Sundrop Country BBQ Cookoff

May 8-9, 2009

Friday morning I found myself driving to pick up Richard & Casa DoRag in one of the wildest electrical storms I have ever seen. Around 5 AM the Nashville sky's were full of lightening & the rumble of thunder. I have never seen such a display! I lost count of the bolts that lit up the skyline. The rain was heavy but luckily the winds were not very strong. I arrived at Richards & we were able to get hooked up before the rain caught up with us. We pulled into the picturesque cook site & began to setup. We tied down everything we could expecting to get hit sometime during the weekend. Like last week in Huntsville the forecast was rain, rain, & more rain!

This would be the 5th weekend out of six we were cookin' BBQ & 2009 would be our 3rd visit to the Sundrop Country BBQ Cookoff. There is a large "Back-Yard" division (cooks only chicken & ribs) as well as 30+ "Pros". It's always good too see our Back Yard friends like Rooster, T's, & Gooby's as well as the rest of our BBQ Family. After meat prep we settled in for some socializin! We were flanked by High on the Hawg & E.M. Azing BBQ. Our friends Jobeaz & Carl Counce of Coldwell Bankers BBQ we also in our neighborhood. We also got to visit with Smokers Wild & Chad Hayden of Moonswiners (2007 Jack Daniels World Champion). Chad was one of the first friends I made in the BBQ community. He was competing in 2006 at the Fiddlin', Brewin' & BarBQ'n @ Opryland Hotel. That was our first contest & Chad was setup across from us. He was kind enough to give us a few tips. Then in 2007 I ran into him again in Benton, KY. Later that year Richard & I decided to stay for the awards at "The Jack". Moonswiners got several calls and eventually took the GC! What a great night that was! A great BBQ memory.

After the "Cooks Meeting" we had some ABTs, pork chops, & baked potatoes. Lou & Buck turned in some incredible smoked salmon for Anything Butt. Gary "Nickelback" finally arrive after a 2 week hiatus and DoRagQ was officially "In Da House"! After dinner we just hung out and socialized. Then it dawned on us, it had not rained since we had arrived! Maybe "Mother Nature" was going to give us a gift for "Mother's Day". More on that later. The rest of the evening was spent listening to the music from the arena & sipping on some "Apple Pie". An occasional "Freebird" was yelled out to carry on the tradition but the band never granted our wish. I guess thats better than the year they did play it & forgot most of the words! What respectable redneck bar-band doesn't know the words to frickin FREEBIRD! The party broke up around 10:45 PM & we all headed off to get some shut eye.

We made it through the night without any rain or winds but daylight did bring cloudy skies. About 7 AM it began so sprinkle & by 10 AM the sprinkles turned into showers. We keep on cooking making the best of the wet conditions. With Gary back we were hittin on all 3 cylinders. He was making boxes while Richard & I did out cookin thang. By noon we were ready for chicken turn in. We had been tweaking our technique & recipie since the beginning of the year & we were happy with the outcome. Our rib box was awesome! One of our best looking boxes we have ever produced. We also thought our ribs were pretty good as well. Our pork had a great taste but our results have been inconsistent. We put together a nice box & thought it was pretty tasty as well. Brisket was a challenge. We thought it was dry & tough so we beat it with a hammer & set it outside in the rain but I thought it was a lost cause. Whats done is done. It's all up to the Judges now.

It did quit raining before turn ins and we even got a peak at the sun every now an again. After turn in we had a few minutes to enjoy a beverage & then it was time to pack it all up! Sure wish there were BBQ Roadies to do this. We managed to get it all packed up and have a few minutes to reflect before awards @ 4 PM. We all thought our chicken was good. Gary predicted "top 5"! We all like the looks & taste of our ribs, Gary predicted "top 10". Again we all thought we had a great looking pork box & we all liked the flavor but pork is hard to predict so Gary had no prediction. A dry tough brisket never scores well so we all felt we would "tank" again no prediction.

It was finally time to "read em & weep"! As we all congregated around the PA system, Jay thanked Linda, Tana, & Mark for being great contest reps. The Back Yard results were announced, Gooby's got some calls. Sorry I can't remember & no results are posted yet. Then it was on to the "Pros"! Wild Bunch Butt Burners took 1st in chicken, Team Top Chick was 1st in ribs, Colonel E's BBQ was 1st in pork, & Charcoal Cowboys took 1st in brisket. Smokers Wild took the overall win with Team Allegro taking 2nd! Congrats! DoRagQ was 5th in chicken (Gary called it), 13th in ribs (actually tied for 11th Gary almost called it), 20th in pork (WTF?) & 6th in brisket! Guess the hammer & rain helped! DoRagQ came in 8th overall! No complaint here! rounding out the overall top ten starting with 3rd was Swiggin Pig, 4th Lotta Bull, 5th Team Top Chick, 6th Big River BBQ, 7th Jobeaz Blazin Butts & Wings, 8th DoRagQ, 9th High on the Hawg, & 10th Smokey Mountain Smokers! Congrats to all. Thanks to Jay, the event staff, & contest reps that helped put on the contest. Special thanks to Sundrop & Wallmart for supporting BBQ. We appreciate your participation. We are looking forward to coming back in 2010. Maybe less the rain & mud!

As I look back on the last 6 weeks, I would have to say we are happy with our results. We have improved in some areas and still need some work in others. It's harder that you may think to produce 4 categories that 6 judges all think are good. Lots of factors enter into a finished product, the quality of meat, rubs, technique, equipment, organization, weather, cookers, & recipes all play important parts. When its all said & done, if you turned in the best you could on that day & had a good time, you have won the battle. You may not get the prize but hey, you got to cook some BBQ & be with friends & family, what more could you want?

