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.
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