Ouch! That hurt! Gentlemen, I will be the first to say that I got my arse handed to me this weekend! Part of it was the incredible competition who was entered. The rest was that for some reason, my head wasn't in it and I screwed the pooch big time. I didn't party (I think I only had a six pack the entire time there) but things just didn't go right, from the beginning when I showed up to find my site wasn't where it was supposed to be to the ending disappointment of not getting called in 15 places in four categories. Check it out: last contest, I put my pork on at 8:30 pm Friday night. It wasn't done til around 10:30 or 11 am on saturday. This time I put 'em on at 9:30 pm Friday (an hour later)... and the farkers were DONE as done could be at 7:30 AM this morning!! Tried to keep this warm without drying out. No chance! I meant to slice one but both were overdone. Ended up chopping it and doctoring up with lots of apple juice and Blues Hog regular. It sucked. Bad. Brisket I thought was dry. And I had no second choice because my other brisket was dry and hard as month old cow chit in an August pasture! I forgot it as turn in's started and by then, it was too late. My chicken I overdid it in browning the skin and it looked a bit bad. The toothpicks didn't do their job and hold shape to the thighs and the skin pulled up like farking postage stamps on a few of the best sized ones. My ribs, I was happy with and thought we had a slim shot for something like 15th there. Didn't happen. Three of the four turn-in's, my wife made it with less than a minute to go. We were stressed. Guess my new Gun's N Roses CD isn't going to work for turn-in time music.
On a positive note, we had about 25 family and friends over on Friday night for dinner at our site. I thought that would distract me from my job but it really didn't.
Also positive, I got to meet Myron Mixon and his right hand man, Nick. Jack's Old South all came running over to my site Thursday afternoon when a big ol' gust of wind grabbed my canopy and shoved it about 15-20 feet back across the parking lot while I was trying to set up. They helped me get it back in place and stabilized. Real good folks they are. I invited them here to the Brethren site by the way. I hope they come by. Nick is funny as hell, a great BBQ cook and a damned nice guy. We kinda hit it off and he brought me over a sample of all four categories they turned in. Great stuff. I felt honored to be sampling their work! Nick also offered up a great bunch of tips and tricks to us during the course of the last 48 hours that I will definitely use... when my head's back in the game, dang it!
If I recall, the only Brethren to walk in the Open was Rod.
It was hot as hell and windy but an incredibly well run contest. The volunteers on golf carts were contantly there asking "Is everthing ok?" or "Do you need ice or water?" "Can we help you with anything?" etc. It was unlike anything I've seen or heard of. Quite a huge contrast to the Royal. Congrats and thanks to the GAB committee for an oustanding event and congrats to all the winners.