We are taking a short break from competing. We need too clean up, get some rest, do some "Honey-Do's", & spend some time with family. We are looking forward to cooking in Haleyville, AL June 12-13, Franklin, KY June 19-20, & Lawrenceburg, TN June 26-27. Come by & visit! We love company! Until then, keep the heat low & cook it slow!

DoRag

Click the link below for pictures of the Sundrop Country BBQ Cookoff

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doragq/sets/72157617950904082

DoRag in the News!

Hey check this out! We got some press coverage & it is not for a criminal offence (although I have cooked some BBQ that I should have been arrested for)! Click here for the link!

Whistle Stop BBQ Festival

May 1-2, 2009

Huntsville, AL

Let's just say that Buttrubb.com's pit would have felt right at home at this contest. It rained, & rained, & rained! There was water & mud everywhere but it didn't dampen the spirits of 62 pro cookers and 60+ backyard teams as they competed in the 2009 Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ. This was DoRagQ's first time to visit the Huntsville contest and we were excited to compete against many of the top teams and certainly the largest contest so far this year. Due to a work obligation I would not arrive until Friday evening. Richard & our good friend Buck of High on the Hawg were able to get "Casa DoRag" pulled down on Thursday night to secure a good spot. Buck & Lou would not be competing at this contest so they volunteered to help and hang out! Richard, Buck, & Lou arrived on Thursday & got set up in time to attend a Mexican buffet with all you can handle Margaritas! From what I hear Richard & Blindog have a "Good Time". But you know the saying, "What happens in Huntsville....".

Richard & Buck were at it early Friday morning despite the rains and got meat inspected & prepped. All the hard work was done! All I had to do was to show up. Hey I'm kinda liking this setup but showing up wasn't as easy as it sounds. After work I set off for the 100+mile trip from Nashville to Huntsville. Once I arrived in Huntsville & found the festival site, finding my way in was a different story. Glad I had my pills with me as my frustration level was building. Buck & Richard finally found me and got me directed to the parking lot that "was not on the map". I even asked directions breaking one of the basic "Man-Rules". The Dude I asked was more lost than I was! Once I was at Casa DoRag my stress & frustration level was diminished by a cold beer. Soon it was time for the "Cooks-Meeting" but it was cancelled due to the heavy downpour. There wasn't much socializing going on, most were keeping dry by staying at their cook sites. Once there was a break in the rain we got a quick tour. We ran into Barry of Swiggin Pig, & Melinda & Mike of J-Mack Cookers. They were set up across from Voncil & Joe of Smokey Mountain Smokers. We also visited with Kathy & John of WBBB, & met Bubba & Shannon of Bub-Ba-Q. JoBeaz Blazin Butts, & House of Q were set up close to Casa DoRag. We also saw old friends Bobby of Team Bobby-Q, & George & Crew of The Dead End Society. It was great to see our BBQ Family even in the rain! The night was really quiet we mostly sat in Casa DoRag & visited with Lou & Buck. Later Joe & Voncil dropped by for a visit and a great time was had by all. With "quiet time" approaching we all decided it was time to turn in so after I tucked Richard in & read him a story I set off on my own to see what was going on, surely there was somebody having some fun. Sure-enough J-Mack had a trailer full of Kentuckians & they were having a good time! Mary Jo & Terry Stinett & friends from Owensboro, KY had come down to judge. It was great seeing them and laughing about our "past" experiences. They party "big" & when them & the DoRag Crew get together it is a LARGE TIME for sure! I had a midnight curfew so I headed back to Casa DoRag & settled in for the night.

Saturday brought the hopes of clear skies but Mother Nature was not going to cooperate. We had short showers all morning but did see some gaps with no rain. Our cook went off without a hitch except for a broken electric knife. Thanks to Swiggin Pig for the loaner! We got all 4 + desert categories turned in on time and all we had to do was wait & pack up cuz they were saying the "big storms" were headed our way. So we sprang into action & got most everything packed up before the 4 PM awards ceremony. About 10 minutes till we started over to the awards when the rain intensified! We were soaked! (note to self....put umbrella in trailer).

Blindog did a fine job as the awards emcee. The place was packed and loud. When the dust (mud) settled DoRagQ finished a respectable 16th overall out of 62 teams! We had a 17th in chicken, a 13th in ribs, a 30th in pork, and a 16th place brisket. Taking top honors was Bub-Ba-Q with House of Q a close 2nd overall. DoRag friend's Smokey Mountain Smokers finished 3rd, WBBB was 4th, JoBeaz was 5th (great job), Big & Twig was 6th, J-Mack was 10th, & Swiggin Pig was 13th. Great showings in a very talented field. A shout out to category winners JoBeaz for chicken , Bub-Ba-Q for ribs, Smokey Mountain Smokers for Pork, & Killer's Dirty Pit BBQ for brisket. Oh I almost forgot! Lou fixed a desert for us to turn in and we finished 10th! they were great Lou! Thanks!

OK, in spite of the rains we had a great time. I can see why this is the premiere contest in Alabama. Lots of people, music, food, and good times. DoRagQ will defiantly return next year and maybe stay the whole weekend (if the weather ever clears up). To all my BBQ Family it was great to see you again. Hope you all have a safe return home. For DoRagQ, thanks to Brenda & Terry for their help & support. We love you guys & look forward to many more good times with you. Richard, again you are the Do in DoRagQ. Thanks so much for your friendship & your desire to cook good BBQ. I couldn't & wouldn't want to do this without you. Gary (Nicklback)...we missed you. Hope you can join us next week in Pulaski. Ok..so next is the Sundrop Festival BBQ in Pulaski, TN. In 2007 we got our 1st two calls there, in 2008 we fell flat on our pork butts. What will happen in 2009? I don't know but one things for sure, DoRagQ will have a good time, see our BBQ family, & get to cook BBQ! What else matters? Hope to see you there, drop by & give us a shout! Until next week, remember, BBQ is not just for breakfast anymore!

