current arrangement. The headband on Jo’s hat, yes, she had on too, said, “I am stuck with that guy.” Poor Jo, what a riot.


From the best information I could piece together during the subsequent investigation that ensued, the scheme was hatched by Bobby who then enlisted his wife into the caper for assistance. I am sure it was a group effort to some degree, but either way, it sure was a good one. I just wish there had been someone on site to snap a picture of my expression when I rounded that corner, I am sure it would have been a winner.


We cooked a pretty good contest, 72 teams, and we finished 7th overall. We received 3calls to the stage, 10th place ribs, (good job Bobby), 10th place chicken, and 6th place chefs choice, (which was cooked again this year by Jo, well done) We have been fairly solid all year either in or just outside the top 10 at every event, not bad for a couple of part timers, especially part timers sporting matching straw hats. One thing is for certain, we sure have a lot of fun!