OFFICIAL 2011 - Memphis in May WCBBQ Thread

[msavard]

Alright, I know most of you hacks are KCBS, but I figure there are at least a few of us MBN dogs around here. Where you guys at? Who's competing at Memphis in May? What have you guys started to do to plan for the event?

For those who are used to smaller events but are intrigued by the bigger ones, I'll keep this updated with our planning and execution so for those who might interested can get an inside look at the guts of a large Memphis in May team.

Hopefully others will do the same to give more interested parties something to follow.

Meet Slab Yo Mama BBQ

Our setup on a 26'x40' lot at Memphis in May in 2010. In 2011 we're moving to 26'x50' and moving to a Riverfront lot right on the Mississippi (+$1300)

We're in the early stages of planning this year. Our pitmaster is out in SC hammering away at our Rib recipe/technique trying to get us set to improve on last year's 10th place finish.

We've secured our DJ for Thursday & Friday night parties. In addition we're bringing back the Friday's Sunset Blues Session... a 3-man acoustic blues jam on the deck of our trailer. These guys are some of the best guitarsts on Beale... it's something pretty impressive to see...

One big factor at Memphis In May is if you're going to go big (ie host large parties) then you need sponsors. Our budget for the event typically ranges between $12-15k. This year I'm thinking our budget will land around $12-13k and that's with 20 kegs, 8 cases of wine, 4 cases of liquor, and most of our non-meat food being donated. We have pretty much landed Red Bull as a sponsor this year (finalizing the arrangement next week) and are hoping to add a major IT services firm to round out our funding for the year. We'll see.

We'll be serving Shoulder, Ribs, Wings, Beans, Slaw, Potato Salad, and Chargrilled Oysters this year. Team night (wednesday) we'll be using some new pizza stones and making some BBQ pizza using our sauces/shoulder. Last year we did Crawfish. It varies annually.

We'll be compeiting in Ribs, Mustard Base, Tomato Base, Wings, and Seafood for sure. Possibly a couple extra entries...we'll see.

When you've been at it for a while you learn to cut corners to save money. We had been paying $1000 annually just to rent flooring/carpeting. Last year we built our own for about $600. Now we own it. When you've got a monster trailer like ours it's easy to get it to the site.

HEre's a shot of Tom Lee Park as some teams are just starting to load in. Love the riverside view site for Memphis in May. :thumb:

 

[Lake Dogs]

MBN "dog" myself. LOVE IT, PREFER IT, like words dont describe. Didn't qualify for
MIM this year, perhaps next year.

 

[msavard]

How are you sure you've not qualified yet? Applications aren't due till mid feb IIRC?

Regarding MBN vs KCBS... well.. I'll just let Tuffy tell it like it is:

It was the first competition in Memphis for Tuffy Stone of Cool Smoke; he typically competes on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit instead of contests sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network.

He's a changed man.

"I'm completely convinced that Memphis barbecue is the way to go," he said.

Quote is from an interview after the 2010 MIM WCBBQ.

 

[deguerre]

Redhot and I don't compete but we'll definitely be paying you guys a visit this year! Love your set-up.:thumb:

 

[Warthog]

Wife and I drove down last year and a great time. Good luck to all those competing.
Ed

 

[Lake Dogs]

Is MIM not a qualifier? I guess I'm showing my age... Maybe now it's
only the MBN Championship in Jackson GA that's a qualifier...

There are a few things I like about KCBS (like Brisket for example),
but really to me there's just no comparison, and I wont go into details
because the KCBS purists will be offended and I certainly mean no
offense, it's just our preference. We're pretty much just pork and
ribs (no additional cooker for whole hog) right now. I made a HUGE
mistake and basically outsourced ribs last time to a friend. Never
again. I'll just suck-it-up and deal with the headaches myself (both).