For a complete rundown on the contest results click here!

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The Best Buckin' BBQ Cookoff

April 24-25, 2009

Athens, AL

This marked DoRagQ's first experience cooking in Alabama. We had great weather, actually it was very warm on Saturday. The contest layout was good & the contest was well organized. Richard & I arrived early Friday morning and were greeted by Barry & Mike of Swiggin Pig & Voncile & Joe of Smokey Mountain Smokers. It's always great to see our BBQ Family. We found our spot, unloaded, & started meat prep. Fairly routine except we were missing "Nickelback"! Seems that Gary had a previous commitment & DoRagQ was going to have to forge on without him. During prep Buck, of High on the Hawg arrived and pulled in next to us. We gave him a hand unloading and got back to work.

We all worked up an appetite so Joe suggested we head down to the town square in Athens to a Pizza place called Village Pizza. We arrived & Joe asked to inspect the Pizza ovens & kitchen. Ok this was either going to be a good thing or trouble. I think he is doing some research for a secret project! Joe gave them a "thumbs up" on his inspection & we were cleared to check out the menu. We ordered some Cheese Stix & two kinds of wings, The Village Honey (Carolina's honey BBQ) & The Village Jerk ( Jamaican jerk style wings with a little heat and a hint of cinnamon). That gave us more time to check out the Pizza selection. We finally decided to "Build our Own" with Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes, & Feta Cheese. After a round or two of beer the Cheese Stix arrived accompanied by a marinara sauce & garlic butter. Very tastee! Then the Wings arrived. The Carolina Honey wings were my favorite. Very moist and juicy with lots of flavor. I could have eaten the whole basket myself. Joe liked the Jerk the best. Both were top notch. After another brew out came the Pizza. WOW! A work of art! I forgot my phone & camera so there are no pics but it gets 9's on appearance. Now for the real test, let's see if the flavor has as much punch as the appearance. We were not disappointed. I want to go on record as saying "This was the best frickin pizza I have ever had in my entire life". I ain't playing! It ROCKED! We all gave it 9's on taste & the crust was cooked to perfection. I also noticed a 99 on their health rating. Very clean & fresh atmosphere. I hope they open one in Nashville! Pay them a visit if you are in their area. Check out their website @ http://www.thevillagepizza.net/ You won't be disappointed! We also visited an old hardware store across the street that was very cool. It was like going back in time. Athens is a cool place. Check it out.

OK, back the the BBQ Thang. After our fun trip downtown we got back to the cook site & did some socializing. We saw Kathy & John of Wild Bunch But Burners, Bobbie, & Lee of Music City Pig Pals, Marty of Big River BBQ, Randy & Elien of Team Allegro, Wayne of Bubba's Tennessee Smokers, & the Governor himself Gary Roberts! We also met some new peeps like Justin, Carrie, & TJ of Killers Dirty Pit BBQ. Very nice young people who like to Q. Its great to see new faces getting involved. Later in the afternoon Ron Montgomery & Trent of Team Top Chick arrived with out the Chicks. BTW this contest has a large Backyard Division. I am not sure but I think around 60 Backyard Teams were there to compete. Very cool contest if you are a Back-Yarder!

The Cook's Meeting was standard stuff. Six pieces, no red lettuce, number on top, & DoRag behave! After the meeting we were treated to a catfish & hush puppy supper with all the trimmings. I think I gained 10 lbs on Friday! Friday night was pretty calm by DoRag standards. Brenda's son Jeremy & his "squeeze" (I can take you by surprise & make you realize) Amanda joined us and we settled in for the night. Later Dan of Long Dawgs drove down to visit. He just can't stand it when we are having a good time without him. The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Before we knew it morning had brought us another beautiful day of sunshine & BBQ.

Richard & I struggled through without Gary (we missed you G) and got everything sliced & diced & turned in on time. After a brief rest, we started packing & loading up Casa DoRag. The awards were being held in the Limestone County Sheriff's Rodeo Arena so we all filed in like cattle & took our place among the BS. The Backyard Awards were first. Congrats to Three Little Pigs for taking the GC. Please excuse me if I got the name wrong. The team was a father & his 3 daughters! What a great way to spend time with the kids. Congrats! It was then time for the Pro Awards! Of the 35 Teams DoRagQ finished 12th overall with a 8th in ribs & a 7th in brisket. We can't seem to get all 4 workin for us on the same day but hey we're gonna keep on trying. Congrats to Kevin of The EggseQuetive Council on his first GC & Jiggy Piggy on their strong RGC. There was ony .0002 of a point difference in their overall scores. Other notables were Swiggin Pig in 3rd & High on the Hawg 10th overall. High on the Hawg had their second consecutive 2nd place finish in Chicken. They have go it goin on! A shout out to Barry of Swiggin Pig for 1st place chicken (177.7144) a perfect score is 180! House of Q was 1st in ribs, TNT Southern BBQ placed 1st in pork & The EggseQuetive Council took the brisket category with a 177.1430. Hey and our new friends from Killer's Dirty Pit got a 10th place call is brisket! Great Job all!

Well that about covers it. We had a great time cooking BBQ & hangin with our BBQ Peeps. We plan to do it again this week in Huntsville, AL at the Rocket City BBQ Cookoff. Stop by and say "What Up Dude" if you in the area. Who knows we may have a adult beverage or two to share. Can you say "Apple Pie"! Thanks to Lou & Buck for their friendship, guidance, & help. Richard as always you are one of the DOs in DoRagQ. We will keep praying (yes I remember how) for your Father. Until next week, keep the fat side down or you'll burn your butt!

DoRag!

