Monday, December 17, 2007

Southaven Springfest April 24th 2008

Southaven Springfest / Southaven MS

Southaven Springfest: April 24th - 26th, 2008

Contest Contact : James Lantrip
Phone: 901-619-2345
8710 Northwest Drive
Southaven MS 38671
email: mrbarbq@hotmail.com

Judging Chair : Brenda Orozco
Phone 901-351-6333
5735 Cedar Lake Drive N. Walls MS 38680
email: brendaorozco514@hotmail.com

Oxford's Town BBQ Throwdown 2008

Oxford's Town BBQ Throwdown is Sanctioned for 2008!
Below is the contact information for the contest.
Date: October 24 & 25th 2008

Organizer: Kelly Melissa Brown, Office Manager
Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau
102 Ed Perry Boulevard
Oxford, MS 38655
Office: 662-232-2367
Cell: 662-801-4977
Fax: 662-232-8680
email: kelly@oxfordcvb.com
website: www.oxfordcvb.com
www.oxfordbbq.com

Judging Chairs: Sandra & Kyle Aylor
cell: 901-531-8054
Phone: 901-753-6980
Email: oxfordbbq@comcast.net

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Moving the Team Blog

I have found myself enjoying writing about not only team information but also general smoking & Barbecuing topics as well as Memphis BBQ Network information. To keep the two separate and to keep the team blog concentrating on team information, I am going to move the team blog to http://optimusswine.blogspot.com/ . I am in the process of moving team posts over to the new blog and should be complete soon. Please save the new blog address and check back frequently.

Book Review: Peace, Love and Barbecue

Written by Mike & Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, this book touts itself as "Recipe, secrets, tall tales and outright lies from the legends of BARBECUE".

Lets start out by clarifying that Mike Mills is a BBQ legend himself. His resume' is long, but for our interest; he was one of the first "big boys" on the old Memphis In May competition circuit. He won three Memphis In May Grand Championships while competing and has opened (or helped open) several very successful BBQ restaurants.

This book is not an instructional type book, although there are some good ideas, methods, do's and don'ts in the book. He covers various local pittmasters from New England, to Alabama, Memphis and the Carolinas. He interviews and squeezes out recipes from current and past legends such as Big Bob Gibson, Myron Mixon from Jack's Old South and our local BBQ celeb Mr. Willingham.

It gets a little too folk lore' for me at times, but makes good reading if you are interested in the history or background of where true BBQ (not grilling) came from and the pittmasters that perfected it. It is also packed with some really infamous recipes and down right good ole' southern recipes. Overall I would rate it an 8 out of 10, keeping in mind that it is not geared toward the beginner as far as instructional techniques and so forth. Good reading, would buy it again.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Team Points for the year

Rank team Points Team

The first number is the place, the 2nd number is the amount of pints for the year.

Congratulations to Jack's Old South for coming in first and to YAZOO's DELTA Q for a strong comeback at the end of the year. Had the defunct MBA been keeping up with the points as they should have, the out come might have been different.

We came in a respectable 106th. Not bad for only doing one contest that contributed to the points. We were only 100 points behind the first place team, we can make that up in 2008! We WILL move up the rank and files this coming up year With out a doubt. Congrats to all teams on the list that showed up had fun and weathered the storms.

