R' Kansas City State Championship BBQ

(Arkansas City, KS) -- There is a river that runs through this charming little town called the Arkansas River. Ostensibly this is how the name was chosen for the community. For the sizable stretch of river that runs east from the Colorado state line to where it enters Oklahoma about 4 miles south of town it is called the ar-KANSAS. 

Sign says Arkansas -- townies say arKANSAS

So it follows that the town is pronounced likewise by townies and visitors alike. Mostly though it is referred to colloquially as Ark City. Apparently this is on account of the notion that only people in Kansas have even heard of this anglicized pronunciation of the word most commonly associated with The Natural State. The home of the Arkansawyers over there in that state which watches the river flow into the Mighty Mississippi.

High School 1890 - now serves partly as part of the college cosmetology department

Ark City is a charming town with some charming people. Apparently it used to rival Wichita as the big town in south central Kansas until the railroad bypassed it and growth stagnated. Still the town serves the hinterlands well and it is a thriving community with a charming historic district in the middle of town and industry that keeps the town alive in something of a symbiotic relationship with it's neighbor to the north, Winfield.

The town is home to some classic buildings from the heyday and some of these are now near and even a part of Cowley College -- home of the tigers. 

Home of the Tigers

Creekstone Farms is here. There's also a donut shop in town where the lines can stretch around the building. Don't know the secret to their success but I will pass along this piece of advice: get the Kansas Volcano.

Creekstone Farms -- where many of the competition briskets come from

When we pulled up to the area where the event was being held we didn't see many teams. Turns out there were 25 teams and they had to do some improvising and scrambling to grab enough judges. So there were several "celebrity" judges and a couple of volunteer table captains. 

Inside the Ag Building

But it all worked out in the end and the most important note on all of this -- most of those 25 teams were gunslingers. Big names on the circuit used to finishing in the money. They said the meat would probably be pretty strong. Almost without exception it was just that.

Cooking

Each of four tables of judges sampled six in three categories and seven in a fourth. After that the table captains were seated to sample two additional categories: sausage and dessert.

What a great event. Our 12th contest to judge in 4 different states (hoping for 5 at the American Royal Invitational later this year). A round of applause for organizers Ronnie and David Dornhoffer as well as reps Peg and Dave Rogers. This was not a huge event but what it lacked in size it more than made up for in quality of entries and friendliness of everyone involved. These folks have a good reputation among judges on the circuit and its clear why this is the case. It was a pleasure and we hope to be back for this one next year.

Ark City Barber Center -- barbershop or bar? Both? How has this idea not caught on nationwide???

Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ in Enid

(Enid, OK) -- I guess what sticks in the mind the most about The Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ contest for us is how well run and completely organized it is from a judge’s perspective. We didn’t get to judge this one though.

T-shirt from the Enid cookoff

Karen and Ralph Williams were the reps and they are among our favorites for their ability to keep the wheels greased and the shiny side up. They had the organizer send out a judge’s survey prior to the event so that they’d be able to arrange judges at various tables by experience. It also allowed them to pre-select their Table Captains and those with a CTC designation were picked. That’s what we did.

The judging took place in a pool hall. Indeed it was mighty generous of David to open up The Q Spot for judging as the event transitions to the convention center which is under construction/renovation. He had to turn away business while all this craziness went on but has a certain civic pride that makes him a respected member of the Enid business community.

The Q Spot in Enid -- a/k/a the judges tent

The barbecue looked very good for the most part and the scores reflected that. It started out strong with a couple of pieces of chicken at one table scoring nearly perfect. Got to try the best looking of the ribs at one table and while a bit overcooked it looked beautiful and tasted outstanding. Pork was strong across the board – tried four of the six boxes over by the sample table.

We’re proud to note that burnt ends were plentiful this week. They may not all have been cooked perfectly but even the tough ones were very tasty. Funny to see the volunteers with no clue as to what burnt ends are. We gladly told them that these pieces of meat are basically candy and they should grab strays when they’re going by. Didn’t take them long to catch on.

Something of a carnival atmosphere -- this is a big event and it happened on a beautiful day in this wonderful city.

