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

Dickson Fiddler's Contest

June 27-28, 2008
Gary & Richard thought I was crazy when I told them we had entered the Dickson Fiddler's Contest. Hell, I don't even have a Fiddle much less know how to play one! Its a good thing they had a BBQ contest at the same time. Richard & I headed West of Nashville about 45 miles on Thursday to get set up. We arrived & got set up before dark. After a few adult beverages we turned in for the night.


Friday morning after heading down to Cracker Barrel for some chow we started prepping. Voncil & Joe of Smokey Mountain Smokers invited us along with Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg to lunch at one of the local Mexican eateries during which Voncil was treated to a birthday treat in the form of a shot of Tequila! Happy Birthday Voncil! Shortly after returning to the contest Gary arrived and DoRagQ was IN DA HOUSE! After bringing Gary up to date on all the happenings we were asked by contest organizer Tim Owings to judge the sausage category. Gary & I accepted and off we went. I tell you, judging is not as easy as you may think. We were treated to some very original culinary delights featuring Tennessee Pride Sausage. Some rocked & some rocked our stomachs! Upon completion of judging the sausage category, Buck & Lou of High on the Hawg treated us to a spaghetti supper complete with garlic bread. I didn't know that 6 lbs of spaghetti could feed half of Dickson! The evening was topped off by yours truly making several of my famous DoRag Margaritas. Luckily the Tequila ran out before the "Grills Gone Wild Crew" arrived. We wouldn't want to be seen on one of those cheesy late-night advertisements selling DVDs. No one was lost or hurt and the evening ended quietly.

Saturday brought the chance of rain, gusting winds, and the hope of a good finish. The rains held off, the winds died down, and we finished in the middle of the pack. A 18th place finish in chicken, 8th in ribs, 22nd in pork, & 9th in brisket combined for a 14th place finish overall. Congratulations to Pig-Pak & Team Allegro for finishing Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion respectively. DoRagQ friends High on the Hawg finished 6th, Bigbriq.com came in 9th, and newcomers Gettin'Piggy With It in 12th. Thanks to Gary & Richard for their continuing efforts. We continue to pay our dues & keep learning. Until next time....Keep on Smokin!

P.S.I forgot to mention our 2nd place finish in the desert competition! But then that's another story.......Thanks Lou!

Long Dogs on the Rag or Doggie Do BBQ?

June 20-21, 2008
Dan Watson of Long Dawgs Blue Smoke & I waited to the week of the Franklin Simpson County BBQ Cookoff to decide to enter. We both had planned to take a few weeks off but after talking about it all week we decided to hook up together and cook. On Thursday Dan headed to Franklin Kentucky which is North of Nashville about 40 miles. The cookoff was held in the City park next to a river. Each site had power & water hookups and grass was green and cut like a high dollar golf course. A great setting for a contest. Mark Sexton the contest organizer did a fantastic job taking care of the cooks. We had entertainment on Friday night and a steak dinner to boot!













Our combined efforts resulted in 10th in chicken, 1st in ribs, 5th in pork, & 7th in brisket with a 5th overall. Not bad for a last minute contest. Congratulations to Debbie & Mike Davis of Lotta Bull for taking the Grand Champion. Smokey Mountain Smokers took Reserve Grand Champion. DoRagQ Compadres Bigbriq.com finished 3rd, Team Allegro 8th, & Pig Smokers in Paradise rounded out the top 10. DoRagQ plans to add this cook to our schedule in 2009. It was a beautiful setting, well organized, and just plain fun! Thanks Dan & Jen for putting up with me. Can't wait to do it again!

The BBQ Song

CMA Musicfest BBQ Cookoff, Nashville, TN

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Sundrop Country Cookoff, Pulaski, TN

May 9-10, 2008
Not much to tell. We stunk! Just when you think you have it all figured out; you have a Pulaski! We finished 13th in chicken, 23rd in ribs, 23rd in pork, and 27th in brisket. The only positive things were we were consistent and didn't finish DAL (dead ass last)! Congratulations to Jiggy Piggy (Grand Champion) & our friend Barry of Swiggin Pig (Reserve Grand Champion). The rest of the overall top ten were 3rd Wild Bunch butt Burners, 4th Team Top chick, 5th Tennessee Butt Burners, 6th Bill & the Dixie Chicks, 7th Big Daddy Q, 8th Smokey Mountain Smokers, 9th Late Night Whiskey Smokers, & 10th High on the Hawg. Way to go Buck & Lou. Our only consolation is knowing we had some company down at the bottom. Several teams who are usually in the running joined us with low scores. All we can do is move on to the next one and keep practicing and hope we don't have another Pulaski!