1) 103 Jack's Old South BBQ
2) 98 YAZOO'S DELTA Q
3) 90 Barnyard Roasters
4) 62 Party Q
5) 61 Boggy Pond BBQ Brigade
6) 55 TOWER ROCK BBQ
7) 54 Natural Born Grillers
8) 52 Gwatney Championship Cooking Team
9) 44 Magnificient Redeyed Smokers
10) 33 10 Bones BBQ
10) 33 Parrothead Porkers of Hogaritaville
10) 33 Serial Grillers
13) 30 Fiddlers BBQ
14) 27 Southern Chefs Championship Cooking Team
15) 26 Pigs In Paradise
15) 26 SASSY SOWS
17) 25 COTTON PATCH COOKING TEAM
17) 25 SOUTH EASTERN SMOKERS
19) 23 Big Bob Gibson's
19) 23 PORKSCRIPTIONS COOKING TEAM
21) 22 FIREMAN JOHN'S BBQ
21) 22 RIVER RAT PIG PORKERS
21) 22 Smarr Cooking Crew
24) 21 Quenut BBQ Competition Cooking Team
25) 20 Sweetness of Hog
26) 19 CARBONDALE EAGLES
26) 19 HUISH GRILL TEAM
26) 19 SEABRISKET
26) 19 SMOKE SHACK BBQ
26) 19 SWEET SWINE O'MINE
31) 18 Red Hot Smokers
32) 17 UBON'S
33) 15 DR. SWINESTEIN & THE PORKAHOLICS
33) 15 Porky's Pride
35) 14 Boat Club Castaways
35) 14 Bubba Grills
35) 14 Ghost River Smoke-A-Holics
38) 13 Stump's Smokers
39) 12 CITY HOGS
39) 12 THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE SWINE
41) 11 CHARSIDE POS BBQ TEAM
41) 11 MASON DIXON SWINE
43) 10 Florida Boys
43) 10 Grillmasters
43) 10 Jack's Down Home BBQ
43) 10 SWEATHOGS
47) 9 Backwater BBQ
47) 9 GOIN' HOG'N
47) 9 HICKORY PIT STOP BBQ TEAM
47) 9 It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
47) 9 The Wild Turkeys
52) 8 PORK FICTION
52) 8 Roadside Grill Cooking Team
52) 8 Texas Young Guns
55) 7 DIAMOND D
55) 7 GLAZED & CONFUSED
55) 7 King's Cooking
55) 7 UNCLE'S BARBEQUE SAUCE
59) 6 BABYBACK GRILLER ALLSTARS
59) 6 Big Bubba's Bar-B-Q-N Crew
59) 6 CMC STEEL HOGS
59) 6 Pig in or Pig Out
59) 6 Pigs-R-Us
59) 6 REBEL ROASTER REVUE
59) 6 Road Hawg
59) 6 Spit or Get Off the Pork
59) 6 SUPER SMOKERS
59) 6 Sweet Gems
59) 6 Trollin' For Que
59) 6 WASTED-N-BASTED
71) 5 5 OLD NUGGET ROAD
71) 5 BARBEQUE REPUBLIC
71) 5 BARE BONES
71) 5 Big Kahuna
71) 5 Holy Smokers, Too
71) 5 Lost Mountain Barbecue Co.
71) 5 Naheola Pride
71) 5 Planet Barbeque Inc
71) 5 PON-HAWS
71) 5 Smokin' With An Attitude
71) 5 SOUTH PORK
71) 5 Swine-O-Mite BBQ
83) 4 ALLNIGHTERS
83) 4 CAN DO BBQ TEAM
83) 4 Dixie-Que
83) 4 Fletcher's Finest Barbecue
83) 4 ITS HOGIN TIME
83) 4 Keystone Cookers
83) 4 L & L Cooking Crew
83) 4 LA Redd's Best Barbeque
83) 4 M*A*S*H
83) 4 MOSES HOBBY COOKING
83) 4 NO SWINERS