High on the Hog, Winchester, TN

April 17-18, 2009

Winchester Park is just outside of Winchester, TN on Tims Ford Lake. This would mark the 22nd year of the High on the Hog Bar-B-Que Cook-Off & DoRagQ's 3rd time to compete. Winchester is known for a well managed contest and one of the most competitive in these parts. We have never finished well at this contest (32nd in 2007 & 46th in 2008) but it is still one of our favorites. In '07 we met now DoRagQ team member Richard Finley for the first time & in '08 we got a 3rd in Pork! So we were cautiously optimistic after our Clarksville top 5 finish. One thing I have learned from this "BBQ Thang" is that it is very humbling. One week you finish good and the next week you tank! All we can do is cook consistent and hope we get a good group of Judges who like our product. If they do or if they don't, just cook the best you can and forget about the last contest.
DoRagQ converged on Winchester on Friday afternoon and began prepping. Gary had brought his boat and was out on the lake wettin a line. Richard & I forged on and finished prep. Our good friends Lou & Buck of High on the Hog were set up next door and would be competing for the first time in 2009. Other DoRagQ friends such as Team Allegro, Scenic City Smokers, Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Team Bobby-Q, Music City Pig Pals, Gettin Piggy with It, Swiggin Pig, Team Top Chick, & ULIKA, just to name a few were all present. We did niss Jen, Dan, & Louie of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke who could not compete due to a previous obligation called WORK! We missed you guys! Gary finally returned (empty handed) with some tail of hooking a smoker in the shallows but we all discounted that as a "Fisherman's Tall Tale". LOL.... Supper was finally done (smoked pork chops & baked taters) and we were joined by Mark & Karen of BBQTV.Com and Lou & Buck. "Big" of Big & Twig joined us for some "Adult Beverages" & a stogie and we settled in for a quiet evening. Winchester is known for its bad weather during the contest and we were all crossing our fingers that we wouldn't see any this year.

Friday night was un-eventful by DoRag standards, seems all the excitement happened on Thursday. Our friend Byron of Buttrub.com had a small mishap with his smoker while unloading ending up in Tim's Ford Lake! Luckily both Byron & the pit were not injured and with the help of a forklift the smoker was rescued! We all pitched in and ordered some Pontoons for next year.

After dinner we got some sleep and woke up to a beautiful morning. We kicked into high gear and finished cooking without any incidents. What? No Drama in Camp DoRag? Something must wrong! Maybe this would be the year? Well don't hold your breath! We placed 19th out of 47 teams! A big improvement from our last 2 visits. We finished 14th in chicken, 30th in ribs, 37th in pork, & 5th in brisket. Congrats to Lou & Buck with their 5th place overall finish! A great way to start the year. Also congrats to Wild Bunch Butt Burners & Jiggy Piggy for finishing in the top 2 spots overall. Other notables were Scenic City Smokers with a 1st in ribs, & Gettin Piggy With It finishing 8th in ribs, ULIKA 8th in pork. Great Job! At the awards Mike Davis of Lotta Bull gave a wonderful speech inducting Fred Gould into the BBQ Hall of Fame & Dan Watson gave Bad Byron an award for "Underwater BBQing".



Next week we are headed to Athens Alabama to the Best Buckin Bar-B-Q Cookoff. Be sure and stop in for a visit if you are in the area. It will be our first time competing at this contest and we are looking forward to giving it a taste of DoRagQ! Thanks Richard & Gary for being the Do in DoRagQ! Until next time....May your beer be cold & your sauce be sweet, keep the temperature down or you'll burn your meat!

Click here to view more pics of this event!

Porkin' in the Park Results

April 3-4, 2009
After a day of bad storms and several inches rain on Thursday our plans to get an early start Friday morning began with the truck & trailer stuck in the mud in the backyard! Ok, here qo...
Richard quickly remedied the situation with some "Redneck Engineering" & a tie-down, & we were back on our way to Clarksville. The day was still overcast & a bit "Nippy" but the forecast called for no more rain. We found our way to the contest site after breakfast & a quick stop to meet up with Joshua Rogers who had a "special" gift for us. Thanks JR, it was great! After picking our spot, unloading, and setting up, we got down to prepping around 10 AM. Around 12:15 PM we finally had everything prepped & in the coolers & set out for lunch. We met up with Paul Hood of Bigbriq.com & headed to Brunie's Bar & Grill for some chow. The atmosphere was Diners, Drive Inns, & Dives...more on the Dives side, but a cool place to eat, drink, & listen to music. I highly recommend Brunie's!

After lunch we had a great time seeing our BBQ Family. Joe & Voncile of Smokey Mountain Smokers, Bobbie & Lee McWright of Music City Pig Pals, Roxie & Gary of Governor's BBQ, to name a few. It was like a family reunion. We also re-connected with several teams that we don't see that often such as Smokin' Scotsmen, Doctor Porkenstein, Quau, Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse, & Ol' Man Larry's BBQ. It was great catching up with them. Later in the afternoon, Gary showed up and DoRagQ was officially "In Da House"!

I want to thank Frazier Allen & the Downtown Kiwanis Club for a great event! We had a "Low Country Boil" courtesy Wayne of Bubba's Tennessee Smokers. That was some good eatin! Great job Wayne! At dusk, Gary fired up the outdoor fireplace and we all sat around having a great time visiting. Lou & Buck joined us and the party was on! We were about 100 yards from the Bud Lite Stage and the music the bands played was just right. After some "Apple Pie" for desert (thanks again Joshua) we called it a nite. There was some excitement at a nearby Hotel around 2 AM. Seems someone pulled the fire alarm & everyone was evacuated. We heard the sirens but I asure you that DoRagQ had nottin to do with it as we were all tucked in the bunks of Casa DoRag!

