Posts By / 17th Street BBQ

9
Oct

2015 Praise the Lard Cook-off Winners

One of the most anticipated competitions on the barbecue circuit, the Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off, hosted by 17th Street Barbecue, took place September 24-26. 71 teams from 17 states set up camp around the 17th Street Barbecue Warehouse. Over 200 Judges, volunteers and ambassadors traveled from 15 states. Named by Food & Wine magazine as one of America’s top 20 barbecue cities, Murphysboro and 17th Street Barbecue are prime barbecue destinations.CookOffWinners_AwardsCrowdCrowds gathered for awards and listened to music from Fiddler Rick and the Bourbon Boys.

CookOffWinners_AwardsTableWinning teams receive original trophies of one-of-a-kind hand blown glass apples crafted by the Douglass School Art Place in Murphysboro, exclusively commissioned for the event. The two Grand Champions each received a chainsaw-carved pig from Bear Tracks in Brownsville, Illinois. In addition to trophies and bragging rights, over $25,000 in prize money is awarded.

“Our contest is like a slice of pure Americana. This is our opportunity to showcase the very best of Murphysboro and Southern Illinois to a wonderful group of people from all over the world,” says Mike Mills, one of the event’s original founders. “This is a field of fierce competitors. If you can win here, you can win at Memphis in May or the American Royal. In fact, we have a number of World Grand Champions in this field.”

CookOffWinners_MikeOnStageMike starting off the awards ceremony by thanking the teams, judges, volunteers, 17th Street crew, and sponsors who make this production possible. It takes a village.

“The Cook-off is great for Murphysboro as a town,” Mills explained. “And the only reason we are here, 28 years later, is because of the generosity of the community. We want to thank the sponsors, whether they’re companies or individuals, competitors and all the volunteers. There are so many people that come together to make this all possible and create this special stop on the barbecue circuit.”

First up are the ancillary contest winners and special awards.

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceWingsTR’s Up In Smoke swept both the fish and wings contests on Thursday evening.

CookOffWinners_FishFryAbeWe were proud to present Abe Keene with a special volunteer award. Abe and his family have cooked the fish for our fish fry for over 20 years. Their support and friendship are immeasurable treasures.

CookOffWinners_GoldenTicketWinnerKari Luke won 1st place in the World Food Championships Dessert Super Qualifier with her strawberry pie.

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceKidsQueTownsend Spice Kids’ Que Grand Champions: You’ve Got The Wong Guy
Ava Wong and Madison Guy

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceBloodyBrews Brother’s Tap Room Bloody Mary Contest: Lisa Keller

CookOffWinners_AppleOfOurEyeApple of Our Eye: Wil-Be-Que

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceSteakOur First-Ever SCA Steak Cook-off Grand Champion: Joe Stump

2015 marked the eighth year of a dual-sanctioned event with teams cooking both the Memphis Barbecue Network and Kansas City Barbecue Society contests. Of the 71 competing teams, 14 were MBN sanctioned teams, 52 KCBS teams and 11 teams cooked in both categories.

Following are the Memphis Barbecue Network and Kansas City Barbecue Society category winners and Grand Champions.

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceRibs1MBN First Place Ribs: Sweet Swine O’ Mine

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceShoulderMBN 1st Place Shoulder: Victory Lane

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceHogMBN 1st Place Hog: Victory Lane

CookOffWinners_GrandChampion1MBN Grand Champion: Victory Lane

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceChickenKCBS 1st Place Chicken: Posey County Cookers

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceRibs2KCBS 1st Place Ribs: Iowa Smokey D’s

CookOffWinners_FirstPlacePorkKCBS 1st Place Pork: Victory Lane

CookOffWinners_FirstPlaceBrisketKCBS 1st Place Brisket: Quau

CookOffWinners_ReserveGrandChampionKCBS Reserve Grand Champion: Q-Bones

CookOffWinners_GrandChampion2KCBS Grand Champion: Gil Taft of Gilly’s BBQ

CookOffWinners_WinnerOleHickoryPitMike Corso is the lucky winner of the Ole Hickory Pits Ace MM raffle.

Full results:

Memphis Barbecue Network
Grand Champion

Victory Lane BBQ
Pass Down: 3 Taxi Guys

Ribs
5) Sweet Swine O’ Mine
4) Wil-Be-Que
3) FBI BBQ
2) Ninja Pigs
1)Sweet Swine O’ Mine

Shoulder
5) Moe Cason BBQ
4) Sweet Swine O’ Mine
3) Party Q
2) Wil-Be-Que
1) Victory Lane BBQ

Hog
5) Sweet Swine O’ Mine
4) Party Q
3) The Flying Pigs
2) 3 Taxi Guys
1) Victory Lane BBQ

Kansas City Barbecue Society
Grand Champion:
Gilly’s BBQ

Reserve Grand Champion:
Q-Bones

Chicken
10) FBI BBQ
9) Boss Hawg BBQ
8) 270 Smokers
7) Iowa Smokey D’s BBQ
6) Quau
5) Victory Lane BBQ
4) Uncle Kenny’s BBQ
3) A Boy and His BBQ
2) Fowl Butt BBQ
1) Posey County Cookers