83) 4 OINKING ON THE RIVER
83) 4 PAPA PIG AND THE POSSE
83) 4 Pro-Que Pig
83) 4 Redneck Grillers
83) 4 Ribs Within BBQ
83) 4 Rock N' Roll BBQ
83) 4 Shut up & Cook
83) 4 Smokin' Temptations
83) 4 SOW LUAU
83) 4 Sowega Smokers
83) 4 The Cannibals
83) 4 Top Deck Grillers
106) 3 Bad Bob's BBQ
106) 3 BIG Q'S GRILLERS
106) 3 Blackwater Bar-V-Q
106) 3 BUTTS UP BBQ
106) 3 Chronic Smokers Dixie Que
106) 3 EARTH, WIND & FIRE WATER
106) 3 FLORIDA SKIN-N-BONES
106) 3 Front Street Smokehouse
106) 3 Getting Piggy With It
106) 3 Hogaholics
106) 3 Hogapalooza
106) 3 Hurricane Smokers
106) 3 Lemons Coin Jukebox Grillers
106) 3 Low Country Long Shots
106) 3 Optimus Swine <---------------<<<<<
106) 3 Party Shack Smokers
106) 3 PICKEN' PORKERS
106) 3 Pig Pen BBQ
106) 3 Pig-O-War
106) 3 Pork-A- Licious
106) 3 Porky's
106) 3 Por-Que-Pig
106) 3 Rib Ticklers
106) 3 Ribaholics
106) 3 Smoked Encounters of the Third Swine
106) 3 Smoked Out
106) 3 SMOKIN' RAZORBACKS
106) 3 The Back Swine
106) 3 The Rack Pack BBQ Team
106) 3 THE SMOKING PIGS BARBEQUE
106) 3 VOO-DOO BBQ
137 2 Any Pork in a Storm
137 2 Atlanta Motion Pigtures
137 2 B & T BBQ
137 2 BAMA BURNERS
137 2 Beckerle Championship Cookers
137 2 BLACK JACK BBQ
137 2 Bluz Boyz BBQ
137 2 BOARS NIGHT OUT CHAMPIONSHIP BBQ TEAM
137 2 Bunch of Rednecks
137 2 Crispy Critters
137 2 Curr Dawg Smokers
137 2 DIXIE CREEK RIBTICKLERS
137 2 ERNIE'S BBQ
137 2 Falmmin' Brothers
137 2 Fat Side Up
137 2 HOG WILD COMPETITION TEAM
137 2 Hoggy Bottom Boys
137 2 J D's Smokin Misfits
137 2 Jurassic Pork
137 2 Knight TWP Smokers
137 2 Larry Darrell & Darrell
137 2 Mack Pigs
137 2 MELTING POT ROASTERS
137 2 Monster Basters
137 2 Nascar Pork Burners
137 2 Not Ready For Prime Time Cookers
137 2 Our Couch
137 2 PARTNERS IN SWINE
137 2 PIGGY STARDUST
137 2 Pig's-N-Heat
137 2 Pimped Out Porkers
137 2 PORK AUTHORITY
137 2 PORKY'S IV
137 2 Q BBQ & Catering
137 2 Rescue Smokers
137 2 Rotary Roasters
137 2 RUBBED, SMOKED & SAUCED
137 2 Smokin Wally's BBQ
137 2 Somerville Moose Lodge
137 2 Sporty Porkers
137 2 Squealer Dealers
137 2 THE FLYING PIGS
137 2 TOM & JERRY'S GLOBAL PORKERS
137 2 UNCLE FRED'S BBQ SMOKE SHACK
181 1 4 A's
181 1 4 Peters
181 1 5 O'clock Somewhere
181 1 8 BMB Grill Team
181 1 A Catered Affair
181 1 AAA Prime
181 1 Adribbers
181 1 Alexaandria's Best Houston Texas
181 1 All Signs Cookers
181 1 American Legion Post 202
