Another week into this year...another week closer to season kick-off! Hello BBQ Gang! This is one of the biggest eNewsletters so far...thanks to everyone who contributed! Here's what's going on in the world of the Illinois BBQ Society for the first eNewsletter of 2008... ~ First Certified Table Captain's and BBQ Judging Classes a Hit... ~ FLASH...Burnt Food Dude Hits the Airwaves...er, BIT-waves... ~ FREE Cooking Demo at The Backyard Store in Wilmette on 01/12/08... ~ Red, White & BBQ Contest Again Sanctioned by KCBS... ~ Mattoon's KCBS Sanctioned Contest Cancelled... ~ CancerSucksChicago.com Wins Big in Felda, Florida... ~ BBQ Links Updated... ~ eNewsletter Reader's Question... ~ Upcoming Contests… ~ Upcoming Classes… x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x This eNewsletter brought to you by: Mojo Rub & Seasoning ~ Don'cha think it's time to Git'cher Mojo On! All natural spices mingling together to achieve world peace...kinda. Check us out online at http://www.MojoRub.com for details. x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x First Certified Table Captain's and BBQ Judging Classes a Hit... ILBBQS members Dann & Diane Boland recently attended the KCBS judging classes held in Elk Grove, and report all went well. Elk Grove’s Table Captain class last Friday yielded 7 new Table Captains; while the judging class produced a whopping 45 new KCBS Certified BBQ Judges! "Thanks to Mike and Theresa Lake, Ron Nunes, and all their helpers!" - Dann Boland Thanks, also, to Dann & Diane for the report! I know they're already planning on using their new found skills at the 2008 Winter Burn Off in Des Plaines...Be sure to look 'em up. *************************************** FLASH...Burnt Food Dude Hits the Airwaves...er, BIT-waves... On Sunday January 20th at 6:00pm Central Time (7pm on the East Coast and 4:00pm on the West Coast), The Burnt Food Dude, none other than Steve Abrams himself, will be hosting an internet radio program called, BBQ 411. Tune (oops)...I mean point your internet browser to... http://www.nowlive.com/show/100260720 The program has a call in feature with some local numbers you can call. Though most of the numbers are in the Western U.S., you may call for free if you have a GoogleTalk or VoIP connection. There is also a "Chat Board" attached so you can type in questions. Please note that you will have to sign-up for a NowLive account, but hey...IT'S FREE! If you have any BBQ or grilling related questions send them to BBQ411@gmail.com ... the popularity of this show is sure to produce LOTS of questions for Burnt Food Dude, but BFD will work hard to answer as many questions as possible over LiveNow Internet radio! Way to go Steve! Break a leg and have fun with the new radio show!! *************************************** FREE Cooking Demo at The Backyard Store in Wilmette on 01/12/08... What must've been a spur of the moment appearance turned out to be a nice surprise for Northern Illinois BBQers. 8 Time American Royal Grand Champion, Chris Marks of Three Little Pigs BBQ, showed up at The Backyard Barbecue Store for a free demonstration on Saturday, January 12th. Official word has not been received, but I think this is just a pre-cursor to a series of cooking demonstrations and classes that will mark a long term relationship between Chris Marks, Ace of Hearts BBQ Specialties, and The Backyard Barbecue Store. Stay tuned for details of future classes! *************************************** Red, White & BBQ Contest Again Sanctioned by KCBS... Just announced, a popular first year Northern Illinois contest in 2007 is coming back bigger than ever in 2008. Westmont, Illinois will again host the Red, White & BBQ Contest over the Memorial Day Weekend of May 24th - 25th, 2008. Cooks and judges alike can contact organizer Jim Addington the 'Contests/Events' page for more information! *************************************** Mattoon's KCBS Sanctioned Contest Cancelled... We've learned that the