The first contest of the year is always a little different. Things don't usually flow just right, timing is off, tools & ingredients out of place, and we just don't remember what to do. We usually have to cook 3 to 4 contest before we are jelling. Thanks to the BBQ Gods we seemed to be in-sync for Porkin' in the Park. Out of 31 Teams, DoRagQ finished 9th in Chicken, 7th in Ribs, 7th in Pork, & 18th in Brisket. Placing 5th overall! Congratulations to Voncil & Joe of SMS on finishing Grand Champion. Our friends from Michigan, Smokin' Scotsmen were Reserve Grand Champions.

What a great weekend. Good contest, good music, good food, & good friends! Thank you Mark Walker of Wireless Plus & Motorola for your support. Lou & Buck thanks for your support & Gary & Richard for being the "Do" in DoRagQ! Up next, April 18th is High on the Hog in Winchester, TN. Hope we can keep it goin!

Click here to see more pictures of Porkin' in the Park!

It's BBQ Time in Tennessee!

We are ready for our first contest of 2009. Porkin' in the Park will be held in downtown Clarksville, TN. Richard & I will leave out in the morning for the 45 minute drive. Gary, Jeff, Buck, & Lou will be joining us later in the day. Jeff is coming to hang out (I think he has the BBQ Bug again). Buck & Lou are coming to hang out and help wherever they can. Their contest season has not begun as of yet so we invited them to come hang with the DoRagQ Crew! We are excited to see all of our BBQ Family again. We have not seen some of them since last season. We also have a few new things to try out on the judges.

I spent last weekend and most every evening getting ready. It's almost like work! I gotta make it easier. I need a "Roadie"! Yeah, a BBQ Roadie. That would be cool. Anyone int rested should email their resume and a recent picture for consideration. Pay is low but great benefits! Hey you can party with the DoRagQ Gang. What more could you want?

I wish all my BBQ Family a "Hot Fire" & "Blue Smoke" this weekend. Gotta get some shut-eye. Tune in to the contest wrap-up on Sunday! Later Gator!

2008 DoRagQ Review

2008 Wow what a year. New smokers, new trailer, new techniques, new challenges, & new friends. We started out in Clarksville, TN back in March & finished in Lewisburg, TN in October! We hung out at "The Jack" and had a ball at the BBQ Christmas Party! All in all a great year for the DoRagQ Gang. We competed in 11 contest and got several calls in all categories. Our best overall finish was 5th in Lewisburg, a great way to close out the year. Other 2008 highlights were placing 5th twice in chicken (a HUGE improvement), a 2nd place in ribs at the Amazin' Blazin' in Lebanon, a 3rd in pork at High on the Hog in Winchester, & a pair of 3rds & 4ths in brisket! Overall our scores were up from 2007 and above all we were more consistent. We had a few lows (Pulaski) but we keep on trying and eventually got into a grove. In the KCBS Team of the Year standings we were 200th overall, 165th in chicken, 146th in ribs, 144th in pork, & 76th in brisket out of over 4000+ teams! Not bad for out 2nd full year but we got a long way to go before we can compete with the "Big Dogs"!

I want to thank Mark Walker & Joe Davis of Wireless Plus & Motorola for helping us out. We couldn't have done it without them. We appreciate their friendship and look forward to many more years of the same. Dan & Jennifer of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke became our confidants and cheering section. Many days Dan & I were on the phone bouncing thoughts & ideas off of each other. Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg & Voncile & Joe of Smokey Mountain Smokers also gave us guidance, friendship, and a Hell of a Good Time every time we were together. We made & drank out share of Margaritas and Tito's Vodka! Which reminds me we gotta stock up for '09! We got to know more of the Teams like BigBriq.com, Ribs, & Bibs, Ulika, Pig-Pak, Late Night Whiskey Smokers, Pig Smokers in Paradise, Swiggin' Pig, Big & Twig, Big Blue, Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Buttrub.com, Team Allegro, Lotta Bull, Governor's, Pig Pals, & Gettin Piggy With It, just to name a few. Thanks for being our BBQ Brothers & Sisters! It truly is a BBQ Family!

There are a few that I just could not or would not want to do this BBQ thang without. That would be Gary "Nickelback" Lackey & Richard "Old Hairy Man" Finley! They are my friends, partners & Buddies. They are the DO in DoRagQ. Thanks for puttin up with me and being a part of the crazy BBQ ride. I look forward to many more years of friendship, moonshine, & BBQ!

Sorry I took so long to do the 2008 wrap up. I promise to do a better job in '09 of keeping it fresh. Remember "If your looking, you ain't cookin" & "keep the fat side down".

DoRag

Comming Soon! 2008 Review & Whats in store for 2009.

DoRag with the 3-Stooges (Mo, Joe, & Guy)

Richard & I had a great time hanging out at "The Jack". Our good friends Voncil & Joe Amore of Smokey Mountain Smokers invited us to hang out with them & enjoy the festivities. We arrived Friday and made the rounds. There were many failure faces, Buttrub.com, Lotta Bull, Moonswiners, Team Bobby-Q, Ulcer Acres, Pellet Envy, Jacks Old South, Natural Born Grillers, & The Dead End Society to name a few. We also saw many friends who like us aspire to get the "Draw" someday. We mostly hung out with Voncil & Joe who were surprisingly "laid back"! We made some new friends as well, Susie & Mo of Big Mo from Aho came down to help Voncil & Joe. We made Margaritas by DoRag and ate Hot Wings by Mo. We also hung out with Guy Fieri from the Food Network. As the turn ins began on Saturday you could feel the excitement building. The International Teams really let loose and have a great time at the awards (I am thinking of turning European!) while the American teams seem to be a bit more nervous. Hey lighten up! Its only the World Invitational BBQ Championship! No big deal right? Hell I was as nervous as a cat and I wasn't competing! Anyway, SMS got a call in Brisket (8th) & finished a respectable 18th overall! Congratulations Voncil & Joe! For the complete results check out the KCBS Website.