181 1 American Smokers
181 1 ANIMAL HOUSE BBQ
181 1 Back Porch Smokers
181 1 BACK SWINE, THE
181 1 Backyard Barbecue Boys
181 1 Backyard Buddies
181 1 Bacyard Cookin' Crew
181 1 Bastin Away
181 1 Bay To The Bayou
181 1 Bear Breek Hogs
181 1 BELK FORD'S RAIDERS OF THE LOST PORK
181 1 BEST LITTLE BOAR HOUSE IN MEMPHIS, THE
181 1 Big Al's Bar-B-Que
181 1 Big Bad Wolf's House of Barbeque
181 1 BIG DAWG HAWGS
181 1 Big Green Eggs & Ham
181 1 Bill Robinson for Sheriff
181 1 BJ's BBQ TEAM
181 1 Blake Brother Barbecue
181 1 BLAZED & CONFUSED
181 1 Blazin Tails
181 1 Blue Ribbon BBQ
181 1 Bonaire Boys Club
181 1 Boss Hog Jr
181 1 BRANT FARMS BIG BUTT COOKERS
181 1 Brody's Boys BBQ
181 1 Bruddas From A Nudda Mudda BBQ & Cat House
181 1 Bud Boys
181 1 Budweiser
181 1 Buella's BBQ
181 1 Buffalo Wild Hogs
181 1 Bushshakers
181 1 Buttmasters
181 1 Butts and Bones
181 1 Chesapeake Dockside BBQ
181 1 CHILLIN THE MOST
181 1 Choo-B-Que Express
181 1 CHUBBY'S BBQ
181 1 City of Covington
181 1 Classy Cookers
181 1 Cocron De Las
181 1 COMO STEAK HOUSE
181 1 COOKING 4 LOVE BAR-B-QUER'S
181 1 CORDOVA'S MOST WANTED
181 1 Country Boy
181 1 Country Boys Cookin of Unadilla
181 1 COURTNEY'S BBQ
181 1 Coyota Cats
181 1 CPR "Cooking Pork Right"
181 1 Craig Smith
181 1 Crawdaddy's Catering
181 1 Cross Road Catering
181 1 Crossroads Cookers II
181 1 Curly Tails
181 1 CURRY'S CONSTRUCTION WHAT'S COOKING
181 1 Dad's
181 1 David Meads
181 1 DCFD BBQ Team
181 1 DE'BONERS
181 1 Delta Force Cooking Team
181 1 Delta Smokers
181 1 Diego Dave's BBQ
181 1 Dixie Davis Cookers
181 1 Dizzy Pig BBQ
181 1 Double D Barbecue
181 1 Due South BBQ
181 1 Duke's Bayou Pigs
181 1 Eastern Market Boys
181 1 EJ's
181 1 Eric's Big Butt BBQ
181 1 Exchange Bank
181 1 Exhausted Rooster Club
181 1 FATBACK SIX PACK
181 1 Fine as Swine
181 1 Fire `N Up
181 1 Fire Starters
181 1 Five Star BBQ
181 1 Fowl Smok'n Swine
181 1 Frank 'N Gar'B'Que
181 1 Ft. Worth Rib Co.
181 1 FULL MOON BBQ
181 1 Fully Involved
181 1 Gillispie's Cooking Team
181 1 Git-R-Dun
181 1 Good Time Bar-B-Q
181 1 GRAND MASTERS OF COOKING DISASTERS, THE
181 1 Grateful Pig
181 1 Grill Masters
181 1 Grill Thrill
181 1 GRILL-ER-DONE
181 1 Grillin-N-Chillin
181 1 Grills Gone Wild
181 1 GRILLS GONE WILD REBEL STYLE
181 1 Hacksaw Cookers
181 1 Hardy's Divine Ribs & Chicken
181 1 Harm & Hazaard
181 1 HAWG N' DAWGS
