Unless you're from specific regional epicenters of this avocation (Memphis, Kansas City, Carolina, Texas), "real" BBQ is something that one day you never really knew about, then you have some, and quite literally, your food world is changed. The methodical low and slow techniques coax incredible tenderness and depth of flavor that you simply cannot create on the traditional backyard grill, or by other methods like slow cookers or par-boiling, etc.
I have to be 100% honest here, my first exposure to something even remotely resembling BBQ would be
*GASP* McDonald's debut of the McRib in 1981. I completely remember the sweet/tangy sauce, and it being really interesting and
*GASP* tasty.
Cue to the early 2000's. Plenty of business travel under my belt - including several trips to real BBQ hotbeds. This aligns with the growth of the Food Network, and shows on this very topic. Jack McDavid and Bobby Flay hooked up for a VERY kitschy show called "Grillin and Chillin". They'd do all kids of neat BBQ in as traditional yet inventive way as possible. Southern-bred Jack McDavid just happened to have a restaurant right here in Philadelphia! Wife and I visited Jack's Firehouse, and really were excited by his array of BBQ specialties. I had to try and cook this - I was hooked!!!
Did a little research and started on a Brinkmann Smoker. Tiny, but functional. In 2005, I read an announcement for a forthcoming BBQ contest at the new Phillies stadium run by all-time great Garry Maddox. My buddy Tom Bera was starting to get into BBQ as well, so I called him to see if he'd want to team up and have us compete. I'm on the Board of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, and we used this event as a an opportunity to push our mission and get some exposure.
So this was a BBQ rib contest, in multiple rounds. If your ribs were part of the top half of the first round, then you resubmitted for round 2, then there was a round 3, then a final round.
We made it all the way to the final round. Unfortunately, we ran out of our "good" ribs and didn't win. In our first competition, though, Tom and I finished in the top 5!!! That was incredibly cool.
Tom went on to form his own amazing BBQ Competition Circuit Team - Blind Pig BBQ. He's gone on to win numerous major awards throughout the eastern US. Given time constraints, I've pretty much only competed at the Maddox event every summer - but done plenty of practice at home!
Equipment-wise, I've upgraded to the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker (the Bullet, to those in the know!). We accessorize the Bullet with two Weber Kettle Grills.
Two years ago, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame BBQ team was again at the Garry Maddox BBQ competition.
In a great showing, our rib submission came in 4th out of 45 teams!!!! So that means two top-5 finishes in this competition in 6 years of competing. Really proud of that achievement. Here's a pic of the award-winning submission:
So, tomorrow we compete in our SEVENTH Stephen Starr-Garry Maddox BBQ Challenge. I'm going to document the experience for you, to provide some insight into all that goes on and what it takes to participate and compete in one of these events.
The process starts this afternoon. I'll keep you posted!
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