This was my fourth visit to "The Jack". It is a very special place but whats even more special are the people. I look forward to October 2009. Who knows there might even be a DoRag in da house!

DivaQ at the Jack

Stop the music player on the right side of the Blog before playing video. You gotta hear Diva SCREAM!

Goats, Music, & More - Lewisburg, TN

October 11, 2008

Overall Results
Grand Champion - Big River BBQ
Reserve Grand Champion - Jiggy Piggy
Long Dawgs Blue Smoke - 3rd
Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ Gang - 6th
High on the Hawg - 7th

DoRagQ's Results
Overall - 5th
Chicken - 7th
Ribs - 11th
Pork - 6th
Brisket - 4th

Smokin on the Square - Gallatin, TN

October 4, 2008

Overall Results
Grand Champion - QUAU
Reserve Grand Champion - Pig Smokers in Paradise
Team Allegro - 3rd
BIGBRIQ.COM - 6th
Smokey Mountian Smokers - 9th
High on the Hawg - 10th

DoRagQ's Results
Overall - 14th
Chicken - 5th
Ribs - 4th
Pork - 18th
Brisket - 16th

Grillin & Chillin BBQ Cookoff - Owensboro, KY

September 27, 2008

Grand Champion - Monthy Pigthon & the Holy Grill
Reserve Grand Champion - Smokin' T's

Team Allegro - 9th
Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ Gang - 10th

DoRagQ Results
Overall - 11th
Chicken - 12th
Ribs - 15th
Pork - 43rd
Brisket - 3rd

Most of the contests that we compete in are in Tennessee. This year we decided to venture up North to "Big Blue" country and give it a whirl. Gary, Richard, & I departed DoRagQ Headquarters on Thursday late afternoon to make the 2 1/2 hour road trip to Owensboro to meet our friends Jen & Dan Watson of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke. The ride up was mostly uneventful thanks to Richards GPS unit. (Did I just say unit?) After a few adult beverages and some chit-chat with Dan we called it a night.

Friday Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg drove up to hang out with the DoRag Crew. They had decided to take a weekend off and wanted to check out the scene in KY. Jim & Johnny of Son Seekers also pulled in and we were complete! All of our Peeps were "In Da House". After our usual "Friday Feast" (pork chops, baked potatoes, & salad) Jim broke out the home-made ice cream! What a treat! After gaining 15 pounds we all went to check out the entertainment. DJ & Karaoke was advertised and we pursuaded Gary "Nickel-Jax" to strut his stuff. And he didn't let us down. After a fine rendition of "Chattahoochie" the crowd rewarded Gary with the largest appause of the night! A star is born! So be sure to check out DoRagQ Records newest (and only0 recording artist "Gary Nickelback Lee" preforming at a stage near you!













After a brief fan club meeting Saturday morning we got down to biz and turned in out offerings. We were pleased to finish 11th out of 52 teams with a 3rd in brisket! We were most proud of our 12th place chicken. Thanks to Lou & Buck for some coaching we finally are cooking some eatable bird. Son Seekers finished 13th overall with a 9th place showing in chicken, a 10th in ribs, & 16th in Brisket. Long Dawgs Blue Smoke finished 16th with a 1st on pork & 6th in brisket. Way to go!

All in all a great weekend with great friends in a great location. Mary Jo, Terry, and crew did a fantastic job taking care of all the cookers as well as 200 other campers. Owensboro was the first of three contests on consecutive weekends. I hope we can ride the wave the rest of the way and get a top 10 overall. We were close but no cigar!

Cookeville Results

September 6, 2008

Overall Results
Grand Champion - Music City Pig Pals
Reserve Grand Champion - BIGBRIQ.COM
High on the Hawg - 6th
Ulika - 7th
Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ Gang - 8th

DoRagQ's Results
Overall - 24th
Chicken - 26th
Ribs -25th
Pork - 16th
Brisket - 4th














Well there is not much to say about this weekend but "WE SUCKED" except in brisket. Several valuable lessons were learned this weekend. First, when you change your recipe & technique (chicken) practice more than once! Second, when you normally cook 4 racks of ribs for competition, don't cook an additional 4 racks for friends. This seems to take your focus away from the 4 competition ribs. Third, be sure to have a good time on Friday night because you may SUCK on Saturday! So I am glad that we had a good time and partied like "Rock Stars". We still love the Cookeville contest. The crowd and atmosphere make the event fun and exciting. The music is always good and we always seem to have some friends drop by and also manage to make some new ones. Thanks again to Richard & Gary who made it a blast. Congrats to our neighbors Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg, Paul Hood of BigBriq.com, Ulika, & Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ for a great showing. It's always a blast to hang out with you guys.

I also want to congradulate two of my mentors Bobbie & Lee McWright of Music city PigPals who took the Grand Championship. It was a thrill to see them win. Thank you for all your support and help over the years. You are the BEST!

Cookeville was our highpoint in 2007. In 2008 it wasn't that kind to us but I made some bad decisions that put us there. I was pissed for a while but quickly began thinking what to do to get us back on track. Only a couple of weeks until Owensboro but we will be ready.

P.S. Great Job Tony Stone! Move your truck!

Amazin' Blazin' BBQ Cookoff, Lebanon, TN

August 15-16, 2008
Several weeks ago I found out the Lebanon contest was full. No problem right? I had sent my entry & check in right? WRONG! I had forgotten.....Major Bummer. We called and pleaded our case but rules are rules even for DoRagQ. We found ourselves first on the waiting list. Hey at least we got a first in something. Fast forward to last weekend (8/10/08). No one had cancelled. I called Richard & Gary and told them to make other plans. It was looking like we would be watching from the sidelines. I received a voicemail on Monday around 2:30 PM from a number I did not recognize. As I listened the message said one of the competitors had fallen ill and we were in! While we wish no ill fate on any competitors, it felt good knowing we were in one of the most prestigious and competitive contest in these here parts! DoRagQ would be In Da House!