There was a fifth category this week -- dessert. Since some of the judges took off after the main four some of us table captains had to do double duty and judge that category as well. Sometimes we just have to make sacrifices like that if the whole thing is going to work. Word to the wise -- if you’re going to go to all the trouble of making that Strawberry Cheesecake Shortcake (yes!) then go the extra mile and use pound cake instead of those horrible, dry angel food disks sold four to a pack down at the grocery. Might get you a 7 in texture on an entry that otherwise would have scored a 9.

Hats off to the great City of Enid, the Chamber of Commerce and especially organizer Lynne Benkendorf for an excellent contests. This is an example of how it should be done and there is every reason to believe next year will be outstanding with the new facility complete. Looking forward to that.

Next week -- Arkansas City, KS!

--Rufus

A little perspective please... (sports)

(The Plains) -- Football is a hard and violent game. At its highest levels it is played and coached by people who have been trained -- over the course of a lifetime -- to play by a different set of rules. Further they have come to understand that championships -- the ultimate prize -- are rare and hard to come by; and that they can be more easily obtained by stretching and even breaking those rules in cases where it may go unnoticed or ignored. They know that getting caught occasionally is inevitable but just the price they must pay.

It is we who watch and demand through our support that these people perform at the peak of their abilities who have fostered this system. They are not all bad apples; many are good to the core. But I believe most of us would be startled to learn just how many are not.

Gareth Patterson/Associated Press

With that in mind is our indignation really justifiable when one of these people gets caught breaking one of the rules of larger society? Certainly this different mindset doesn't justify the bad behavior, but can we sincerely claim shock and outrage? Seems unrealistic to me.


--Rufus

An Open Letter to Contest Organizers

(The Plains) --

Dear Organizer,

First I would like to thank you, on behalf of myself and my fellow judges, for dedicating a significant portion of your life to putting on your event. I've helped do what you are doing and I know it is a lot of work. You are to be commended for your considerable efforts which, most of the time, are undertaken in the name of charity. You are a credit to your community and are owed a debt of gratitude.

Okay. That's it for the back-slapping -- at least in this post. Soap box time. I'm going to compare some of you with others and it won't always be favorably. Hopefully it will  be constructive, though. Perhaps you can take something away from it and, where it is warranted, improve on any areas where you may be anemic in your efforts -- primarily toward your (prospective) judges.

This is not news to any of us but it bears repeating: There are three sets of people you absolutely need  to have present in order to pull of your contest. There are the cooks and the judges. Then there are, of course, the reps. Need them to keep the former two categories in line and the trains running on time.

It is a given that you are taking good care of the reps -- there aren't all that many out there and they hold the keys to it all. Apropos of that same notion, we know you had better  be taking care of the cooks. They pay to enter which means they are not just a contest component but a revenue source. If they ain't happy -- you ain't happy.

Sometimes organizers feel like the proverbial plate-spinners

So, what about the judges? How are you treating them? Not just the ones you've brought on to judge the contest but the CBJ's who have reached out asking if you have place at the table for them. The ones volunteering to drive sometimes hundreds of miles to help your event become successful. Those people. What about them?

Some organizers are fully cognizant that the judges are the key third component to the contest system. Others...not so much. Again, I understand how much you have on your plate but I would urge you not to lose sight of the importance of the judges in the formula for a successful event. Allow me to offer some words of advice from the perspective of a judge.

When submitting your event to the KCBS office for posting on the Society website and listing in the BullSheet, please include a link to either the webpage on which judges may register (preferred) or the email address of the judging coordinator. All too often the email address posted is not for the person handling the judges and as a result the email is forwarded around until it falls through the cracks or just ignored outright.

If you are going to register judges via email, please make sure that you acknowledge receipt of the initial contact in a timely fashion and then give the judges you've selected some indication that they will be serving that weekend. Likewise inform those who would be alternates or those you won't need of their status. This allows them to seek out another contest if they should wish to do so.

Of course the best way to do it is to allow judges to register via the web on a "first come, first served" basis -- be confirmed then and there -- and then contact them individually or via mass email (careful of spam filters) as the event nears and then again just prior to the contest with information and a contact in case something has come up and they need to advise you they won't be there and to seek and alternate.