High on the Hog, Winchester, TN

April 19th, 2008 marked our return to Winchester's High on the Hog contest. It also was the first since the passing of Fred Gould. Fred had a profound impact on the BBQ community and was a big part of the High on the Hog contest. I had met Fred at last years High on the Hog contest. Fred was one of those people who made you feel like you had know him for years. Fred will be missed but remembered fondly in the hearts of many.

The High on the Hog contest also marked the one year anniversary of meeting current DoRagQ Team member Richard Finley. Richard's contributions to our team cannot be measured. He has become a close and dear friend and I look forward to many many years of BBQ and friendship. Thank you Richard!



Ok, now that we have gotten some things off my chest, let's tell you about the contest. I picked Richard up on the way to Winchester. Gary had to work and would catch up with us later. We had the same spot as last year, right on the lake beside the boat ramp. We noticed the lake was quite a bit higher that last year. We had great weather for the most part. Only a small shower Friday night. Once set up, Richard and I began preparing the meat. Once completed we had some time to visit. There were 52 Teams competing including close friends Music City Pig Pals, Ulika, Lotta Bull, Buttrub.com, High on the Hawg, Wild Bunch Butt Burners, Swiggin' Pig, Big Brig.com, Pig Smokers in Paradise, Governors B-B-Q, Scenic City Smokers, J.C.'s Pit Crew, Sun Bear BBQ, and Porkenstein to name a few. It was good to see everyone again. Kinda like a family reunion. Gary arrived late afternoon and DoRagQ was IN THE HOUSE! The rain cut down on our socializing so we just retired to Casa DoRag and got ready for the long night ahead.

Saturday morning brought sunshine and the hopes of a respectable finish. Gary's turn in boxes looked great and all that was left was to let the Judges do their thing. Once turn in was completed, Gary had to head back home for a prior commitment and left Richard and myself to attend the awards. We finished 18th in chicken, 29th in ribs, 3rd in pork, and 46th in brisket. That placed us 22nd overall. While not a great finish, I was happy with getting to "walk" in pork. I was most dissapointed with our brisket. I really thought we had cooked the best one yet. I was ok with our chicken finish and still scratching my head trying to figure out our ribs. Still not a bad finish considering the level of competition.

The Grand Champion went to Bareknuckles BBQ, with Team Bobby-Q getting the Reserve Grand Champion call. Other notables were 3rd Wild Bunch Butt Burners, 4th Buttrub.com, 6th Music City Pig Pals, 7th Ulika, 9th Lotta Bull, and 11th High on the Hawg.

All in all we can't complain. We are still getting use to our new trailer, cooker, and technique. Thanks to Gary and Richard who "complete me". I could not and would not want to do this without them. To see pictures from this contest, click the link below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doragq/sets/72157605602919589/

Porkin in the Park 2008

April 5, 2008 marked DoRagQ's first competition of the 2008 season. Heavy rains and cool weather did not dampen the spirits of the 29 Teams that converged on the Clarksville Fairgrounds. Richard & I left Nashville on Thursday hoping to get a prime spot while Gary joined us on Friday. This was also the maiden voyage of DoRag's new Toy Hauler and new cookers. The comforts of a dry warm place to rest and prep made a world of difference compared to the primitive E-Z Up of last year. I don't know how we made it through last year!

Richard and I got some sleep between heavy rains on Thursday night and woke up early on Friday to grab some breakfast. We came upon a out of the way dinner that cooked up a mean omlete. After feeding our faces we returned to prep the meat. It seemed to take longer than usual, I guess we were a little out of practice. We finished up the pork, brisket, and ribs about the time Gary showed up. We let him relax for a few and then started in on the chicken. We brought extra chicken so we fired up the new FEC100 and made some supper. After supper the organizers asked us over for some left overs from a fish fry. Needless to say we all had plenty to eat. We then adjourned to the confines of Casa DoRag and started making our turn-in boxes. Once completed we all turned in for some shut eye.

Saturday brought us hopes of warmer, dryer weather. While it was dryer it wasn't much warmer. We stumbled through our routine trying to remember what to do next. We somehow managed to get everything turned in on time and there were no reports of ill health! When the dust settled, 2007 KCBS Team of the Year "Cool Smoke" took Grand Champion with "Learn 2 Q.com" finishing Reserve Grand Champion. Nashville based team Ulika finished a strong 3rd, with Jacks Old South & Smokey Mountain Smokers rounding out the top five.

Other locals, Pig Smokers in Paradise and High on the Hawg finished 6th & 9th respectively. DoRagQ placed 15th in the 29 team field with a 14th in chicken, 26th in ribs, 13th in pork, and 8th in brisket. We are not sure what happened to our ribs. We thought they were a winner and we normally finish strong in that category. For complete results go to: http://www.kcbs.us/events.php?year=2008&month=04&id=1065

Overall, not a bad start to our sophomore season. New environment, new smokers, and new ideas take time to get the kinks worked out. We have high hopes heading into Winchester. Until then, Peace Out!