|
American Bass Anglers BBQ Cook-Off in Gainesville Georgia |
|
I was honored to be selected as a judge for the first annual American Bass Anglers Fishing and BBQ Cook-off in Gainesville Georgia recently. There was a field of about 48 teams there all competing for cash and top Honor of Grand Champion. There was a small crowd on hand, mostly because of the weather. I checked into the judges meeting and we went over all of the rules and regulations of the KCBS. We said our oath again and settled in for the tasting. There were six judges per table and a table captain that guided the process. I know competitors are serious about their BBQ, but I can say the judges are, as well. I looked around and there were some very seasoned judges that traveled from all over the states to judge these events. They started the judging at 11:00 a.m. and then a new category comes in each half hour there after like clockwork. The first category we tasted was sauce, which only a few teams entered. Then in came the chicken. The first thing you look for is the appearance and score accordingly from 2-9, 9 being the best. Then each judge pulls out a piece to judge on taste and tenderness. The same goes for the ribs, pulled pork and brisket. I tasted some very good chicken that looked and smelled great. There were a few ribs that were cooked very well, but a few that were overdone and a few that needed more time on the smoker. But, at last, I was getting to taste competition BBQ at a professional level. I had some very good BBQ and the appearances were great, but I can honestly say not too many entries had the “WOW” factor I thought I would taste at this level. It may have had to do with the fact that Gainesville had a lot of heavy rain that weekend and teams were having to deal with adverse conditions which I’m sure affected their game plan a little. But, all in all it was a fun time, and it was neat to see how the Kansas City Barbeque Officials organize it all. They also do a great job of ensuring fairness in the competition. You do taste and eat a lot of BBQ while judging, but what I couldn’t believe is what doesn’t get eaten goes to what is called the grazing table for the judges. After tasting all of this great BBQ, if you didn’t get your fill, you go to the grazing table for more! Even I was too stuffed to go to the grazing table! I look forward to getting to judge a few more of these contest before I start to compete in them myself. As much as I like eating BBQ, I would rather smoke some butts and reap the rewards !! It was a great experience and I owe it all to this website as I keep in pursuit of Where’s The Best BBQ! Team Top Chick won Grand Champion for the event. Pics in the pic section |
|
|
Slopes BBQ in Cumming Georgia |
|
My latest BBQ adventure this past weekend was at Slopes BBQ in Cumming, Georgia (there are a few more locations around Atlanta). Slopes BBQ was a very nice clean family restaurant. The waitresses were as friendly as they come and the service was fast. This was no shack as Slopes had a down home charm in an all American atmosphere. Orders were taken at the counter as soon as you walked in. I had their combo meal, so I could get a little taste of everything. My meal was served with dark meat chicken and a couple of ribs and a generous amount of chopped pork. Slopes uses hickory to smoke their meats. The chicken was served hot and moist and was delicious. The ribs were cooked nicely and just eased right off the bone with every bite. The chopped pork had a smoked taste to it, but was on the dry side. The BBQ sauce Slopes has was a vinegary-brown sugar mixture. It was very mild, but was more on the vinegary side. My sides were molasses baked beans and mac-n-cheese. The beans were some of the sweetest I’ve had yet which you would expect considering they’re made with molasses. The mac-n-cheese was very good, too. I also had their Brunswick stew which was very good with a nice texture and a balance of flavors to it. I had the pleasure of getting to talk with the chef who prepared most of our meal and stew. He was very proud of his stew and informed me that you won’t find any potatoes or lima beans in his stew, that’s just not southern. I like a man who stands behind his stew! All in all, Slopes BBQ was a great place to take the family and get some good BBQ and some great southern charm. I give slopes a 3.75 on the squeal meter. Pics are in the pic section for you to look at. www.slopesbbq.com
|
|
Johnny's BBQ in Gainesville Georgia |
|
One of my favorite places to eat lunch at is a BBQ restaurant not too far from where I work. Johnny’s BBQ in Gainesville, Georgia is always good, always consistent and always busy! I couldn’t wait to try and write about Johnny’s, and I wasn’t disappointed either. As I took a quick lunch break to get back into my BBQ reviewing I pulled into the parking lot, and I could see and smell the hickory coming from the smoker behind Johnny’s. This is a family friendly restaurant that really has a hometown feel to it. I ordered a chopped BBQ sandwich with slaw and Brunswick stew. The pork sandwich was hot and served with their sweet (hint of vinegar) BBQ sauce which had a good flavor. The slaw was my favorite at Johnny’s. It was sweet, creamy and has always tasted fresh and delicious! The Brunswick stew is not your traditional Brunswick stew. It was thick and very meaty and was very flavorful though. I am often surprised when I read about BBQ restaurants in Georgia why Johnny’s is not mentioned too often. I have been going to Johnny’s for years and I have never been disappointed or had a bad meal there. It's a great place for lunch if you can find a parking space. So, If you’re ever passing through Gainesville, this is a hometown restaurant that you should not miss. I give Johnny’s a 4 on the squeal meter. |
|
Whenever I come across something that can enhance your BBQ experience as well as teach the art of BBQ, I like to pass it on to all of you. Mike Mills is known as the Legend of BBQ. In 2005 Mike wrote a barbecue book called…Peace, Love and Barbecue. This book is a great read packed full of great recipes and tips from a Pitmaster whose former cooking team, Apple City Barbecue, was at the time the winningest team on the barbecue circuit between 1989-1994. Of the 69 competitions in which they competed, they won 64 first place awards, 22 second place awards and 9 third place awards. They won 32 Grand Champion awards, four time World Champions at the Memphis in May competition and three time Grand World Champion at Memphis in May, as well. Mike shares his knowledge, recipes, tips and solid advice on how to prepare the best BBQ at home. What I like about the book is that Mike hits the trail and travels to some of the best known BBQ restaurants across the country. It also features recipes and tricks from the restaurants and other Pitmasters along with some of their techniques. There is a variety of different BBQ sauce recipes to try, as well as, different rub recipes. Mike breaks down each type of meat and how to best prepare them and talks about smokers and how to best smoke at home. There all kinds of sides and dessert recipes, too. Mike’s restaurant is called, 17th Street Bar and Grill and is located in Murphysboro, Illinois and the website where you can order this book as well as his sauce, rubs and even his famous ribs is www.17thstreetbarbecue.com The 17th Street Bar and Grill was voted “Best ribs in the U.S.” by Bon Appetit magazine. If you enjoy reading about the art of BBQ and are looking for great recipes, then you will love this book and expert advice to enhance your BBQ experience. I give it a 4.5 on the squeal meter, a great way to start gearing up for some spring time BBQ! I posted a pic for you to see what it looks like. |
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 5 of 12 |
