While I entered this weekend's Battle of the BBQ Brethren planning to post periodic updates here, I wound up having absolutely no time to even sit down. 

Although it was a local contest, it took me forever to get to Sayville Friday night due to an accident on the LIE.  After getting set up, we had a few beers then went to bed to get rested for the grilling contest.

Saturday started with sausage/fatty turn-in at noon for which we submitted sausage rolled with proscuitto, asiago cheese and mushrooms suerveed with while sausage gravy on a buttermilk biscuit.  Then was pizza, a hot dog category (an awesome hot dog jambalaya), then onsite judging with chef's choice and dessert.  Awards went OK with a couple calls and a tie for 10 place, but no repeat for Grand Champion.

The real battle, however, occured just after the grilling awards when a monster storm hit.  After fighting to keep the rain from pooling on the roof of our canopy, it eventually collapsed, drenching everything underneath.  This was followed by the drama of a smoker fire next door, a few beers, and little sleep as I tried to keep the briskets and pork shoulder cooking in the rain.

Sunday morning was greeted by a free team breakfast, ribs on, chicken on, and prep for turn-ins.  After turning in two categories the day before with ZERO seconds left on the clock and countless jokes from judges, I shot to get everything in early.  Chicken came out perfect, ribs looked perfect, pork was pulled perfectly then some nice brisket.

The worst part of any contest is the cleanup, especially with all of the wet muddy cr*p from the night before.  After powering through, it was off to the awards.  Chicken 3rd place!  Ribs 16 .  Pork 8th.  Brisket 4th.  42 team waited as the top ten were called.

10. Queer Eye for the BBQ Guy
9. Sexy Ginos
8. Smoker's Lounge
7. TNT Dynamite BBQ
6. Yabba Dabba Que
5. R2-BQ
4. Smoke on the Water
3.  Spice Cracker Cookers (fell BBQ Brethren members Jay and Jimmy actually flew in for this and competed on loaned stuff)
2. Dirty Dick & the Legless Wonders
1. SMOKE IN DA EYE!!!!!!!

I can not express how amazing it felt to win my first BBQ Grand Championship (and a shot at going to the Jack!) at a contest with soooo many friends to cheer us on.  I must say I am still in shock and will need about a week for my body to recover.  I posted some pictures at http://www.smokeindaeye.com/Pictures.php and hope to get some more soon. 

Congrats again to everyone who fought the rain and got calls this weekend.  It was truly a memorable one, now we have to wait 7 months or so for the next one...