This year’s tastiest pork came out of Odessa, MO. Odessa’s Craig and Patty Kidwell can make their claim as pork royalty after earning Grand Champion honors in the Pork Checkoff’s 20th Annual Great Pork BarbeQlossal™. The couple, who run Boys of BBQ Patty, received $10,000 worth of cash and prizes, June 9th.
This is the second time the Kidwell’s have won BarbeQlossal. “The Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest shows pork’s versatility,” said Lynn Harrison, a pork producer from Elk Mound, Wis. “This is another way to reinforce to consumers that pork is spirited, creative, engaging and energetic.” The grand champion must cook in all four categories – whole hog, loin, ribs and shoulder. The 2007 grand champion team placed second in the whole-hog category, fourth place in the loin category and tenth place in the rib category.
“BarbeQlossal is unique. It is one of the only contests in the country that allows competitors to cook four cuts of meat,” Kidwell said. “This allows us to showcase to consumers how easy it is to cook great tasting pork.”
Eighty teams from 15 states competed in the annual pork barbecue contest held at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. Of those, 19 were competing in the Great Pork BarbeQlossal for the first time. Teams competed in one or more of the four categories. Monetary prizes in the Great Pork BarbeQlossal are awarded for first through tenth places in each category, as well as the top five overall scores. Reserve Grand Champion honors and $3,000 went to Fred Horstman of 4 Mile Smokin Crew in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. The team placed first in the whole-hog category and eighth place in the loin category.
Each year, the top score from a single state also is honored. Special recognition was awarded to the top team from Minnesota—Mark Born of The Heat is On from Red Wing, Minn. Also receiving special recognition were Ted and Donna McClure of PDT from Lenexa, Kan., and Harley and Shirley Goerlitz of Harley’s Fencing Crew from Gidding, Texas, as teams that have competed in all 20 contests. Teams that were not recognized as a top-10 winner had an opportunity to win a Horizon smoker, donated by TNT Landscaping and Horizon.
Mike Whitney, Two Mike’s BBQ, from Ames, Iowa, was awarded the smoker. Back by popular demand was the Big Green Egg® Scramble. Six teams were selected to participate in the Big Green Egg Scramble. The teams were provided a basket of pork, which included a new pork cut, the pocket roast. They prepared their pork on a Big Green Egg grill for a chance to walk away as Big Green Egg Scramble champion. Andy McReynolds, Claxon’s Pig Daddy’s, from Altoona, Iowa, received a Big Green Egg grill as the grand prize winner.
This annual contest highlighted barbecue techniques from across America. The Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and follows its rules and regulations.
“We never thought we would win again,” said Kidwell. “We keep coming back because BarbeQlossal is a classic BBQ event for our entire family.” National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold.
Pork importers also invest a comparable amount. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health and pork safety. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at (800) 456-PORK or check the Internet at pork.org. -30- Note to media: A complete list of winners follows. Pork producers are available to interview about this story. To arrange for an interview, please contact Cindy Cunningham, assistant vice president of communications at the National Pork Board, at (515) 223-2600.
Results of 2007 Great Pork BarbeQlossal Whole Hog
1st Place – $1,000 Fred Horstman, 4 Mile Smokin Crew—Pleasant Hill, Iowa
2nd Place – $800 Craig and Patty Kidwell, Boys of BBQ Patty—Odessa, Mo.
3rd Place – $600 Andy McReynolds, Claxon’s Pig Daddy’s—Altoona, Iowa
4th Place – $500 John Earnest, Uncle Earnie’s Swine Dining—Cedar Creek, Neb.
5th Place – $350 Johnny Trigg, Smokin’ Triggers—Alvaredo, Texas
6th Place – $125 Darryl Snyder, BBQ n Buddies—Moline, Ill.
7th Place – $125 Stephanie Wilson Crew, The Slabs—Kansas City, Mo.
8th Place – $125 Tim McCarty Johnny Hernandez, Tru Q Brothers—Rochester, Minn.
9th Place – $125 Phil Hopkins, Smokin Guns— Kansas City, Mo.
10th Place -$125 Dave DeWitt, Beer: 30 BBQ Team—Albuquerque, N.M. Ribs
1st Place – $1,000 Rod Gray, Pellet Envy—Leawood, Kan.
2nd Place – $800 Steve Wasson, Woody’s Smoke Shack—Des Moines, Iowa
3rd Place – $600 Mike Beauchamp, Grumpy Old Farts—Des Moines, Iowa
4th Place – $500 Johnny Trigg, Smokin’ Triggers—Alvaredo, Texas
5th Place – $350 Brian Peppers, Hired Hand—Bremen, Ala.
6th Place – $125 Johnny Hernandez and Time McCarty, Tru Q Brothers—Rochester, Minn.
7th Place -$125 Joe Toillion, Top Shelf Grilling—Jewell, Iowa
8th Place – $125 Kirk Hetzel, Bunsen Burners—Eden Prairie, Minn.
9th Place – $125 Dale Sales, Lazy Toad’s BBQ—Centerville, Iowa
10th Place – $125 Craig and Patty Kidwell, Boys of BBQ Patty—Odessa, Mo. Shoulder Category
1st Place – $1,000 Joe Rosenberg, Farm Boy BBQ—St. Ansgar, Iowa
2nd Place – $800 Darren Warth, Smokin’ Clones—Des Moines, Iowa
3rd Place – $600 Rick Larpenteur, Chicago BBQ Company—Ames, Iowa
4th Place -$500 Harley Goerlitz, Harley’s Fencing Crew—Giddings, Texas
5th Place – $350 Johnny Trigg, Smokin’ Triggers—Alvaredo, Texas
6th Place – $125 Chris Bouska, Lynch BBQ Company—Waucoma, Iowa
7th Place – $125 Adam Perry Lang, Daisy May’s BBQ—New York City, N.Y.
8th Place – $125 Mark Born, The Heat is On—Red Wing, Minn.
9th Place – $125 Randy Hinck, Pork Pullin’ Plowboys—Concordia, Mo.
10th Place – $125 Steve Bryant, Meadow Valley BBQ—Ames, Iowa Loin Category
1st Place – $1,000 Mike Wozniak, Quau—Brimfield, Ill.
2nd Place – $800 Kyle VanVugt, Butt Stuffers—Sioux Center, Iowa
3rd Place – $600 Robert Magee, Munchin Hogs at the Hilton—Kansas City, Mo.
4th Place – $500 Craig and Patty Kidwell, Boys of BBQ Patty—Odessa, Mo.
5th Place – $350 Johnny Hernandez and Tim McCarty, Tru Q Brothers BBQ—Rochester, Minn.
6th Place – $125 Mike Motis, Blue Collar BBQ—Geneva, Neb.
7th Place – $125 David Hintz, Pork County BBQ—Newton, Iowa
8th Place – $125 Fred Horstman, 4 Mile Smokin Crew—Pleasant Hill, Iowa
9th Place – $125 Andy McReynolds, Claxon’s Pig Daddy’s—Altoona, Iowa
10th Place – $125 Mike Smith, Up In Smoke BBQ—St. Ansgar, Iowa Top 5 overall scores
5th Place – $1,500 Robert Magee, Munchin Hogs at the Hilton—Kansas City, Mo.
4th Place- $2,000 Donna McClure, PDT—Lenexa, Kan.
Reserve Champion- $2,500 Johnny Trigg, Smokin’ Triggers—Alvaredo, Texas
Reserve Grand Champion-$3,000 Fred Horstman, 4 Mile Smokin Crew—Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Grand Champion – $10,000 Craig and Patty Kidwell, Boys of BBQ Patty—Odessa, Mo.