It is a common problem -- far too common -- the organizer who waits until the week of the event to send out the email informing judges what time the meeting will be and where to park. Here's the thing -- if you wait until the week of your event to contact us (actually happened to us twice  in 2011) -- there's a good chance we won't be there. We've already either made plans to travel to another contest or will be with the family. We've already made the assumption you didn't want us.

You know  this guy -- don't be this guy.

Communication with your judges is so important. Some organizers are great at this. They respond immediately, give an idea of whether we will be needed, confirm it when they do know and then get in touch at least a couple weeks before the event to get a head count (allows for contacting of alternates) and to offer maps, times and other key information.

I have time to write this out because there is a contest I wanted to judge this weekend but will not be (I won't call anyone out by name here but the initials are The Stillwater Elks Blazeathon in Stillwater, Oklahoma). I am fully cognizant that it is solely up to the organizer who shall judge and and who shall not. I respect this and I know there are no guarantees. I also know I contacted the organizer of this event six months ago -- the week it was posted on the KCBS site -- to ask for a spot at the table. I know I attempted to follow up several other times. Only last week did I finally hear back and then only after my email was forwarded to different people four times  -- telling me they had all the judges they need. The event clearly has a professionally designed website -- why no judges registration page? Seems like it would make it easier not just for prospective judges but also for the organizer.

So here I sit, getting ready to hit a local BBQ stand and review their meat, and wondering what's the deal, folks? Did I contact you too early? Not early enough? Is there some sweet spot in the middle I should aim for? I truly don't understand why you don't want me there. I bathe and groom myself regularly. I'm a CTC and am willing to do that. Even more than that though, I wonder why you refused to -- or were at least unable to email sooner to tell me my services would not be needed and that I might want to find another show.

I do understand from talking with other judges (and make no mistake friends and neighbors -- we have plenty time to talk and we use it) that contests and their organizers quickly gain reputations. Reputations that stick like burned sauce on a tin grate. A common topic of conversation in the tent before and after the meeting is which are the well-organized shows that value the judges and which are just too much of a hassle, too disorganized, too unresponsive or just downright too unfriendly. There's generally a consensus in these discussions and the fact of the matter is that once that reputation has been earned it is difficult to shake. What do the judges say about you? Are they saying what you want them to say?

In the end I think perhaps you, the organizer, might bear this in mind as you go about the business of organizing. If you get that bad reputation there could come a day when the judges stop asking to judge. And without judges you no longer have a contest.

None of this is meant to be construed as hateful or to offend anyone. As I wrote earlier the intent is to offer constructive advice and those reps making the effort should hold their heads high and be proud. If this is not  you -- please don't take offense if you read this and see yourself. Just communicate. Because this piece is not to minimalize what you do or to make you feel bad. It is...

Respectfully submitted,

--Rufus

Hey, readers. I notice that there are a lot of you having a look at this page -- and if it's a topic that interests you perhaps you have an opinion. C'mon -- tell us what you think! Are we off base and out of line or are we spot on? There are no wrong answers. Thanks! ~R.

Cookin' wings for Sam's BWOP

(Midwest City, OK) -- As mentioned in the previous post -- this week we shall not judge but rather cook. Wings. 

The Tyson "Best Wings on the Planet" sampling tent setup

Pre-seasoned, fully-cooked Tyson wings. 140 lbs. of  them in all available flavors except Spicy Asian and Buffalo (!). Which, at this club, leaves Tequila Lime and Honey BBQ.

Since they are fully cooked we just have to make sure the frozen wings are heated through to the bone. Of course we will use charcoal and a competition-grade smoker to make sure they have a little carmelization on the outside so they taste great.

They did. The Honey BBQ were gone first, I'm suspecting because people are more familiar with a flavor like that. Those that passed on the Tequila Lime missed out because them things is tasty. In fact they were so good I bought a bag to take home.

Even the kids had a great time  helping out and pushing those tasty wings

It was a fun day meeting the people out there and watching what happens at a BBQ contest from a different perspective than that of a judge. We'd look at our watches and see 1pm and think -- Pork is hitting the tables about now. A little envious but still having a good time. The kids even took joy in helping out.

The set-up for the BWOP sampling is really cool (as you can see). Tyson is proud of the wings and should be. All of the barbecue teams were given the opportunity to put their own spin on wings for a chance to have their face on the bag of next year's new flavor. 