KCBS sanctioned contest "Dust Off Your Grill Backyard BBQ Cook-Off" in Mattoon, Illinois has been cancelled for May 9th - 10th, 2008. Here is a copy of the email received by ILBBQS BBQ Blog Moderator Burnt Food Dude: "Steve and Pat Thank you for your interest in our BBQ contest. We've had some turnover in our department and have decided not to host the contest this year. It was a difficult decision to come to because we've had so much interest in already. I will keep your contact information for our event next year. Again, thank you for your interest. Patty Peterson Director, Public Relations Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System 1000 Health Center Drive Mattoon, IL 61938 217 258-2424 www.sarahbush.org" We're sorry to see this one drop off the list for 2008, but hope for a return in 2009! *************************************** CancerSucksChicago.com Wins Big in Felda, Florida... The very first KCBS Sanctioned event of the New Year has produced the first new leader of the year...and he's an ILBBQS member! Scottie Johnson, along with daughters Zoë & Lexi, of CancerSucksChicago.com, has been crowned the Grand Champions of the Gator Hammock Wild Pig 'n Pepper Jam in Felda, Florida. Held December 31, 2007 through January 1, 2008, this contest is the only KCBS contest to span two different years during a single event...kinda cool, eh?! Here's the final breakdown... Grand Champion: CancerSucksChicago.com Reserve Champion: Florida Skin N Bones Overall: 1 CancerSucksChicago.com 2 Florida Skin N Bones 3 Earnies Beer Bait BBQ 4 Munchees Smokehouse 5 Buttrub.com 6 Bill and the Dixie Chick 7 Smokin Steves 8 Big Papas Country Kitche 9 Smokin Triggers 10 This Butts for You For a complete rundown of the categories, surf over to http://www.ILBBQS.com CONGRATULATIONS TO SCOTTIE AND GIRLS WITH CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM! *************************************** BBQ Links Updated... The BBQ Links section of the site has been updated and (as far as I know) is current with the addresses that I have on hand. Members get a free listing! Please take a moment to surf over and check to see if your team and/or BBQ business site is listed. If it is not listed, or you know of another BBQ related site that you feel would make a good addition, please send site name and links to me. *************************************** eNewsletter Reader's Question... This week's Reader's Question came from Matt N. from Northern Illinois. For an answer to his question, I called on the knowledge of Phillip Brazier, one of the most respected contest reps in the KCBS stable. Q: I am involved in a community, non-sanctioned BBQ (rib only) contest, the Lake Bluff (IL) Ribfest (1st Saturday of October). It has been going on for about 8 years now with many participants firmly entrenched in their ways. The last couple of years there has been the debate over par-boiling/steaming ribs. Obviously all smokers use a water pan of some sort, but parboiling/steaming entails putting the ribs directly in a pan with a liquid base over charcoal fire. It is my belief that this method is not allowed in sanctioned contests and should not be allowed in our contest. I'm hoping you can clarify this rule and why it is in place. A: Yep, parboiling is ILLEGAL at KCBS sanctioned contests. You asked why and for that I do not have an answer. I know that it was discussed for several years before the ruling finally came down, but it did come down. *************************************** Upcoming 2008 Non-Sanctioned/Backyard Contests... ~ May 2-3, 2008 - Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival - Contact: Shane Swartzlander - Phone: (618) 533-5703 ~ Fax: - E-mail: 2chubby@sbcglobal.net *THIS CONTEST IS PENDING KCBS SANCTIONING* ~ October 12, 2008 - TENATIVE - Maschhoff's Pork Farm Backyard BBQ Cook-Off - Contact: Julie Maschhoff, 7475 State Route 127, Carlyle, IL 62231 - Phone: 618-594-2125 - E-mail: juliem@pigsrus.net ~ October - Barn Burner BBQ @ Lamb's Farm - Contact: Claudia Stevens, 14245 W. Rockland Rd, Libertyville, IL 60048 - Phone: 847-990-3750 ~ Fax: 847-362-0742 - E-mail: crs@lambsfarm.org *THIS CONTEST IS PENDING KCBS SANCTIONING* *************************************** Upcoming 2008 KCBS Contests... