Best Dam BBQ in Boulder City

This year is flying by...it's all ready time to head to Boulder City, NV for the Best Dam Barbecue Challenge.  The Rotary Club hosts this event every Memorial Day Weekend and they do a fantastic job.  We're hoping for great weather and a prize winning cook.  We've had a few calls at this event in year's past but this event seems to be our nemesis when it comes to getting a top 5 call.  This year we have Tracy, a KCBS certified barbecue judge cooking with us as she works for her master certification.  This should be a great learning experience for her and we're honored she chose us to cook with.  Hopefully, she will be good luck for us. 

This is a great family event with lots of stuff to do including a Kid's Que contest, kids zone full of fun activities, a beer garden, great BBQ meals for sale, a vendor's market and more.  Be sure to come out on Saturday to check it all out.  

Nevada BBQ Association is once again hosting a team/judge potluck dinner Friday evening.  Should be even bigger and better than last year from what I hear.  

Awards are supposed to be at 5:00om on Saturday.  We're hoping to hear a name...several times would be amazing.  

9th overall in Best Dam BBQ

Best Dam BBQ is in the books.  It was a great weekend, the weather was pleasant, we had great neighbors, and we came out of it with a decent placement.  

Although the chicken had great flavor, it was too dark.

The ribs were tasty for sure. 

I gotta say, the pork was amazing!  We changed up the recipe on it this time and I think its a keeper. 

As far as brisket goes, it was way too peppery for my taste but it was our highest placing category.  It was a thinner brisket than I normally like to use. 

Scott and Christy came out to help.  They helped out with the NVBBQA potluck Friday night and came back out on Saturday.  Christy ran all the boxes for me...such a big help!  Scott and Timm watch the pit and the meat.  Thank you so much you guys!

I painted up a few signs for the event.  Didn't sell many, but that's okay.  They'll be on Etsy this week.  

Cassy loves on daddy while waiting for awards.  She is such an awesome dog and mascot.  

Devil Pups did an amazing job once again.  

I think one of the most exciting things I am happiest about all weekend is the 2nd place call in ribs for Satisfied Hogs!  They also got 6th in brisket.  They finished just in front of us in 8th place.  We're so proud of them.  

We were pleased with our results.  

14th...chicken

14th...ribs

12th...pork

10th...brisket

9th overall

We decided to donate our winnings to Operation BBQ Relief.  It's something we really feel good about and we know it will do lots of good in the Moore, OK area. 

Nevada BBQ Association was well represented.  We had a great time with many of them on our row.  Timm got to visit with many of the teams, I tend to stick close to our site.  

Hats off to Kathy Hicks and her team at the Rotary Club.  They put on a fabulous event that has really grown since she has been in charge.  We look forward to next year's event!

Where are we next?

Good question...haven't really been anywhere since January but it's starting to wind up for the next few months. 

 Memorial Day weekend we are sticking close to home, we'll be in Boulder City NV for the Best Dam BBQ Challenge.  Turn ins are Saturday starting at noon.  There's lots to do at this one with a kid zone play area, kids 'que contest, a new marketplace (vendors) and more.  We hope for better results this year than the last.  

 Just a couple of weeks later on June 14 & 15 we'll be in Williams AZ for the Northern Arizona Barbeque Festival.  This is another great contest.  They have people's choice tasting at this contest and it's a big hit with the crowd.  I love this area of the country.  

July 12th & 13th takes us to Arizona once again, this time a bit further to Holbrook AZ.  Whiskey Ranch Pro BBQ Series is hosting the Ace in the Hole BBQ Throwdown.

I think its awesome how small communities get behind these contests and make them successful.  This one is tied in with a fair as well.  It's right on I-40 and historic Route 66 runs right through town (just like Williams AZ).  There's a people's choice at this one as well but we donate our meats to the local food bank instead like we did last year.  

There's nothing on the calendar (as of now) for August.  We'll have to see how we'll do in Boulder.  The overall outcome there will be the deciding factor if we go to Mesquite or not for Labor Day weekend.  We hope to see y'all at one or two of these events.  Be sure to stop and say hello and taste a sample or two.  

National Barbecue Month

Time has been flying this year faster than ever.  Well, now its May 1st and you know what that means...yup, you guessed it.  May is National Barbecue Month!  Let me hear you shout it to the heavens, it's okay to give a cheer.  

We're kicking off May with a bang.  The first weekend of the month we're cooking for Martin Harris' company barbecue.  It's our biggest cook ever and we're calling in the troops (family) to help out on this one.  I need to get a practice cook in on chicken for sure because the last weekend in May is the Best Dam BBQ Challenge in Boulder City and I definitely want to finish better than I did last year.