Teams gather hoping to collect the trophies and checks

The winners were as follows:

1st  - Blue Collar BBQ of Wichita, KS

2nd - Sizzlin' Bones BBQ of Muskogee, OK

3rd  - Buffalo's BBQ of Sperry, OK

Tom Rodgers collects his giant check for his winning wings

The guy from Blue Collar -- Tom Rodgers -- called his recipe "Asian Barbecue Wings I Guess" and seemed a bit sheepish realizing he may not have been working from a set recipe that he'd now have to re-create and write down for the organization.

It was a great day and we'd do it again. Still, though, looking forward to getting back in the judges tent. Stillwater? No -- turns out they say they don't need us. I guess we don't need them either then (more on poorly run competitions - which this certainly was NOT - in a future post).

--Rufus

The season has begun...

(Fort Worth) -- Well we pulled in to Westworth Village (basically Fort Worth) and found the Sam's Club. Glad they moved some of these southern contests out of July and into a more reasonable time of year. It was windy and cloudy but otherwise a beautiful day for the first contest of the season which just happened to be one of the early stops on the Sam's Club tour.

KCBS judges (BoD member Dave Compton second from left in blue) loitering in the judges tent prior to what will be the first contest of the season for most of us.

There aren't all that many KCBS contests in Texas so we like to travel down and hit them when they have them. And the Sam's events are known to have some pretty solid barbecue too. This event didn't disappoint.

Chicken was solid all the way around (as it often is), the ribs -- mostly pretty good. There was some excellent pork with one of the samples just sublime -- some of the best I've had. Brisket was weaker (judges -- burnt ends can sometimes be worth the extra point to take you to a 9 on appearance) with only one box containing burnt ends and only two boxes with what could honestly be called really good brisket.

It was a fun and well-run contest with a couple of our favorite reps on hand and a hard working Troy Black as the organizer (although they did run out of water -- in the parking lot of a wholesale club!).

Great show -- judge one of these Sam's Club events if you get the chance.

We also met the rep for the agency that handles this whole thing and we've been recruited to cook wings for the Tyson "Best Wings on the Planet" next week in Midwest City. We will lose the chance to judge BBQ but we'll be able to help contribute to the success of the event and earn a little scratch in the process. Set up and grill wings to hand out to the public -- these events are kind of like a mini-fair where the food is small but free.

See you down the road.

--Rufus

Review - Whole Hog Cafe in Little Rock

This venerable Little Rock establishment has gained "legend" status in a relatively short amount of time based on its reputation of consistently serving up what is arguably the best pulled pork anywhere.

(LITTLE ROCK) - It's more than a decade now since a very successful team of barbecue competitors decided they might could make some scratch selling the stuff. In the ensuing years this original location in the Riverdale section which skirts the river a little west of downtown Little Rock has been joined by a passel of other locations making Whole Hog Cafe a respectable chain. 

There are now 8 locations across Arkansas as well as outlets in New Orleans, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Springfield. No...Missouri, not that other. I heard tell there was, for awhile anyway, a location in Houston and for around six glorious weeks there was a location about 3 miles from my old home over in Fort Worth. We ate there six times before they got shut down by the principals in Little Rock -- allegedly for breach. Seems they weren't doing it right and to be honest the barbecue was not an exact copy. But it was close enough that we went and we liked it. But we also understood when they did what had to be done.

It was nice to revisit the original location and find that the place is exactly the same. That has to be large part of the secret to the success of Whole Hog Cafe -- consistency. Any time I've visited there has never been a drop off in the quality of the meat.

One of the most prestigious awards in the world of competitive barbecue cooking

This past visit I decided I'd have some of it all. The pulled pork was a given. It's their specialty. They've won Memphis in May with it. They've won The Jack with it. It is that good. Always served with some beautifully tasty bark and never overcooked -- it is slightly toothsome but never chewy or mushy. I was introduced and learned the first things I knew about barbecue in Memphis and its suburbs -- I will always be a pork-first kinda guy -- and as such I've eaten a lot of pulled pork and in most of these United States. I will say without qualification that this is the best I've ever had. Ever. And it is just as good every time I visit.

