Hello BBQ Gang! Here's what's going on in the world of the Illinois BBQ Society... ~ BBQ Funny... ~ Doctor Porkenstein's Latest Creation... ~ Championship BBQ Cooking Class... ~ Charity Smack Talk... ~ Talk About Dedication! ~ Quau Gets Calls in Lakeland, Florida... ~ The Rib Rubber's Report with Peter Cravath ~ Online Membership Buttons Fixed... ~ Upcoming Non-Sanctioned/Backyard Contests... ~ Upcoming KCBS Contests... ~ Upcoming Classes... x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x This eNewsletter brought to you by: Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival State Championship, KCBS Sanctioned BBQ Cook-Off with Live Music, Battle of the Bands, Beverage Garden and MORE! Limited to 25 teams for 2008...get your application in early! Visit us online at http://www.GoCentralia.com/springfestival for application and additional information. Online: http://www.GoCentralia.com/springfestival Email: 2chubby@sbcglobal.net x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x BBQ Funny... Posted by Green egg Dan on January 22, 2008 on The BBQ Forum Saturday morning I got up early, dressed quietly, loaded my cooler, grabbed the dog, slipped quietly into the garage to hook the cooker up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential down pour. The wind was blowing 50 mph. I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad throughout the day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. There I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, 'The weather out there is terrible.' My loving wife of 20 yrs replied, 'Can you believe my stupid husband is out cooking in that mess?' *************************************** Doctor Porkenstein's Latest Creation... Okay, how many of us have dreamed of opening our very own BBQ joint??? Well, with multiple Grand Championships, a resounding finish at 'The Jack' in 2007, and enough awards to make nearly all of us green with envy, Alex and Kate Cothell of Doctor Porkenstein have announce the opening of their very own joint in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As posted on the BBQ Forum by Alex and Kate on January 26, 2008... "Stariting on Feb 2nd, Kate and I will be starting a new venture in our lives by opening a BBQ carryout restraunt in our home town of Kenosha Wisconsin. We really put a lot of thought into this and weighed the pros and cons and finally decided to go for it. I have always lived by the motto "It is better to be a 'has been' than a 'never was', so we decided that now was the time to do it. I would like to extend a special thank you to our families and our BBQ friends including Keith and Rebbecca Engstrom, Scottie Johnson, Randy and Marla Twyford, Dan and Brian from the BYBStore, Jedi Quau and Beth, and most important Darren And Sheri Warth. So we will give it a go and we hope to see you there. Remember- dreams do come true... In my case, it just took unclogging a bunch of toilets to make it happen... Thanks to all, Alex and Kate ~ Doctor Porkenstein / "The Barbeque Factory" Alex and Kate were among the first handful of members to the Illinois BBQ Society back in 2006...I think I can speak for all our members when I say, "Way to go Alex and Kate! Best of Luck with your new adventure!" *************************************** Championship BBQ Cooking Class... Speaking of Doctor Porkenstein...the Backyard BBQ Store, in Wilmette, Illinois, will be hosting a cooking class with famed BBQ cook Alex "Doctor Porkenstein" Cothell on Saturday, 02/02/08. Alex is the current Illinois 'Team of the Year', has won multiple Grand Championships in the last year alone, and ranked 5th in the world at the 2007 Jack Daniels World BBQ Championship Invitational...this is one class definately worth the $50 entry fee! The class will cover award winning techniques for cooking pork ribs and chicken. For additional information, contact Dan at the Backyard BBQ Store at 847-251-2272 ~ Online: www.BackyardBBQStore.com ~ or email dan@backyardbbqstore.com . Pssst...Be sure to let him know you read about the class in the ILBBQS eNewsletter! *************************************** Charity Smack Talk In the name of charity, Ray, from Big Bubba's Roadhouse BBQ, has issued a challenge to anyone going to the 2008 Des Plaines Winter Burn Off. "I have a little challenge I am putting out there to everybody who is going to the Winter Burnoff in Des Plaines. I have told Keith (contest organizer) that I will donate $ 20 to NOAH for anybody who can beat my 3 game score in bowling down there. So if 10 people beat me that's $200. So come on all you BBQer's who think you can bowl, let's have a little fun and help out a great charity." - Ray, Big Bubba's Roadhouse BBQ He didn't say you had to be a cook in the contest...just 'going to the Winter Burnoff'. Are you up for the challenge? It's for a good cause! *************************************** Talk About Dedication! Some folks have their smoker's immortalized on their team banners, others proudly fly manufacturer flags at contests, and some spout on for days about how well their cooker holds heat in the dead of winter. Very few (none that I know of) have gone so far as to have a picture permantely emblazed on their body like ILBBQS member Jason Duhamell of Smokey J's BBQ! If you haven't yet seen it, just ask! This mild mannered husband, dad, and scout leader will proudly (and quickly) pull up his right pant leg to show off the recent inking of his beloved Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. His new tattoo was even featured on a popular ink world blog...complete (of course) with pictures! "Tattoo what you love...and in this case, Jason really loves his BBQ, a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker — he owns two of them, which he uses to compete in barbecue contests. The tattoo of his smoker was done by Justin at Finishing Touch Ink in Mattoon, Illinois" - ModBlog.Bmezine.com The artwork is very good. The shifting light from the WSM's curved dome, down to every last detail in the positioning of the vents and door...it's all pretty remarkable. When you're ready to see more, be sure to surf over to the ModBlog home at http://modblog.bmezine.com/2008/01/23/tattoo-what-you-love to see a side-by-side comparison of a WSM and Jason's new artwork. Or, for a short time, you can check out the Illinois BBQ Society website for a glimpse of Jason's