Help needed this weekend in Michigan!

Brethren,
Anyone on the bench this weekend (Aug 13-14) but would like to come out and play? I could use some help!

I am posting in this part of GFAT (the Greatest Forum of All Time) for the first time as I am throwing my hat in the ring this coming weekend at the Smoke on the Water BBQ competition in Brooklyn, MI (which is combined with the NASCAR race). This will be my first KCBS competition and at this point I am going to be taking it on alone.

There is actually a lot of cash on the line and big players like Diva Q are in the mix.

So you know, I am cooking in a way many people would find challenging/absurd: I do everything over an open fire pit on rotisserie spits. That's it. You can get the idea at http://www.AuspitBBQ.com.

For my first test run I did it all on just one 37' pit I got at Lowe's. It really wasn't ideal for running all 4 meats, but at this point my RV and trailer can't take on any more gear so I may have to make do unless I can find one to borrow for the event.

Up for the challenge? For starters, I can offer tickets to the race and all the adult beverages you can stand. That, plus it should be a good time.

Please PM me for further information.

Even if you can't make it, please WISH ME LUCK!

NRA4Life said:

Good luck on your quest for bbq greatness. Doing your first comp by yourself with the method described will be quite a challenge.

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Agreed! I know I could really use some extra ideas and extra hands.

Last week when I did a test run at the Indiana comp in New Palestine, I was fortunate that some of the kids of the actual competitors were looking for something to do and they jumped right in to help. They were awesome! They thought it was hilarious that they were able to give me quality pointers on presentation, etc. based on their experience helping their parents. It was fun.

I am hoping someone with some good experience will raise their hand for this coming weekend. The want ad remains posted for now...

--Jonny Rotisserie

Jorge said:

KCBS allows it, but it is at the event organizers discretion. Has Ronnie Cates covered that already?

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Panicked, I picked up the phone and called Ronnie right after seeing BBQ Bubba's post, thinking "I thought this was a _ _ BBQ competition!?"

I have since spoken to him and he said it is absolutely fine. Phew! That could have really upped the "challenging ante" for me.

Jorge, are you coming up for this one?

swamprb said:

What is your game plan for this cook?

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Shock and awe. ...Just kidding! My game plan is to try and survive while putting a respectable foot forward. I also see they are predicting thundershowers for the competition day, so I am also planning on trying to figure out how to protect my food and fire without burning my tent down.

swamprb said:

Are you just doing it to showcase the Auspit?

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Getting the word out about Auspit is certainly one goal, but my reasons for participating in competitions run much deeper than that. By dedicating myself to the world of competitive BBQ, I am able to learn more about the product I represent. I can’t begin to tell you how much I have learned already in just doing my test runs and bouncing ideas off competitors. I am learning more and more about how BBQ is an art which has real science behind it. In competing I am learning more about both of these aspects and how they apply (or don’t always apply) to open-fire rotisserie.

I am also curious: Can a guy with some spits over a fire compete against the pros with the giant industrial cooking rigs? :boxing:Many people would simply say heck no and leave it at that. I happen to think it merits further investigation and see it as a fun challenge. The Auspit cooks up killer good food, but can it do competition-worthy good food? I won't know until I try. The Michigan event is one of several I am doing to help me prepare to try and be a legitimate competitor at the Royal. Sure it’s a long shot, but why not go for it?

swamprb said:

How many Rib-O-Lators do you have?

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Actually none at the moment. I sold out of even my demo unit at my last event and I am having some express shipped into me so for the event in Michigan.

The decision as whether to use the Rib-o-Lator in competitions is an interesting question, which I was coincidentally discussing with Ryan just last night. While it is a great cooking apparatus, the ROL isn’t necessarily well suited to the 4 food groups featured in KCBS competitions. That said, when I do chickens, I do whole ones (or just one whole one), but I find it tough to cut up my chicken into parts that look nicely presented in the box. Thighs are all the rage now, so I have been thinking about trying to do them on the Rib-o-Lator. It would save me a lot of hassle in terms of trussing the chickens and trying to cut them up consistently when they are done.

The challenge on cooking with the ROL on the open fire comes in getting a nice finish to the skin. I am thinking about trying to do a combo of skewering them on the Squeezeloc Spikes and finishing them on the Rib-o-Lator or vice versa. It requires more study for sure to see whether that is the best path or whether I should just stick to getting a better presentation out of my whole chickens. See the fun challenges I get to work through by competing?

Diva Q said:

lol pls check the KCBS standings I have only been out to a couple of comps this year LOL
Scottie and Rod are doing much much better.

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[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]I am (clearly) new here and still learning my way around, but your name was top of mind for me as I just recently saw you being interviewed in some trailers for Pitmasters and [FONT=&quot] also read that interesting interview you did with John Markus about his involvement in the show. Do you know if he is coming to Brooklyn?
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[FONT=&quot]I don't need to know everything about the scene to understand you don't become a household name without knowing something serious about Q. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Standings aside, we know you are bringing your A game to Brooklyn.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I look forward to meeting you Friday!

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