Unfortunately small funding here, 100% by yours truly, so we'll probably
just do Stone Mountain and Deep Roots this year. I dont plan on any
recipe changes as we've landed on the same table at the GC now a
few times and gotten 9.9's to their 10's. We're close, just need a break.
That, and we have to work on the temperature, particularly of the ribs,
for on site. Cool (temps) ribs just dont work. Lost 2 key/critical team
members so we're recruiting...

I would LOVE to run in to Yazoo's!

 

[Yazoo's]

Memphis in May is a stand alone contest and not affiliated with the Memphis BBQ Network (MBN). It's an open contest- i.e. anyone can enter and the only guaranteed acceptance teams come from those who finished in the top 10 in the 3 main categories of the previous year- the rest are assigned on a "random drawing". Typically, there are several teams that send entries in but do not get to compete due to not enough space- that could be much worse as the park is undergoing construction and may not have quite as much room as in years past.

MBN has a championship every year (last year was in Macon, GA) and the site rotates yearly. This year it is slated for the fall in Southaven MS. Again, though you can get a guaranteed entry by winning a contest (note- not a FREE entry), in practice anyone with a team can enter.

Memphis in May is a truly glorious pain in the butt. Load in is a pain, load out is a pain, getting supplies are a pain, etc. However, it is the absolute coolest event out there- walk around on a Friday night and you will understand what I mean.

It's expensive, the odds are against you, but it is a must do if you compete in BBQ.

 

[msavard]

Memphis in May is a stand alone contest and not affiliated with the Memphis BBQ Network (MBN). It's an open contest- i.e. anyone can enter and the only guaranteed acceptance teams come from those who finished in the top 10 in the 3 main categories of the previous year- the rest are assigned on a "random drawing". Typically, there are several teams that send entries in but do not get to compete due to not enough space- that could be much worse as the park is undergoing construction and may not have quite as much room as in years past.

MBN has a championship every year (last year was in Macon, GA) and the site rotates yearly. This year it is slated for the fall in Southaven MS. Again, though you can get a guaranteed entry by winning a contest (note- not a FREE entry), in practice anyone with a team can enter.



Memphis in May is a truly glorious pain in the butt. Load in is a pain, load out is a pain, getting supplies are a pain, etc. However, it is the absolute coolest event out there- walk around on a Friday night and you will understand what I mean.

It's expensive, the odds are against you, but it is a must do if you compete in BBQ.

What Pete said! Load-in is a huge cluster####... no doubt about that. That said, once your stuff is there and you and your teammates are spending a day or two getting everything laid out...taking periodic breaks to tip a beer back or walk around your area to check out other folks' stuff and meet the other teams... it's totally worth it.

Regarding the construction... I have heard through the grapevine locally (some connections downtown) that the contractors have a clause that requires the fencing to be retracted to the previous spot by the start of May to enable the park to stay the same size. There are supposedly some stiff penalties if they don't free up that space on time. Hopefully it won't impact BBQfest as, like you stated, it could cut already precious real estate a bit.

Pete, your team's reputation obviously preceeds you. Good to bump into you on the forums here. You guys should make sure to swing by our spot on your Friday walk... preferably when the band is playing (between 5-8 this year I beleive). Should be worth your time. Come in and ask for me (Matt) and I'll get you guys taken care of. :thumb:

 

[2Fat]

visited MIM last year for the 1st time-not the last for sure-wish I had the funding(and energy) to compete in MBN style contests--in my limited experience that format is pretty darn nice! Nothing like a contest along the Mississippi River--that park is pretty nice--even in the rain and mud---and it is only a short walk to Gus's Fried Chicken!!

 

[dmprantz]

From what I understand, it used to not be so bad, but with Music Fest growing larger and larger and there now always being rain that weekend, it just destroys TLP. I remember watching Beck and Dylan when it was dry. May have rained for John Lee Hooker, The Black Crowes, and Greg Allman. By the time BBQ shows up, TLP is already destroyed: Like plaing in the post season on natural grass.

dmp

 

[Big Butt BBQ]

Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ will be competing again this year in the shoulder category. Stop by and share a cold one.