 Ribs
10) Gilly’s BBQ
9) Carbondale Pork District
8) A Boy & His BBQ
7) One2bbq
6) FBI BBQ
5) Big O’ Dang O’
4) Q-Bones BBQ
3) KC Beer Smoke Shack
2) Wild Boar Smokers
1) Iowa Smokey D’s BBQ

Pork
10) One2bbq
9) Quau
8) Yellow River BBQ
7) Fowl Butt BBQ
6) Hickory Pit Stop
5) Q-Bones
4) 270 Smokers
3) Gilly’s BBQ
2) Backdraft BBQ
1) Victory Lane BBQ

 Brisket
10) Victory Lane BBQ
9) Two Butts and a Ham
8) RJ’s Bowtie BBQ
7) Q-Bones
6) The BBQ Sherpas
5) Gilly’s BBQ
4) Too Big to Fail BBQ
3) Bull Rush BBQ
2) Backdraft BBQ
1) Quau

KCBS Top 10 Overall
10) Uncle Kenny’s BBQ
9) Yellow River BBQ
8) 270 Smokers
7) Backdraft BBQ
6) A Boy & His BBQ
5) Quau
4) Victory Lane BBQ
3) Iowa Smokey D’s
2) Q-Bones
1) Gilly’s BBQ

Apple of Our Eye
Wil-Be-Que

Townsend Spice Kids’ Que
3rd Place Meat Head Maddie’s – John Voss and Madison Voss
2nd Place Backdraft BBQ – Ethan Grob
1st Place You’ve Got the Wong Guy – Ava Wong and Madison Guy

 World Food Championships Dessert Super Qualifier
3) Porkmafia
2) Blazin’ Blues BBQ
1) Sugarfire Smokehouse

SCA Steak Cook-off
10) Alex Schenck
9) Bryan Ropollo
8) Terry Reinhardt
7) Laura Butler
6) Jim Hughett
5) Kenny Nadeau
4) Jeff Ellison
3) Johnny Joseph
2) Ryan Grob
1) Joe Stump

Brews Brothers Taproom Best Bloody Mary
1) Lisa Keller
2) 3 Taxi Guys  

Fish Contest
1st Place: TR’s Up In Smoke
Wings Contest
1st Place: TR’s Up In Smoke

Mark your calendars NOW for 2016. It’s always the third weekend AFTER Labor Day, so next year’s dates are September 22-24, 2016.

Next week, we’ll publish photos and stories about the Kids’ Que, Steak Cook-off, and other events. Stay tuned!

Photos © Troy Brown.

Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too! 

 

7
Oct

Catering Master Class

CateringMasterClass_WelcomeOnCue

Our two-day Catering Master Class session takes place each November. This class is designed for people who have completed the Business of Barbecue class or who have restaurant or catering experience. Mike and I, along with our 17th Street crew, and special guest instructors, lead a variety of discussions and demos designed to elevate best practices and help your catering business soar.

CateringMasterClass_AndyHusbandsSpecial guest instructor Andy Husbands, co-author of Wicked Good Barbecue and chef/owner of Tremont 647, will give several demos and impart wisdom and lessons learned from his many years in the business. In addition to being an incredibly skilled chef, Andy is a barbecue and grilling expert as well. He’s part of the IQue Barbecue team, winners of the 2010 Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue Cooking Contest.

CateringMasterClass_BaconMasonYou will learn how to price and execute catering jobs for maximum profit and customer satisfaction, and gather dozens of ideas to strengthen your bottom line.

We delve deep into the world of catering. Topics include:

  • Creating Specialty Meats
  • Signature Sides & Desserts
  • Developing Delicious Menus Priced for PROFIT
  • Purchasing, Planning, Pricing & Logistics
  • Staffing
  • Equipment & Decor

CateringMasterClass_BaconMason2Here are a few photos from last year’s event. Our signature sundaes ~ collards, layered with creamy grits from Jimmy Hagood’s Food for the Southern Soul, and garnished with pig candy.

CateringMasterClass_CheeseSandsTomato basil soup shooters with grilled pimento cheese wedges.

CateringMasterClass_ElevatorCrewThe OnCue classes are excellent team building events. At last year’s class, we were especially delighted to have the opening team for Shakers’ Smokehouse in Oakville, Ontario, Canada join us.

CateringMasterClass_EveryoneThis group represents Alaska, Florida, Canada, Massachusetts, Missouri, Indiana, Montana, Virginia, and northern Illinois. There are multiple sets of business owners in this group, three of whom are repeat attendees who brought staff with them to soak up barbecue culture and knowledge.

CateringMasterClass_PreppingBelly

CateringMasterClass_PorkBellyPork belly two ways ~ glazed and pastrami-brined and smothered with sauerkraut.

CateringMasterClass_Table

CateringMasterClass_AppSkilletSoul rolls displayed in Lodge Cast Iron.

CateringMasterClass_Table2 CateringMasterClass_Tray

CateringMasterClass_DreamBigRemember, it only takes two or three new ideas or bits of information to add thousands of dollars to your bottom line. This is an educational investment that will reap huge dividends.

To register for the 2015 Catering Master Class, to be held November 16–17, 2015, please click here.

We’ll be having a Legendary Barbecue class the day prior to the Catering Master Class. About half the class will attend both. Please click here for information and to register.

Photos © Curt Trammel & Two Doves Photography

 Follow our adventures in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
See lots of entertaining and barbecue ideas on our Pinterest boards.
And we post fun things on Facebook, too!