I passed the halfway mark this Saturday in Bryant, Arkansas! There may be something to the adage "cook often to cook better!" No calls in Alma, AR on 9/12, one call in Hot Springs, AR on 9/20, changed some things up for Bryant -- 6th in chicken and pork, 7th in brisket and 1st in ribs for Reserve Grand Champion! First time I've been in the top 200 in KCBS team of the year standings. 12 contests cooked total.
This weekend, the contest is very close to home -- the Lumberjack Festival in Sheridan, AR!
We have two weber kettle grills (one LARGE and one small/average), the SnS and the Weber Smokey Mountain 18" smoker. We use both natural lump charcoal and KNB for smoking and measure our temps with a Maverick 733, thermopen and MK4. Favorite beer depends on what is cooking (alt answer is yes).
This was KCBS contest number 12 for this year. I've also cooked 2 IBCA (Texas rules) and will cook one more on 10/10 in Delight, AR and maybe one in Marksville, LA around Thanksgiving. One Steak Cookoff Assoc. event this year. I'll end up with about 20 or so for the year. That doesn't make me one of the "heavy-hitters" in BBQ! Some folks do 35+ in a year. If I wanted to travel, there's a KCBS contest almost every weekend, most of the year!
Here's the business part of the pellet-fire. The fire pot assembly pulls out. Generally, I start a charcoal/wood fire with the fan blowing air in at low speed. When I'm ready, put on the firepot, get the pellets dropping and switch to pellet heat.
There's no electronic temperature controls on this pellet-fired pit! The top round pipe is the auger tube which feeds pellets to the fire from the hopper. Speed control is high-medium-low. The fan blows in from the bottom part and blows up from the bottom of the fire pot. Speed control on this is a ceiling fan rheostat --high-medium-low and off. Even using pellets, there's fire management involved. Peak temp is 350 degrees.
When burning charcoal/wood, I start with a nice pile of briquettes (I like Kingsford Competition, but any will do) and a couple of nice sticks of pecan wood. The firepot assembly is out and the fan is on low (which is still higher than I'd like). I burn about 1 stick of pecan and 1 of cherry every hour for 225 temperature. I like starting my cook off this way, mainly because I get a much better smoke ring on brisket. Straight pellets there's not much smoke ring generally. Plus it's really easy to start the pellet fire with burning coals instead of fire starters. Just put the fire pot in place, get the pellets dropping and add a couple of hot coals. I'll try to take some photos this weekend.
BGE Large
45 gal Imp. UDS Weber 22.5" Silver - for the lake
Weber 22.5" OTG - 2014
Centro Natural Gas - on it's last legs Couple Maverick ET-733's
Thermapen
ThermoPop
BBQ Guru DigiQ II
Beer - Original 16
Bourbon - Bulleit
Rye - Gibsons Sterling
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
Miss CandySueQ first congrats did my first KCBS two weeks ago in sac 4 in chicken 27 ribs 43 pork butt 44 brisket need to improve been thinking of going to one of the BBQ schools any recommendations on one or two was thinking maybe Malcolm's killer hogs any suggestions
Retired high school teacher and principal
Dr ROK - Rider of Kawasaki &/or rock and roll fan
Yoder 640 on Husker themed comp cart
Cookshack Smokette smoker
Antique refrigerator smoker
Weber 22 1/2" kettle w/ GrillGrates AND Slow and Sear
Rec Tec Mini Portable Tailgater w/ GrillGrates
Plenty of GrillGrates
Uuni wood pellet oven, first generation
Roccbox Pizza Oven
Meater Block
"Go Big Red" Thermopen instant read thermometer
Ultrafast instant read thermometer
CDN quick read thermometer
Maverick ET-732 thermometer
Maverick ET-735 thermometer
Tru-Temp wireless thermometer
Infrared thermometer (Mainly use for pizza on the Uuni and Roccbox)
Beverages - Is there really anything other than Guinness? Oh yeah, I forgot about tequila!
Congrats CandySueQ. Jealous of your opportunity to do this kinda stuff. Sounds like soooooo much fun and I can't imaging the friendships you're making along the way. Best of luck on future competitions!
Don't be jealous! I feel really blessed that I have the money, time and energy to spend this way. But I tell you, I had a rotten cook this past Saturday and I was too durn tired to care! 5 in a row is too many in a row.
I go from trip to trip it seems. Next is the Jack Daniel's Invitational BBQ in Lynchburg. I'll be passing out pellets, pecan smoked salsa and black walnut steak bites (along with recipe cards). Come see me if you're in the neighborhood on October 24th.
Would love to come see that event (or any major event for that matter), but I live clear out in the sticks of western NE. Not a lot of major events in this neck of the woods. Both recipes sound great.
BTW-supposed to get the pellets from the GrillGrates contest tomorrow. Thanks again for participating as a sponsor in this event. Sooooooo excited to get something smoking!
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