  

We were referred by a friend to cook for a graduation party mid month.  Working with them right now to meet their needs. 

On the competition front, things are a little slow.  Some of the contests we wanted to participate in this year have been cancelled or changed dates and we are already booked on the new weekends.   On a good note, several have been added in the last few weeks and looks like we'll be able to go to some of them.  After our monster cook this weekend I'll get a schedule updated.  In the meantime, get out there and create some of good smelling smoke and fire on the pit or grill!

Our Summer Schedule

Things heat up in the BBQ world over the summer and many events are scheduled all accross the United States.  Here's where we'll be:

May 25,26     Best Dam Barbecue Challenge
                      Boulder City, NV

June 15,16     Northern Arizona BBQ Festival
                      Williams, AZ

July 6,7         Ace in the Hole BBQ Contest
                      Holbrook, AZ

August 31, Sept 1 
                    Smokin' in Mesquite
                    Mesquite, NV

October 12,13  Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Finals
                   Bentonville, AR

We hope to see some of our friends and family at few of these events. 

Top Ten Finish for Trailhound Smokers

It was another great weekend for us.  First of all, it was close to home, just 30 miles to Boulder City.  Second, temperatures were delightful.  Chris and Scott were both able to come help and participate.  We had great neighbors on either side of us...thanks for feeding Timm on Friday by the way.  We enjoyed a great dinner at Sin City Smokers site with many of the other teams.  Friendships with other teams continue to grow.  Hey, we finally met Hoochie-Q...what a great guy, along with his family.

Our cook turned out really well.  We really thought we nailed the chicken, but apparently so did many other teams.  On a great note, we brought our ribs way up in the scores from last week. 

Friends and family came out to visit and support us...thanks Mom and Dad, Nelson, Bill, Eric and kids, Kim, Craig and Cindy, Ron and his wife as well. Thanks to Kim for running interferance for me on the way to turn ins. Winds really picked up Saturday afternoon, thankfully they waited until after turn-ins for the most part. Unfortunately, my camera battery died so there aren't many pictures.  I'll need to snag some from my dad. 

There are several new teams, along with seasoned veterans of the bbq circuit.  When it was time for awards it was cool to hear new names in the line up next to big names.    Congrats to the local teams to got to walk to the stage including Satisfied Hogs (we'll be seeing you in Williams!), BBQ Junkies, Tobias Pigs, The Smokin' B.A.R., Squat & Gobble, Pork Butt Pirates, Great Basin Cooking Company, Floyd's Q School, Smokin' in Mesquite, BBQ Nerds, and Sin City Smokers...it was pretty cool to hear our name as well, not to mention the cheering squad of Whiskey Ranch, Smoked to the Bone and Rythym & Que and the other side of the crowd.  Y'all really know how to make us feel special.  (blush).

Congrats to all the teams that competed.  We were pleased with our finishes...

Chicken    12th

Ribs            5th

Pork           9th

Brisket      17th

Overall      10th

Best Dam BBQ in Boulder

Are you looking for something to do on this weekend?  Come out to Boulder City Friday and Saturday for a great day of BBQ, cars, antiques and more.  That's right....the Best Dam BBQ Challenge is this weekend in Boulder City!   There's even a KidsQue contest Friday evening.  Some great BBQ vendors will be there as well serving up some of their finest 'que just for you. 
We'll be out there competing this weekend so be sure to look for Trailhound Smokers, come by and say 'hi' and show your support for one of the local teams. 
Here is a link to the Best Dam BBQ to get all the information...we hope to see you there!

Best Dam BBQ

Normally, we'd be out camping and riding our quads but this year we spent Memorial Day weekend checking out the Best Dam BBQ competition in Boulder City on Friday and Saturday.  We had the pleasure of meeting several of the teams we've gotten to know a little on line.  What a great bunch of people. 

I. A.B. 30 (It's Always Beer Thirty) (Phoenix)

R & R BBQ (Salt Lake)

Crystal with Harry Soo

How cool is that?! 

We got to sample some great grub, ate some delightful BBQ from Great Basin Cooking Company (from Logandale) and some wood fired pizza from Whiskey Ranch (Phoenix area). 

Mom, Dad and my brother came out on Saturday morning to check it out.  Scott came out both days with us.  While relaxing in the grass, some people sat down near us with a dog that looked just like Shelby...it was her sister...seriously.  What are the odds of that? 

Oh....we are now certified KCBS judges and can judge at BBQ competitions.  Really, we took it to figure out what judges are looking for, but hey, we might judge too you never know. 

It was a great weekend, weather was perfect, grass was cool, lots of great food, new friends, time with family, and many of the folks we met won in several catagories.  Next time, maybe we'll be making that walk...hopefully.