After contacting Richard & Gary the rest of the week was insane. Work was crazy and every night I seemed to have something work related taking priority over the BBQ. Somehow we managed to get our shit together and Richard & I headed to Lebanon Thursday evening. We arrived and were rewarded with a prime spot right inside the gate. During setup Ziggy & Ole Dave of Ribs & Bibs from Indiana came over and invited us over for pizza cooked in their smoker. That sounded great to us and boy it was some mighty fine pizza! Paul Hood of BigBriq.com came over for a slice & invited us over to Music City Pig Pals site for a taste of Dueling Margarita Machines! Both Paul & Lee (MC Pig Pals) had set up their machines and were churning out Margaritas & Jackaritas for all the early attendees. It was great seeing our BBQ Family in a non-competitive atmosphere. It was like a Who's Who of BBQ. DrBBQ Ray Lampe was there as well as Carolyn Wells of the KCBS, Dan of Rubmasters (Go Predators), David Roper of Jack Daniels, Kathy & John of Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Joe & Voncile of Smokey Mountain Smokers, and our hosts Lee & Bobbie McWright & Paul Hood & many others. It was especially great seeing Mike & Melinda of J-Mack Cookers. We had not seen them since the Christmas party last December. After some socializing Richard & I headed off to Wally World for some last minute provisions. We returned and had a few more Adult Beverages and hit the hay.

By-the-way, the weather was fantastic! Last year we saw temperatures of 100+ this year however we were greeted with high 80's and mild almost cool nights. Perfect weather! Friday morning after breakfast with original DoRagQ member Jeff Edwards we settled in to get prepped. Around mid-morning Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg arrived and set up next to us. The rest of the day was spent prepping for contest & supper. Gary arrived with the "Green Stuff" and we continued our Friday night tradition in the DoRagQ Camp of smoking some Pork Chops & Taters. We threw in some ABTs (Atomic Buffalo Turds) & some fresh sliced tomatoes from the DoRag garden (Thanks to Mrs. DoRag). We were joined for supper by Mark Walker of Wireless Plus, Buck, Lou, & Mickey of High on the Hawg, Ziggy & Ole Dave of Ribs & Bibs, Jennifer Watson (1/2 of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke) and whoever else came along looking hungry. Late arriving guests Amber, LouAnn, & Jeff Edwards showed up after the Titans game. Friday night seems to fly by & soon it was time to fire up the FEs. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention we added another FE100 to our arsenal. More on that on a later post.

This contest takes place on the opening weekend of the Wilson County Fair, one of the premiere fairs in Tennessee & the nation. The sounds of the fair make it a special atmosphere. It can also make for a long night. Seems the roosters have their biological clocks messed up and started crowing about 2 AM! Maybe they were mourning their soon to be smoked cousins. Little did they know how close they came to joining them!

Saturday morning found us behind in getting our briskets & butts up to temperature due to a timing miss-calculation. We came up with a alternative plan that seemed to get us back on track. A decision was made to try some different rub on our chicken. A decision that we hoped would take our average chicken to greater heights. BIG MISTAKE! The lesson we learned was not to change anything at a contest without testing it first in the backyard. So without further A-Dew (how do you spell that anyway?) here are the results: Out of 54 teams DoRagQ finished 22nd. We had a disappointing but deserved 48th in chicken, & a respectable 19th in brisket. We did ourselves proud with a 9th in pork and 2nd in ribs! We actually were tied for first but lost the tiebreaker. WOW! What a turnaround from last years 2nd from last finish in ribs to 2nd from first. (Did I say that right?) I am still floating in the clouds! Congrats to Adams Rib & Wild Bunch Butt Burners for finishing in Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion. Other notables were Blinddog's Outlaw BBQ Gang in 5th, Team Allegro in 7th, Music City Pig Pals in 8th, & Ribs & Bibs finishing in 10th.




I want to thank Gary & Richard for their continued support and ideas. They are the "Do" in DoRagQ. I also have to give a shout out to their families for letting them hang out with a person of my questionable character. Props also go out to Rob Marlow (thanks for the hook-up), Jen & Dan Watson, Lou & Buck Buchannon, Joe & Voncile Amore, Bobbie & Lee McWright, Debbie & Mike Davis, Melinda & Mike Ford, and all of the others who have helped us along our BBQ journey. Each one of you have given us encouragement, tips, & ideas that has helped us along the way. Of course I could not do any of this without Mrs. DoRagQ (Kathy) thanks for believing in me & giving me the courage & opportunity to pursue my passions.

PS. Sorry Shotgun Shorty, maybe next time....I love you Gramps.

Gary Silvey's BBQ Cook Off Clarksville, TN

July 11-12, 2008
After a hot but enjoyable 4th of July at the lake with Kathy (wife), CoCo (dog #1), Beau (dog #2), Kathy & Gary (neighbors), & Jeff, LouAnn, & Amber (friends) we prepared to enter Gary Silvey's BBQ Cook Off in Clarksville, TN for the second year. It also marked the one year anniversary of Richard joining DoRagQ. He deserves a trophy for putting up with me & Gary for a year! Richard & I headed out on Thursday late afternoon to get set up. There were only a hand full of teams on site when we arrived. Music City Pig Pals, Team Allegro, Big Briq BBQ, & new friends Getting Piggy With It joined us as early arrivals. After setup Richard & I settled down for our usual Tunes & Brews! We always enjoy having a few cold ones & listening to "Classic Country" on my IPOD. After a few rounds Richard began sounding alot like Jim Reeves! I knew then it was time to turn in for the night.