181 1 Hawg Wild BBQ
181 1 Hawkshaw Express
181 1 Heavenly Hog Cookers
181 1 Hickory Pit
181 1 HILL COUNTRY
181 1 Hillbilly Hoggers
181 1 HOG EXPRESS
181 1 Hog Heaven
181 1 HOG LEG SMOKERS
181 1 Hog Rock Café
181 1 Hog Wild Cookers
181 1 Hogala-Yeah
181 1 HOGG HEAVEN
181 1 Hole In The Wall Gang
181 1 Holly Smokes BBQ and Catering
181 1 Homeboys Bar-B-Q Team
181 1 HONKY TONK PIG
181 1 Hoots Boys
181 1 Houston Hawg Hustlers
181 1 Hungry John's
181 1 I QUE
181 1 I WALK THE SWINE
181 1 Iron Pig Barbecue
181 1 J&J BBQ Team
181 1 Jammin' Joe's BBQ
181 1 Jim's Smokers
181 1 Juicy Pig
181 1 JUST PORKIN AROUND
181 1 Kamado Dragons
181 1 KB Grillers
181 1 KB's Pastry Shop and Catering
181 1 Kelvin's BBQ
181 1 Kernel hog
181 1 KILLER HOGS
181 1 KILLIN TIME
181 1 Kinney Kountry Kookers
181 1 Kloby's Backyard BBQ
181 1 Kreww of BB Wolfe
181 1 Kudzu Kookers
181 1 Lake County Smokers
181 1 Lauderdale BBQ Co.
181 1 LEMON'S COIN JUKEBOX GRILLERS
181 1 M. Taylors Bodacious Butts
181 1 Macon Bacon Cookers
181 1 Mac's Restaurant
181 1 MAC'S SPEEDSHOP/
181 1 Maryland Ruff Ryders
181 1 Mcabee Pigfitters
181 1 McCormick's Deli
181 1 Milledgeville Misfits
181 1 Moboz
181 1 MONSTER BASTERS
181 1 Moon Over My Ham Me
181 1 Mountain Grillas
181 1 Mr. Carmel Fire Dept.
181 1 MUCK'S BARBEQUE
181 1 NASCAR COOKERS
181 1 NATCHEZ SMOKERS
181 1 Nervous Wreck Cooking Team
181 1 No Exp Nec BBQ
181 1 North Point Smokers
181 1 Oasis
181 1 Old Glory Smokin Pit Kings
181 1 Ole Time BBQ
181 1 Our Gang
181 1 Outback Kookers
181 1 Outhouse Cookers
181 1 Outlaw and the Gang
181 1 Pack Rats
181 1 Papa G's Porkers from Paradise
181 1 Papa's Little Cookers
181 1 Partners BBQ Porkateria
181 1 PEARL RIVER ROASTERS
181 1 PELLETHEAD PORKERS
181 1 PICKERING PORKERS
181 1 PIG & SWIG
181 1 Pig and a Prayer
181 1 Pig Diamonds
181 1 PIG PEN PALS
181 1 Pig Pounda Kappa
181 1 Pigmedics Cooking Team
181 1 Pign & Swign
181 1 PIGS IN SPACE
181 1 Pink Pork Pokers
181 1 PIPEPEDDLER B.Q.
181 1 Piperton Party Porkers
181 1 Pirates of Horse Island
181 1 PIT PANTHERS
181 1 Pitts BBQ
181 1 Pogo's Porkers
181 1 PORK 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM
181 1 Pork U
181 1 PORK WRENCHES
181 1 PORKIN AINT EASY
181 1 Porkosaurus
181 1 PORK-QUE
181 1 Prime Time Swine Sookers
181 1 Princeton Fire Territory
181 1 PURE PLEASURE PORKERS
181 1 Pure Porkfiction
181 1 Que 'N' Brew