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> Contests/Events) ~ May 9-10, 2008 - CANCELLED - Dust Off Your Grill Backyard BBQ Cook-Off - Contact: Patty Peterson, 1000 Health Center Drive, Mattoon, IL 61938. - Phone: 217-258-2424 ~ Fax: 217-258-4135. - E-mail: ppeterson@sblhs.org ~ May 16-17, 2008 - The Randolph County Pig Party - Contact: Jason Vallett, 402 E. Broadway, Steeleville, IL 62288. - Phone: 618-965-3414 ~ Fax: 618-965-3177 - Email: jason@gregvallettautosales.com ~ June 13-14, 2008 - King City BBQ Showdown - Contact: Troy Heitmeyer, 104 N. 9th Street, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 - Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ Fax: 618-242-3383 - E-mail: troy@cmacsoft.com ~ June 13-14, 2008 - Elk Grove Rotary Ribfest - Contact: Ron Nunes, 701 E. Irving Park Rd, Ste. 200, Roselle, IL 60172 - Phone: 630-307-8744 ~ Fax: 630-307-8755 - E-mail: rnunes9457@aol.com ~ July 11-12, 2008 - Illinois State Championship & Butt to Butt Pork Invitational - Contact: Connie Smith, 301 E. Sunrise Drive, Shannon, IL 61078 - Phone: 816-864-2542 ~ Fax: 815-864-2825 - E-mail: rrribs@frontiernet.net ~ September 12-13, 2008 - Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival - Contact: Rick Russ, TourSalem.com, 101 South Main Street, Salem, IL 62881 - Phone: 618-548-7752 ~ Fax: 618-548-5330 - E-mail: fun@bluegrassbbq.com ~ September 19-20, 2008 - - Carbondale Main Street Pig Out - Contact: Meghan Cole, 121 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901 - Phone: 618-529-8040 ~ Fax: 618-529-8041 - E-mail: info@carbondalemainstreet.com ~ October 10-11, 2008 - Central Illinois Bragging Rights - Contact: George Fritz, 136 S. Vine Street, Arthur, IL 61911 - Phone: 217-543-2181 - E-mail: bbq@arthuril.com *************************************** Upcoming KCBS Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ Certified Table Captain’s Class: Arthur, Illinois - 03/07/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.CIBR-BBQ.com - Contact Information: George Fritz ~ Phone: 217-543-2181 ~ bbq@arthuril.com ~ Certified BBQ Judging Class: Arthur, Illinois - 03/08/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.CIBR-BBQ.com - Contact Information: George Fritz ~ Phone: 217-543-2181 ~ bbq@arthuril.com ~ Certified Table Captain’s Class: Mount Vernon, Illinois - 04/18/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.SouthernIllinois.com - Contact Information: Troy Heitmeyer ~ Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ troy@cmacsoft.com ~ Certified BBQ Judging Class: Mount Vernon, Illinois - 04/19/2008 - Instructor: Mike Lake - Website: http://www.SouthernIllinois.com - Contact Information: Troy Heitmeyer ~ Phone: 618-242-4020 x 15 ~ troy@cmacsoft.com *************************************** Upcoming BBQ Cooking Classes... (All info posted on http://www.ILBBQS.com -> BBQ Classes) ~ Shannon, Illinois - 4/4/08 thru 4/5/08 - Old School vs. High Tech BBQ Cooking Class - Instructors: Johnny Trigg & Rod Gray Location: Eastland Middle School ~ 601 Chestnut Street ~ Contact Information: Rod Gray ~ rod@pelletenvy.com *************************************** If you have a BBQ related news item you would like to share with the group, be sure to send it in! There is an easy-to-use 'Submit News' button on our website at http://www.ILBBQS.com ...use it often! As always, if you have any pictures, stories, news items, comments, suggestions, questions, or ideas, let me know! Well folks, that's gonna do it for this year's news and updates. I hope you have a most wonderful, and safe, New Year! I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more of you down the BBQ trail of 2008! Carpe 'Que, Jim Rhino