I lived in Texas for nearly 9 years and it was there I got my education in brisket. It's served in the midsouth -- it just isn't a priority. Mostly pitmasters smoke a few for the Texans that may be passing through. So while living in Texas I ate a lot of bad brisket to get to the much harder-to-find good brisket (oddly, the best brisket I've had so far was at a now-defunct operation in Oklahoma City that had a huge number of loyal customers -- and even worse problems with the Tax Commission). But I digress. Whole Hog does the brisket right. It's not on the level of the aforementioned place in OKC or even with some of the legendary purveyors in central Texas -- but it is very good. Excellent smoke flavor. It passes the "pull test" with flying colors. It is moist and tender but not overly so. In short it is very good meat. For the brisket lovers out there I can heartily recommend it -- you can do a lot worse.

They don't just hand these out to anyone

The ribs don't fall of the bone. This is okay because they aren't supposed to. If they do that means they're overcooked which is no good for anyone. The ribs I had on this visit were smoky and delicious and came cleanly off the bone with just a bit of pull. This is a sign that the pitmaster was paying close attention to the ribs. They are served dry and they don't need sauce. There is no bigger indicator of barbecue excellence than that.

Ahhh, but if you want to complement the meaty, smoky goodness with a little sauce, they've got you covered. Covered 7 ways to Sunday. You'll find six of their sauces in six-pack holders on the tables (I'm partial to #3 which is a pretty traditional sauce but with just a little bit of heat in the back). They've got a seventh sauce called The Volcano -- they typically keep that behind the counter and make it available on request. I need to try it because I like the heat but as yet I have not on account of my fondness for Old #3.

I was pleasantly surprised by the pulled chicken. It was moist and tender and smoky and very good. I've found at contests that chicken is the most consistent category and cooks have told me it's the easiest to cook. They say the worst part of the chicken category is the prep. In the restaurant they don't have to worry about uniform sizes that will look good with six (or nine) other pieces on top of parsely in a white take-out box so they can concentrate on flavor. Which is evident here. If you're looking for a change of BBQ pace you might consider giving this yardbird a try.

Remember folks -- this is the mid-South and if you don't tell them otherwise that slaw will come ON the sandwich

The sausage is another BBQ meat that's largely made inroads in the mid-South by way of Texas where it is one of the Holy Trinity meats (similar to how pulled pork is finally making inroads in Texas -- finally). This is good sausage. It's got some good snap and some hearty spice. It's not highly remarkable. I wouldn't seek it out but on my return I'd certainly consider having it again.

Uh-oh. I wasn't completely honest. I didn't get the pork loin this time around. I can't recall a single positive experience with barbecued pork loin so I avoid it. It may be great here -- and I will try it some day -- but let's face facts. Pork loin is not a cut that lends itself to Slow-and-Low. If it isn't cooked quickly over a bit more heat then it will just dry out. It will resist the smoke on everything except the outer layer and take on the consistency and flavor of shoe-leather. If anyone can pull it off I feel it would be Whole Hog but I can't offer an opinion on that -- yet. I'll post an update when I take the plunge.

Sides: 

• Beans are tasty with little chunks of meat. I really like them even if I haven't exactly written home about them. 
• Potato salad -- couldn't say as I won't eat it. Of all the things one can do to prepare the noble spud for consumption this just seems wrong to me. Boiling, cutting and then drowning in mustard/mayo/pickle and who-knows-what-else -- heebie jeebies. In fact that's my only beef (pardon the pun) with this place -- No Fries. I love fries. Fresh cut and salty. But bringing in the deep fryer is a whole 'nother hassle so I understand and never hold that against a barbecue joint.
• Slaw -- I hear tell it is pretty traditional, crispy and not overly mayoed. Not a big cabbage guy when that room can be better used to hold meat.

They also offer a side salad (might be good with some pork on it!), chips and the dessert menu is a brownie. Good brownie.

Notice the Diamond Bear six-pack holder -- you know you're in Arkansas if you see that

Finally, I guess if you don't believe me then look to the Arkansas Times annual best barbecue in the state awards. Whole Hog has won it every year since 2001. That's impressive and that many times ain't luck.

--Rufus

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