Here's the list of contests that we will hopefully be attending this year...

May 29-30th

Smokin in the junction (Valley Junction,Ia)

June 11-12th

Showdown in O'town (Ottumwa, Ia)

June 25-26th

Iowa state bbq championship (Marshalltown, Ia)

July 16-17th

BBQ'loo & blues too (Waterloo, Ia)

July 17-18th

BBQ in the park (LaPorte, Ia)

July 23-24th

Up in smoke BBQ (Mason City, Ia)

August 27-28th

Nevada Kiwanis club bbq contest (Nevada, Ia)

September 24-25th

River city roundup (Omaha, Ne)

Whew...these are the ones that have priority status!

There may be others as time goes on.

Hope to see some of you all out there-make sure to stop by and say hi!

Well, the season is back in full swing now!

Just finished getting the pots and pans done from our latest competition "BBQ in the Bluffs" in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

We didn't fare as well as we had hoped, so we have some room for improvement.

37 teams were entered in this contest, and some very tough teams at that!

Overall we placed 18th.

Here's our scores...

Chicken 24th- I'm not sure why, we were really happy with the finished product. I don't see us changing anything here, we'll see what the next contest brings!

Pork ribs 10th- I was actually suprised by this as I was dissappointed with the appearance of the ribs. The flavor was spot on so I'm thinkin' that helped with the top ten finsh.

Pork 14th- I was comfortable with this finish as I was a little rushed to put the food in the turn in box and I think it showed. I'm really hoping our pork will be a strong contender this season.

Brisket 25th- Well...this one stumped us as well. Our brisket tasted phenomenal- I guess those judges just didn't know what good brisket is supposed to taste like! Or is it, we don't know what good brisket tastes like? Hmm....

Anywho- we're lickin' our wounds, and our fingers, and doing some more test runs this weekend in preparation for our next contest...Smokin' in the junction in Valley Junction, Iowa.

BBQ in the Bluffs!

Another contest down, this one was in Council Bluffs,Ia.

We arrived to nice warm weather and of course-wind.

After setting up the camp it was time to start cooking for the people's choice contest...WINGS!

Well, I was happy with them but the problem was that we were last on the list for the people to try them, by the time they got to us they were complaining about being too full...amatuers!

Not a real organized contest, we still don't know how we placed for the wings but I digress....

OK...All I can recollect about this picture is hearing a voice say "who's the bitch now?" and then the click of the camera.

I think I'm accused of being a slave driver!

Nontheless, here's actual proof that I can do dishes (unless my part time helpers would step it up a little more) heh heh!

Here we are taking a well deserved break before the turn ins start.

Ahhhhhh......

Now... the money shot!

Well ok, you can't see the money but in my hot little hand is two-count 'em- two checks and two ribbons!

We got calls for 5th place in pork and 6th place in brisket!

We placed in 5th place overall. Very good showing for the mafia.

Our next contest memorial weekend is a big one "The Great American Bbq" in Kansas. There's gonna be a lot of good teams there, hopefully we can do as well as last year.

Barry road contest-done!

Well, I'm semi caught up on my sleep from this weekend's contest.

We competed in the Hy Vee barry road competition in Kansas City, Mo.

The weather held out for with the exception of the wind, but I'll take that with 80 degree weather and not complain!

Jim and I takin' a break and makin some steak and shrimp tacos-yumm!

My little "elves" hard at it-Mush!!

And me "bringin' home the bacon"!

Well tonight is dessert

night...Apple pie pizza! Smoked even.. and it was as good as it looks.

Well boys and girls...it's gettin closer to contest time.

Today I was confronted by one of my Capo's and was told it's time to make something happen. Sooo, brisket it is!

Need I say more?

You choke it and we'll smoke it.

Here is a tentative list of contests that we will be hopefully attending this season...
April 24-25...Barry road, Kansas city , Mo(Hy Vee parking lot)
May 8-9........BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, Ia
May 22-25....Great American BBQ, Kansas City, Ks
June 5-6........Great Pork BBQ'lossal, Des Moines, Ia
June 12-13....O'town BBQ showdown,Ottumwa, Ia
June 26-27...Iowa State BBQ championship, Marshalltown, Ia
July 17-18....BBQ'loo and Blues too, Waterloo,Ia
July 18-19.....BBQ in the park, LaPorte, Ia
Well, I'll stop there for now. If we have the energy,and more importantly, the money we will do more.
We hope some of you can join us for moral support-and free dishwashing too!