Where There’s Smoke ... There’s Barbeque!

Posted by – Shawn Keenan, Water Resources Coordinator

If you happened to have attended this year’s Summerfest in Downtown Auburn Hills, you more than likely noticed the sweet smell of barbeque in the air.  Those that followed their nose were led to the 19 teams competing in the 4th Annual Auburn Hills State Championship BBQ Cook-Off.

A number of festival attendees lingered to check out the different types of BBQ smokers and to pick up some tips from the friendly pit masters.  All teams were competing for prize money, trophies, and the coveted title of “Grand Champion.”

On Friday, June 22nd, teams arrived on the Summerfest grounds to set-up and prepare their meat (beef brisket, chicken, ribs, and pork) for cooking, usually by applying their favorite rub.  They also had to decide what type of wood to use in their smokers – hickory, oak, and apple were some of the favorites.

Once their smokers hit the right temperature, the pit masters would usually put the pork butts and brisket on first for a good 12-hour cook.  The pit masters cooked overnight while keeping a watchful eye on the temperature of their smokers.  The next morning is when the teams place their pork ribs and chicken in their smokers, for a shorter cook.  One of the final decisions the teams had to make was what sauce they wanted to apply – tangy, sweet, or spicy.  It smelled incredible!

On Saturday June 23rd, all 19 teams submitted their entries, which were presented to a panel of Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) certified judges for scoring.

Last year’s winner, Motley Que Crew from Grosse Pointe Woods, was again awarded with the title of Grand Champion.  Congrats!

Other notable winners included team BBCS BBQ Boys (BBCS refers to Bob Brooks Computer Sales) from Auburn Hills, who placed 4th in Chicken and Giggly Pig BBQ (Pit Master from Takata in Auburn Hills) who placed 5th in chicken, 4th in pork, 5th in brisket, and finished in 4th overall.

We appreciate all the teams that participated in this year’s contest and hope to see them back again next year.  Hey, if you are interested in learning what it takes to compete in a BBQ cook-off like ours, feel free to contact me at [email protected].   Maybe, we’ll see you next year!

Note:  To pick up some BBQ tips visit the following websites: Kansas City Barbeque Society at www.kcbs.us or Great Lakes BBQ Association at www.glbbqa.com.