Rural Missouri - August 2011 - (Page 8)

Stop and smell the barbecue Annual cook-off in Laurie draws teams from across the Midwest Left: A sliced beef brisket entry is prepared for judging. The competitors are not only judged on taste of the meat, but also on its appearance and texture. Center: A pork butt finishes smoking on the grill. Most teams will slow cook for 12 to 15 hours. by Kyle Spradley kspradley@ruralmissouri.coop Right: Barbecue-flavored chicken wings finish cooking on the grill. On Friday night, 400 to 500 pounds of chicken wings will be distributed to the teams to put their own spin on the classic finger food. The wings are served free to the public. until after the meat is inspected. Everything has to be done on site as far as flavoring and cooking.” For most categories, the competitors must use a certain cut of meat. While any cut is allowed in the ust one whiff and your mouth starts to water. It chicken and brisket categories, bone-in pork ribs doesn’t matter if it’s from a neighbor’s backyard must be used in the rib competitions, and a 5-pound grill or if it sneaks into your nose while driving or larger Boston Butt or whole shoulder is required past a roadside smoke shack, the smell of barfor the pork contest. becue causes a sudden craving for The next 24 hours then become a marathon of scrumptious smoked meat. But when cooking as each team prepares their meat with secret nearly a hundred grills and smokers blends of spices, rubs, techniques and sauces. fire up in Laurie at the beginning of Laurie “Usually about 9 or 10 o’clock at night, we fire August, the inviting smell will be hard to • up the smoker,” says Kelly. “We prefer to cook low resist while driving down Highway 5. and slow and will often cook our brisket and pork For the 19th year, the Laurie Fairbutt for 12 to 15 hours at around 250 degrees. So grounds, which is served by Co-Mo somebody has to be up all night tending to the fire Electric Cooperative, will host its annual and making sure the temperatures stay steady. On Hillbilly BBQ Cook-off, Aug. 5 and 6. This the other hand, some cook at 450 degrees and have year, nearly 60 teams will compete to be the best in a brisket done in five to six hours.” four categories — chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. In For all the different combinations of seasonings an additional “open” category, cooks will showcase that are used, there are just as many their creativity by entering desways to cook and contraptions to serts, side dishes, stuffed sausages do it. All participants are required or whatever their fancy. to use wood, pellets or charcoal. “No way could I describe the The grills come in a variety of sizes decadent desserts the people come from small, beginner bullet-shaped up with,” says Phil Morrow, a Kansmokers and modified 55-gallon sas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) barrel cookers to elaborate trailer representative from Excelsior grills. No gas or electric heat sources Springs who acts as head official are allowed. for the contest. “It’s such a great Regardless of how long the meat way for the cooks to express their is cooked or what it is cooked on, culinary desires.” the entry must be turned in to The contest started out as a the judges at a set time within a fund raiser for the town’s late10-minute window. The entry also summer Hillbilly Fair, but it’s now must have at least six portions of evolved into an event of its own. meat in the marked container the Since it is sanctioned by KCBS, entrants were given at registration. the world’s largest organization of The container is marked with a barbecue and grilling enthusiasts, number to allow a blind judging teams from across the Midwest process to ensure the judges do not enter for a chance to move up the know which team they are scoring. ranks in the barbecue world, ultiWhen a judge is first shown an mately moving on to the Amerientry they begin the process of scorcan Royal World Series of Barbecue ing on a scale from 2 to 9, 9 being in Kansas City. This also brings in the best, beginning with appearseveral hundred people each year ance. After each judge is given a to see the teams in action. portion, the meat is judged by taste While you may not be able to Matt Richard of Fenton adds his secret blend of spices to racks of pork ribs. Matt and his and texture. sample the competition cuisine, father, Dan, are part of Blazin’ Blues BBQ team. Last year, Blazin’ Blues was named the Overall “Each category has its own food will be available for spectaGrand Champion and won first place in the chicken, pork and brisket categories. J tors. Stop by Friday night for live music and free chicken wings. “We distribute about 400 to 500 pounds of wings to the teams,” says Susann Huff, cook-off chairperson and Laurie’s Events and Parks coordinator. “The public can come out and sample them as each team adds their own blend of spices and sauces.” Although things do not heat up until Friday night, the teams will start arriving several hours before to start preparing for the contest. While teams set up their kitchens, cooking equipment and campgrounds, inspectors visit the teams to make sure the meat for the contest complies with KCBS rules. “You are not allowed to do anything but trim the unnecessary fat off of the meat before you get to the contest,” says Kelly Bauer of Beaux Hawg BBQ from Overland Park, Kan. “You cannot marinate, add rub or pre-cook anything 8 WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP http://WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - August 2011

Rural Missouri - August 2011
Comments
Columns
Stop and smell the barbecue
2011 Missouri Youth Tour
The fight on Bloody Hill
Missouri snapshots
Out of the Way Eats
Eight seconds to win
Hearth and Home
News Briefs
Touring history
Marketplace
Around Missouri
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - August 2011