 

[Yazoo's]

Last year the park wasn't too bad, and the new load in procedures were actually an improvement. 2009 was a miserable experience with rain every day- they dumped 900,000 lbs of sand through the park over that week. Thanks for the invite Matt. We usually get stuck at our site though, especially on Friday.

 

[Iamarealbigdog]

Considering giving this a shot this year, it's a hefty price of admission. Not sure about crossing over from KCBS style. I don’t get doing just one entry, am I missing something there...

Mike

The Black Pig BBQ
London Ontario Canada

 

[dmprantz]

I don't think you're missing anything, it's just the way MIM is done. Each entry is a seperate competition, with GC going to the best overall. Some MBN comps allow entry in all three, some allow entry in all three if you pay to enter three times, and MIM allows only one. They even segregate you so that all the Hog, Shoulder, and Rib teams are together. Last year if you were on a Shoulder team and wanted to say hi to a Rib team, better have on comfy shoes! Remember that the total meat outlay for each category is signifigantly higher than KCBS, and in addition to blind turn-ins you have three on-site shows, which take up some time.

dmp

 

[msavard]

Remember that the total meat outlay for each category is signifigantly higher than KCBS, and in addition to blind turn-ins you have three on-site shows, which take up some time.

Plus extra for finals if you're lucky....

 

[SmokeInDaEye]

Memphis in May is a stand alone contest and not affiliated with the Memphis BBQ Network (MBN). It's an open contest- i.e. anyone can enter and the only guaranteed acceptance teams come from those who finished in the top 10 in the 3 main categories of the previous year- the rest are assigned on a "random drawing". Typically, there are several teams that send entries in but do not get to compete due to not enough space- that could be much worse as the park is undergoing construction and may not have quite as much room as in years past.

MBN has a championship every year (last year was in Macon, GA) and the site rotates yearly. This year it is slated for the fall in Southaven MS. Again, though you can get a guaranteed entry by winning a contest (note- not a FREE entry), in practice anyone with a team can enter.

Memphis in May is a truly glorious pain in the butt. Load in is a pain, load out is a pain, getting supplies are a pain, etc. However, it is the absolute coolest event out there- walk around on a Friday night and you will understand what I mean.

It's expensive, the odds are against you, but it is a must do if you compete in BBQ.

What do you and Melissa know about MIM? :heh: http://www.youtube.com/smokeindaeye#p/u/15/HvR-gf8zQ9s

I'll be there again this year, not cooking just hanging out with whoever will have me!

 

[msavard]

Considering giving this a shot this year, it's a hefty price of admission. Not sure about crossing over from KCBS style. I don’t get doing just one entry, am I missing something there...

Mike

The Black Pig BBQ
London Ontario Canada

If you're looking to do multiple cooks at MIM then look into some of the ancillaries. That said, MIM is a much more social event with a caliber of party that rivals the caliber of 'que. Thursday and Friday nights are flat out nuts. Think Mardis Gras.

If the festivities and amazing people watching/socializing mean nothing to you... then consider it's on the banks (literally) of the MS river with a fantastic view of the skyline/bridge/river/etc. If THAT does nothing then come down just to see if you can hang with the caliber of cooks that are here :becky:

 

[TooSaucedToPork]

Well if it aint Slab Yo Mama...What up guys, finally decided to join the forum heh? All of us at Too Sauced To Pork / Swinebucks will be at MIM, hopefully right around the corner from ya again.

Neil Gallagher
Pitmaster
Too Sauced To Pork

 

[dmprantz]

The funny thing Neil is that you invited me to be on your team last year, and I passed it up, but I shouldn't have. The really funny thing is that my wife and I have known you and DZ for over 15 years, and I was just thinking about you yesterday when I had lunch at KFC....I had no idea that you had moved to Buffalo.

dmp

 

[smokinit]

We are there again also just got it all arranged. We should have a new trailer set up and a new scaffolding high rise built cant wait. Took second in Red Sauce last year watch out first place. Stop on by one and all!!!