Barbecue (alt.food.barbecue) Discuss barbecue and grilling--southern style "low and slow" smoking of ribs, shoulders and briskets, as well as direct heat grilling of everything from burgers to salmon to vegetables.

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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina(long)

My pal Don moved to North Carolina several years ago, and called me up
last year when his local town organized a BBQ competition. Neither
one of us had ever competed or even really thought about it, and it
was a great excuse to visit and support an even for a good cause.

For a variety of reasons, the 2007 Hogfest was lightly attended, with
7 "amateur" teams entered. They also had the state finals of the US
Lawn Mower Racing Association, which was interesting. Some of the
teams were experienced and some were not; we were happy when our
chicken entry took 2nd place, but we learned a lot when our ribs
scored 6th out of 7. Overall, we had a lot of fun and learned a lot
and took one trophy. We realized that the judges did not like our
sauceless ribs, cooked to require a slight tug to pull the meat off
the bone (cleanly).

Fast forward to 2008; the Hogfest this year was larger, with 12
amateur teams entered in the competition and 6 "professional" teams
cooking whole hogs for sale to visitors. On top of that, Kellie
Pickler was playing a concert at the Hogfest.

New for this year, the competition added brisket. I haven't done too
many, but it was worth a try. I packed up my DigiQ II and brought it
with me; we hooked it up to Don's WSM, loaded it with a bag of
Original Charcoal Company Rancher Briquettes and a handful of
smokewood chunks, sparked it up, and started cooking a 14lbs brisket
around 6pm on Friday night. Brisket received a trimming of the hard
fat, a brushing with CYM and a rub of our secret recipe rub, and in it
went.

Under DigiQ control, the WSM was steady all night. If it wasn't for
all the noise all night, I could have easily slept. I pulled the
brisket at an internal temp of 180F and a probe-stick seemed to be
tender enough; foiled/toweled it and stashed it in a cooler. The lid
was not removed on the WSM for over 12 hours.

RIbs were brushed with CYM and rubbed with our secret recipe rub, and
into the WSM they went along with some fresh smokewood chunks. I
didn't check them for a few hours and they were just about ready; we
pulled them, painted on some of our secret recipe sauce, foiled them
and kept them warm on the side of the grill where the chicken was
cooking.

While the ribs cooked, we marinated chicken thighs in Don's secret
killer marinade, and started them in our grill. After the ribs came
out of the WSM, we bumped the DigiQ up to 300F and put the thighs in
there - the WSM was climbing past 275F when we pulled the chicken out
to finish the skin in the grill.

At turn-in, we were happy with the chicken. Ribs were uncomfortably
tender and we did some careful selection of pieces for turn-in; they
ended up looking good and tasted great. The brisket turned out to be
a little less tender than desired, but looked and tasted good. Last
turn-in was at 1pm; results weren't announced until 4pm. We were
treated to several lawn mower races (better than it sounds) and Kellie
Pickler's sound-check (she did a couple of tunes, audience loved her).

When we started breaking down at 1pm, the WSM was still chugging along
at 230F and would likely have gone at least 2 more hours. That's 19
hours on a single load of fuel and I had to douse the coals! Note
that our water pan is filled with sand, of course. The WSM and DigiQ
was like operating a kitchen appliance.

At 4pm, they started handing out trophies. I was thinking our chicken
was in the money but didn't know what to think about the other
entries; the other teams were better this year and several are regular
caterers. I was pleased to get a walk for 3rd-place chicken, but I
was tired enough that I was nearly falling asleep when they called us
for 1st-place ribs! That woke me right up; our brisket finished out
of the money, but we got a third walk on total points, making us the
Grand Champions of Edenton's 2008 Hogfest. Sure, it was just a dozen
teams, but it was great for a pair of boys from California and
Massachusetts to even play with the locals in North Carolina. We had
a heck of a time, and I really like the locals here, now that I've
cooked with many of them a couple of times. It was great to take the
top trophy on ribs, which are really the *one* to get.

I learned a lot, and will be tuning that brisket for 2009.

Dana
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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina (long)

Dana > wrote:
> [ . . . ]


Local (a.f.b) boy makes good! Congrats, Dana. Sounds like a great time!

--
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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina (long)


On 4-May-2008, Dana > wrote:

> My pal Don moved to North Carolina several years ago, and called me up
> last year when his local town organized a BBQ competition. Neither
> one of us had ever competed or even really thought about it, and it
> was a great excuse to visit and support an even for a good cause.
>


<snip an interesting narrative>

I was nearly falling asleep when they called us
> for 1st-place ribs! That woke me right up; our brisket finished out
> of the money, but we got a third walk on total points, making us the
> Grand Champions of Edenton's 2008 Hogfest. Sure, it was just a dozen
> teams, but it was great for a pair of boys from California and
> Massachusetts to even play with the locals in North Carolina. We had
> a heck of a time, and I really like the locals here, now that I've
> cooked with many of them a couple of times. It was great to take the
> top trophy on ribs, which are really the *one* to get.
>
> I learned a lot, and will be tuning that brisket for 2009.
>
> Dana


I enjoyed that narrative Dana. Nice to hear from you again. I'm enjoying
your win vicariously thanks to your excellent story telling. Wish I could
have been there.

--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)
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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina(long)

On May 4, 3:59 pm, Dana > wrote:

Correcting my own note:

> I packed up my DigiQ II and brought it
> with me; we hooked it up to Don's WSM, loaded it with a bag of
> Original Charcoal Company Rancher Briquettes


Oops! I meant to to write "a third of a bag".
Yes. Really, about 7 lbs of fuel. 19+ hours.

Dana
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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina(long)

On May 4, 4:49 pm, Nick Cramer > wrote:
> Dana > wrote:
> > [ . . . ]

>
> Local (a.f.b) boy makes good! Congrats, Dana. Sounds like a great time!


Thank you kindly. We did have an outstanding time, which would have
been
enough even if we didn't have to find room for the trophies.

.... but it's sure better when you have that problem. :-)

We were glad to find a happy medium in ribs we want to cook and
ribs the judges like, with our "integrity" intact.

Dana


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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina(long)

On May 4, 5:37 pm, "Brick" > wrote:

> I enjoyed that narrative Dana. Nice to hear from you again. I'm enjoying
> your win vicariously thanks to your excellent story telling. Wish I could
> have been there.


Hey Brick,

I too wish you could have been there. We would have been happy to
pour you a beverage from your choice of a Heineken mini-keg or
Smirnoff
bottle and twisted fruit juice :-)

Dana
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Default Report: Hogfest this weekend (3 May) in Edenton, North Carolina(long)

On May 6, 4:40 pm, ChrisGW > wrote:
> Good job Dana!!!
>
> Once again I missed it. Forgot all about it. Only 30 minutes away No excuse to
> offer. Hopefully next year.
>
> Once again Good JOB
>
> Chris


Thanks Chris! We would have loved to see you out there. It was a
happening scene this year, really.

Dana
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