Friday brought more heat as we began to prepare for inspection. Gary had stayed behind to pick up the "Green Stuff" & would join us later. After getting tagged (inspected) Richard began prepping chicken & ribs while I concentrated on brisket & pork butts. During prep our good friends Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg pulled in behind us. After some socializing we helped them get situated & proceeded to finish up our prepping. By early afternoon we had worked up quite an appetite so we all piled in Buck & Lou's truck & headed for Backyard Burgers. We then made stops at WallyWorld & Food Lion to pick up some last minute supplies. I can't seem to remember much but I somehow ended up with a "Noodle". More on that later.... Back at the cook site Gary soon joined us and DoRagQ was finally IN DA HOUSE!

Friday evening is a great time to visit with friends and make some new ones. We seem to have made it a tradition to throw some pork chops, jalapeno sausage, & potatoes in the smoker and have a "pot-luck" supper. Paul Hood of Big Briq BBQ brought out the Margarittaville Margarita Machine & the party began. We were joined by our friends Mark Walker of Wireless Plus (a DoRagQ sponsor) & Chip Hooper (a future sponsor) who drove up after Chip mowed his grass! (Glad he didn't weed-eat).














Our neighbors Son Seekers, Bobby & Lee McWright of Music City Pig Pals & Shane & Milissa of Smokin' Hose Grillin' Team & their crew joined in on the fun. Good food, good music, good friends & good fun! Time flies when you are having fun & before long it was "Quiet Time". So with the pits up to temperature & briskets & butts rubbed, injected, marinaded, & blessed we commenced to smokin!

It was a long, hot night & we had our share of trouble. My DigiQ was on the blink. Paul Hood came to the rescue. Paul recently became a BBQ Guru dealer & had a few spares. After a quick pit stop to change out the DigiQ we were back on track smokin. I tried to get some shut eye but I never seem to relax during a contest. I keep thinking about what we have to do next. I did manage a few hours of sleep before daybreak. Gary got up & started making boxes while Richard & I manned the pits. Saturday is much different than Friday night. Everyone has their "Race-Face" on. There is a more serious attitude in the air. Time to "get-er-dun".

Turn in went as planned. No surprises, no catastrophes, no mess ups. We had some doubts but overall we were satisfied with what we turned in. The judges however viewed our turn in below average. Out of 16 we finished 11th in chicken, 9th in ribs, 8th in pork, & 10th in brisket, with an overall finish of 11th. Disappointing to say the least. We always strive to be in the top 50%. Anything less is viewed as un-successful. On a positive note, we did not finish DAL (Dead Ass Last) & know one got sick (that we know of). Our friends had much better results! Paul Hood of Big Briq BBQ finished Grand Champion with a 3rd in chicken, 6th in ribs, 6th in pork, & 1st in brisket! This was Paul's first GC in KCBS competition. Paul has competed & won on the MIM (Memphis in May) circuit.







Finishing in the Reserve Grand Champion spot was none other than our friends Lou & Buck of High on the Hawg! Their finishes of 2nd in chicken, 2nd in ribs, 4th in pork, & 11th in brisket gave them their first ever RGC! Congrats! We are proud of & for you!














Were we disappointed? HELL YES! Did we have a good time? HELL YES! Are we gonna keep trying? HELL YES! Stay tuned cuz there is something new coming our way that we hope will help us be a better more consistant team.

Note: I hope the organizers take a long look at their facilities. I would hate to pass up a contest less than 45 miles from my front door but if they don't make some changes we may have to pass this one by in 2009.

Happy Birthday "Shotgun Shorty"!

Jack S. Rife, Jr. celebrated his 90th birthday on July 14th, 2008. Jack (AKA Shotgun Shorty) is my Grandfather and who taught me how to BBQ. Grampo gets his nickname from the old days when he carried several wepons including a shotgun hanging on the gun rack in his pickup truck. He is an avid hunter and expert marksman who is always ready to squeeze one off! While only 5'6" he was a giant to me. He reminds me of John Wayne or Audie Murphy. A honest hard working Texan who served in WWII. While serving in Germany Jack was awarded several medals & awards. A subject I will cover in a future post.

I have been asked "why I love to BBQ so much"? the answer is simple. Some of my fondest memories of Texas & growing up were on any given Friday or Saturday when Grampo would fire the pit up and cook something. Most times it was brisket or cabrito. Sometimes it was a Havelena or deer he shot while hunting. Everyone seemed to congrigate at "Uncle Jack's". Friends, family, hell even people we didn't know would stop by. Grampo always had a cold beer to share. Later her would bitch about the moochers but I know he enjoyed them stopping by. My job was to keep to wood burning, place coals in the pit, check the meat, and get him a cold Budweiser! So my answer to "why I love to BBQ so much" is everytime I fire up the pit I get to re-live those memories. If you don't understand that you never will understand BBQ. You see it's not the rub, injection, or cut of meat. Its not what kind of pit you have or wood you use. Its the concept of family, friends, & tradition that makes good BBQ. I have been fortunate to learn from one of the best. No, Shotgun has never won a BBQ competition but he has won my love & repect and many many others.

So when you see me at competitions having a few beers and listening to old country music, don't think that I dont take the competition seriously. I'm just carring on the family tradition. I can't wait to hand over our first GC trophy to Shotgun Shorty. I love you Grampo.

A Great BBQ Story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92677223
Check out this story about Snow's BBQ in lexington, Texas. This is what BBQ is all about. Food, Family, Friends, Traditions, and the characters who live and breathe BBQ. I am planning a BBQ Trip someday and I will make sure that Snow's BBQ is on the itenairy.

Here is the link the Texas Monthly which published the "Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas". http://www.texasmonthly.com/magazine/bbq