181 1 RADAR HOGS
181 1 Red River Bank Hogs
181 1 REDNECK BAR-B-Q EXPRESS
181 1 Redneck Cookers
181 1 RESERVOIR HAWGS
181 1 Rib Job
181 1 RIBBED FOR HER PLEASURE
181 1 Ribs By Andy
181 1 Ribsrubbers
181 1 Riteway BBQ
181 1 Road Dog Cooking Team
181 1 Road Hogs
181 1 Roadkill Investigation Boyz
181 1 Roastin Rosters
181 1 Robert Williams
181 1 Rowdy Southern Swine
181 1 Rush Rig
181 1 Safari Smokers
181 1 Sarge's BBQ
181 1 Sats BBQ & The Vaddyshack Grillers
181 1 SECURITY SMOKERS
181 1 Shakers Smokers
181 1 SHAWNEE PKWY CRACKLIN BUTTS
181 1 Shock'n Swine
181 1 Shug's Cookers
181 1 Side-By-Side Cooks
181 1 Sikes Cookers Grill Team
181 1 Simple Q
181 1 SIN CITY COOKERS
181 1 Sinclair Baptist Church
181 1 Skooter Saloon
181 1 Slaughter House Cookers
181 1 SLOPPY CHOP BBQ
181 1 SMILING BUTTS
181 1 Smoke Eaters
181 1 Smoke In Da Eye
181 1 Smoke Stack Lightning
181 1 SMOKE'EM IF YOU GOTTEM
181 1 Smokehouse Mafia
181 1 Smokin AJ"s BBQ
181 1 Smokin' Grass
181 1 Smokin J's
181 1 Smokin Rednecks
181 1 Smokin Studs
181 1 Smookers
181 1 SOCO GAS HOGS
181 1 Southern bar-B-Que-Cookers
181 1 SOUTHERN SMOKERS
181 1 Southern Soul Barbeque
181 1 SOUTHERN SWINE
181 1 Southside Porkers
181 1 SOV
181 1 Spiine N Swine
181 1 Spud's Pork Hunters\
181 1 Squeeelers BBQ
181 1 Steves Oink & Squeel BBQ
181 1 Sumter Cookers
181 1 SUPERIOR SWINE
181 1 Swillin Swines
181 1 Swine Hind Smokers
181 1 Swine Smokers
181 1 Swinebucks
181 1 Taking Care of Pork
181 1 Taste Buds
181 1 Taste-E-Butts
181 1 T-Bone's Bar-B-Q*
181 1 Team Odd Squad Fire Wagon #1
181 1 Team Slacker
181 1 Tennessee-Boar-B-Que
181 1 Terry Road Torchers
181 1 The Bar B Q Zone, LLC
181 1 The Bar-B-Que-Boys
181 1 The Chef Hog BBQ Co.
181 1 THE HOGFATHER
181 1 The Money Man BBQ Team
181 1 The Natchez All Stars
181 1 The Night Help BBQ
181 1 THE PINK LADIES ALL GIRL COOKING TEAM
181 1 THE SHED
181 1 The Sow Bellies
181 1 The Swinos
181 1 The Warthog Pit Masters
181 1 Three Point Porkers
181 1 Three Pork Bellied Boys & A Politician
181 1 TJ's Barbeque
181 1 Triple S Barbecue
181 1 Two Little Pigs
181 1 UMP'N OINKERS
181 1 Uncle Mike's Brothers 'N Swine
181 1 Vienna Hardware Cookers
181 1 Walton's B-B-Q
181 1 WGAS Board of Directors
181 1 What-A-Rack
181 1 Whitfield's Recipe
181 1 Wild Bill & The Potbellies
181 1 Wilo-Pump House BBQ
181 1 WINE 'EM & SWINE EM
181 1 Wise Guys
181 1 Yummy Animals, Inc.