beloved cooker. http://www.ILBBQS.com . Way to go Jason! (I hope Weber appreciates your true dedication to your craft, your 'que, and to your smokers...that's TRUE dedication!) *************************************** Quau Gets Calls in Lakeland, Florida... Quiz time...what do you do when you want to compete but the next sanctioned event is still months away in Illinois? Do what Quau did...head to Florida! Not long after Scottie Johnson (CancerSucksChicago.com) made some waves of his own in the land of sun and fun, Mike and Beth Wozniak took 3rd in ribs and whomped the competition with their Lobster Newburg in the Anything Butt (in a Bowl) ancillary contest, down in Lakeland, Florida. Congrats to the Wozniak family for their calls down south...we're looking forward to seeing you on the 'Que Trail this year! *************************************** The Rib Rubber's Report with Peter Cravath What to Do During the Off Season If you’re like most BBQ fanatics, you probably cook outside all through the year even though the snowy climes in Illinois don’t provide us with gentle temperatures and abundant sunshine. This is Illinois, and this is your hobby or it might be your business. And in January it’s cold out there. Your grill and smoker still probably remain close at hand by the back door, ready to plop on a steak, or smoke a few slabs of baby backs. The woodpile is nearby as well. So, what’s to do with this sport in the gloomy wintry weather? Well, you can cook. But this icy time also affords an opportunity to cultivate your approach. Is it too early to begin thinking about the first contest next year? Think again. So while the ribs are in your smoker, think about this: Now is when we can use this competition downtime as your creative moment; and spend that time in the kitchen chasing that deviously perfect sauce with a special awakening, the award winning rub you’ve been promising yourself you’ll turn to, and plunge into those new cookbooks that you’ve been hoarding all year. Take a birds eye view of your pantry, and snoop through those spices you’ve had since your last move; or take a whiff of the containers of dried herbs to determine what they were at one time, as the label has long since fallen off. We all know that there is no substitute for freshness in your ingredients, so why sell your efforts short in the taste department just because it’s 0° outside? Do yourself (and your friends) a favor by serving these shards up to the garbage can. If you grow some herbs indoors, all the better; it’ll give you a reason to harvest them for a rub in January. On your next trip to the store, have a look at their fresh herb area; try different combinations that at first glance would not seem to fit. I’ve made the Dr. Pepper, and Coca Cola based BBQ sauces found in many books, giving up respectable results; tried it with Moxie (a New England favorite), resulting with less than desirable flavors, (blechh!) but who knew? You don’t know if you don’t take a crack at it. This is also a good time to check out new mail order or online sources that you’ve kept or bookmarked all year, again searching for uncharted and inspiring ingredients or methods that might hold promise in for the upcoming season. Many unique Asian and Indian ingredients are making their way to stateside shelves, lemongrass is more familiar than ever, and I’m still searching for a source for allspice wood which delivers the unmistakable island flavor found in Jamaican Jerk. I might find it one of these years. These winter efforts just might yield the elusive ingredient or a curiously appealing spice which your diners can’t readily put their finger on; try a few drops of avocado oil on grilled chicken, or toasting your black peppercorns in a hot skillet before grinding them (...a truly addictive tang), but is certainly melodious to the mouth. So this winter, don’t sit idly by, hugging the dog and the remote. Think ahead to that first competition; because you can bet your booties, that’s what the competition is doing. And they’re probably eating better than ever too! *************************************** Online Membership Buttons Fixed... After upgrading the website to make it easier for folks to join and/or renew membership in the ILBBQS, it was discovered that the shopping cart was adding sales tax and shipping to membership...OOPS! That shouldn't happen. Those who were affected promptly had the sales tax and shipping fees refunded, and I am happy to say that all should be working now. Thanks for everyone's understanding while we continue to grow and continue to work on a more members friendly website and society. Should you see anything that just doesn't seem right, or have suggestions, questions, comments, or ideas, please let us know! The quickest way to get in touch with us is through email: bbq@ilbbqs.com . Thanks again! *************************************** Upcoming 2008 Non-Sanctioned/Backyard Contests... ~ February 10, 2008 - 2008 Winter Burn-Off - Contact: Keith Engstrom, 915 Second Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60016 - Phone: (847) 312-4053 - E-mail: rekengstr@ameritech.net ~ June 14, 2008 - 4th Annual Smokin' in the Park - Contact: Hap & Becky Zook at 309-266-5078 or Jim & Anita Allen at 309-962-9388 - E-mail: bjzook@verizon.net or jaallen@msn.com ~ June 21, 2008 - 2nd Annual Galesburg Railroad Days Jaycees Rib Cook-Off - Contact: Sherry M. Kincaid - E-mail: ribcookoff@galesburgjaycees.org ~ 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 2-3, 2008 - Southwestern Illinois Spring Festival - Contact: Shane Swartzlander - Phone: (618) 533-5703 ~ Fax: - E-mail: 2chubby@sbcglobal.net ~ 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 ~ May 24-25, 2008 - Red, White & Bar-B-Q - Contact: Jim Addington, 337 E. Traube Street, Westmont, IL 60559 - Phone: 630-443-2013 Fax: 630.443-2017 - E-mail: jaddington@ambankqc.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 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) ~ Wilmette, Illinois - 02/02/08 - Doctor Porkenstein BBQ Cooking Class - Cost: $50 (Class will cover Ribs & Chicken) - Instructor: Alex Cothell aka Doctor Porkenstein - Location: Backyard Barbeque Store ~ 1147 Greenleaf Avenue - Phone: 847-251-2272 ~ Online: www.BackyardBBQStore.com - Contact Information: Dan ~ dan@backyardbbqstore.com ~ 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