|
|
|
“Munchin’ Hogs at the Hilton” won the 16th annual Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff Saturday to take their third grand championship of the year on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit.
“I’m flying like a kite,” said team leader Robert Magee following the announcement at the scorching-hot Hillbilly Fairgrounds’ Main Stage. “Our strength is that we go into it [the competition] solid — we have a plan and we stick to it — everything just went like it was supposed to.”
Team Munchin,’ of Prairie Village, Kan., includes Magee’s wife, Kelly, their 9-year old son, Jack Griswold, 4 1/2-year old son Collin Magee and laker Rudy Quanstrom, who joined Magee for the victory celebration.
They won the 2008 title by finishing in the top 10 in three of five categories.
A third-place finish in ribs, combined with seventh place in brisket and an eighth-place position in pork, was enough to push the team to the $1,000 Grand Champions’ prize. Magee said his team has been competing at the Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff for four years, finishing third three years ago.
The top local entry [within a 50-mile radius of the fairgrounds] was “Sloppy’s Backwood Smoker,” which had the best pork ribs at the Cookoff, according to judges. “Sloppy’s,” which finished sixth overall, was led by Lee Keith, an Edwards man who teamed with his wife, Arlene, and friends Sally Williams and Jerry Miller. “Sloppy’s” won the Grand Champion title at a cook off in Warrensburg in recent weeks, according to Keith.
Eagle Creek Smokers, comprised of Harold Vande Haar, Gravois Mills, and John Zubeck, Leewood.Kan., was the highest finishing local team in a specific category. Their chocolate raspberry cheesecake took second-place in the Open Class.
“It’s been my experience if you want to win that category you have to have a cheesecake” said Vande Haar. “We looked around and found the most fattening, decadent cheesecake [recipe] possible.”
Vande Haar said he wasn’t entirely surprised by its success.
“When I tasted it before the presentation, we screwed up the first couple of pieces, so I had to eat it. But when I tasted it, I fully expected it to be in the top two or three,” Vande Haar said.
This is the eighth year for Eagle Creek Smokers to compete in the Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff.
According to Laurie Events Coordinator Susann Huff,76 teams from four states competed for nearly $5,500 in prize money during the weekend.
“I’m very pleased with the event,” she said Sunday. “Other than the heat it was another great success.”
Despite temperatures that reached into the high 90s and heat index values climbing above 100 degrees, there were no casualties, according to Gravois Fire Protection District Chief Ed Hancock. Cooling centers were available in GFPD’s air-conditioned bus, as well as the fairgrounds log cabin, headquarters for the Cookoff.
“We only treated one [person] for heat, and frankly I expected more,” said Hancock. “We had a couple of falls and scrapes, but I don’t think we even gave out a band-aid.”
“Munchin’ Hogs at the Hilton” won the 16th annual Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff Saturday to take their third grand championship of the year on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit.
“I’m flying like a kite,” said team leader Robert Magee following the announcement at the scorching-hot Hillbilly Fairgrounds’ Main Stage. “Our strength is that we go into it [the competition] solid — we have a plan and we stick to it — everything just went like it was supposed to.”
Team Munchin,’ of Prairie Village, Kan., includes Magee’s wife, Kelly, their 9-year old son, Jack Griswold, 4 1/2-year old son Collin Magee and laker Rudy Quanstrom, who joined Magee for the victory celebration.
They won the 2008 title by finishing in the top 10 in three of five categories.
A third-place finish in ribs, combined with seventh place in brisket and an eighth-place position in pork, was enough to push the team to the $1,000 Grand Champions’ prize. Magee said his team has been competing at the Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff for four years, finishing third three years ago.
The top local entry [within a 50-mile radius of the fairgrounds] was “Sloppy’s Backwood Smoker,” which had the best pork ribs at the Cookoff, according to judges. “Sloppy’s,” which finished sixth overall, was led by Lee Keith, an Edwards man who teamed with his wife, Arlene, and friends Sally Williams and Jerry Miller. “Sloppy’s” won the Grand Champion title at a cook off in Warrensburg in recent weeks, according to Keith.
Eagle Creek Smokers, comprised of Harold Vande Haar, Gravois Mills, and John Zubeck, Leewood.Kan., was the highest finishing local team in a specific category. Their chocolate raspberry cheesecake took second-place in the Open Class.
“It’s been my experience if you want to win that category you have to have a cheesecake” said Vande Haar. “We looked around and found the most fattening, decadent cheesecake [recipe] possible.”
Vande Haar said he wasn’t entirely surprised by its success.
“When I tasted it before the presentation, we screwed up the first couple of pieces, so I had to eat it. But when I tasted it, I fully expected it to be in the top two or three,” Vande Haar said.
This is the eighth year for Eagle Creek Smokers to compete in the Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff.
According to Laurie Events Coordinator Susann Huff,76 teams from four states competed for nearly $5,500 in prize money during the weekend.
“I’m very pleased with the event,” she said Sunday. “Other than the heat it was another great success.”
Despite temperatures that reached into the high 90s and heat index values climbing above 100 degrees, there were no casualties, according to Gravois Fire Protection District Chief Ed Hancock. Cooling centers were available in GFPD’s air-conditioned bus, as well as the fairgrounds log cabin, headquarters for the Cookoff.
“We only treated one [person] for heat, and frankly I expected more,” said Hancock. “We had a couple of falls and scrapes, but I don’t think we even gave out a band-aid.”