1st Annual Barbecue Cook-off

Memphis Barbecue Network along with the Henry County Georgia Chamber of Commerce are announcing the 1st Annual Barbecue Cook-off will be held at the Nash Farm Battlefield in Hampton, Georgia on April 18 & 19, 2008.Hampton Ga. is approximately 25 miles south of Atlanta. Held in conjunction with the 2nd Annual Simply Southern Jubilee. More details will be coming soon.

Sarah Robbins
Henry County Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau
1709 Highway 20 WestMcDonough, Georgia 30253
(p) 770-957-5786
(f) 770-957-8030
www.henrycvb.com

Kids Barbecue Contest

This is a re-post from the MBN Group on Yahoo from Dalton Pittman from Curly Tail Smokers:

Hello every barbecue fan,
my name is Dalton Pittman with the curly tail smokers if you don't already know I hold the worlds largest kids barbecue contest in Memphis tn. This year we are looking for as much help as we can get. If you like barbecuing and kids at the grill than this is a contest for you. if you would like to help us this year my home number is 901-937-8235 just give me a shout there or on-line talk to you later Daton Pittman.

The Philadelphia Ham Jam Arts Festival

The Philadelphia Ham Jam Arts Festival and the Memphis Barbecue Network announce the 2008 edition of the Ham Jam BBQ Contest. Held the weekend of April 18 & 19 in Philadelphia MS, this will be the 6th year for the Philadelphia contest & festival. This event is being organized by the Philadelphia Mainstreet & Tourism folks.

Contest Organizer: Madonna Green May
12931 Road 624Philadelphia, MS 39350
Phone : 601-527-7786
email greenmj@bellsouth.net

Judging Contact: Madonna Green May
12931 Road 624Philadelphia, MS 39350
Phone : 601-527-7786
email greenmj@bellsouth.net

Super Bowl Party!

This article has been moved to
http://optimusswine.blogspot.com/2007/12/super-bowl-party.html

Monday, December 10, 2007

MBN Inaugural "Que" Ball Event

February 16, 2008 the Memphis Barbecue Network is putting on the Inaugural "Que" Ball where the top Memphis Style Cooking Teams of 2007 will be honored. But it is also a really fun time to mingle with BBQ enthusiasts, judges, cooking teams and contest organizers. The event starts at 7:00 P.M. until 11:00 at the Holiday Inn Express at Poplar and I-240 in Memphis Tn.
The cost is $30 then $20 for a spouse or guest.

To go along with the "Que" Ball, there will be a judges Seminar on Saturday 0730 - 1:00 p.m. at a cost of $60.00. If you are interested in cooking competitive BBQ, interested in becoming a judge, or just want to be "in the know" I recommend you take the class as it brings a world of understanding to the whole process.

There will also be an organizers workshop available from 1:30 - 4:30 for a nominal fee of $10 should you be interested in hosting a MBN BBQ contest.

I encourage all Optimus Swine BBQ Team members to participate if feasible, we can make a party among ourselves. It is a great opportunity for us to give and show support for the new organization and to network and just plain olé have fun.

MBN Advisory Board Meeting Success

This past weekend I was privileged enough to be able to attend the first Advisory Board meeting for the MBN. A lot was discussed and the ground work for making the MBN the best BBQ sanctioning organization was laid. I can't get in to specifics, as the discussions are only that until they are implemented. A lot of the issues discussed were based along the way of smoothing out communications between organizers, judges, teams and the MBN.

The one thing I can assure you is that the new MBN is extremely committed to improving all aspects competitions. As news on specifics becomes available, I will pass the word on. Right now, please pass the word about the MBN to anyone you know that has competed in any BBQ contest. This is a wonderful organization, and you are invited to be a member.

Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MEMPHISBARBECUENETWORK/ to learn about what is going on and to become a member. A general Membership is only $20 annually! Look under the "Files" section to the left for the Memphis Barbecue Network Application.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

We won the 2nd annual Battle of the Bones



I would like to start this article with a huge thanks to Jason at the U of M and to the Highland Hundred Club for their support and participation in the BBQ contest this year! We would also like to thank all of the volunteers including the judges who devoted time, effort and I am sure a few dollars to make the whole thing possible.

To view more pictures, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/MemphisREMAX/BattleOfTheBonesBBQContest2007

We as a team had planned on tail gating at the UAB game tis year from the pre-season. We planned on taking the rig out to Toby Field and having a grand time before and during the game. Then the announcement that there was going to be a Rib BBQ contest with the Memphis In May type judging (blind only). Wow! what a wonderful coincidence and opportunity for Optimus Swine to have fun AND practice cooking our ribs.

Our last batch of ribs (before the Battle of the Bones) came out scorched, crispy and as moist as an over cooked piece of beef jerky. (we were learning our new smoker). We were determined to make an improvement (had no where to go but up).

Our original goals were very humble; simply to turn out a better product than last time and to have a great time doing it. We did just that with the help and support of our team members. We were very overwhelmed and surprised to find out that we had made the finals and ecstatic to receive 1st place. We won a guaranteed entry in to Memphis In May 2008, $750 and a trophy to show off from time to time.

We had a great time and will definitely be in Birmingham next year to defend our title and represent the University of Memphis and the Tigers football team. GO TIGERS !