Thursday, September 9, 2010

It’s Time To BBQ!


The first annual Blues, Bandits and BBQ Sustainable BBQ Competition takes place this weekend, September 11th and 12th, and it’s shaping up to be an event you don’t want to miss.

We’ve got 23 teams signed up for the competition, featuring the best backyard BBQ experts in the area and a few Dallas area professional chefs who are branching out beyond their typical culinary categories. Matt Spiller of Eno’s Pizza and Tony Gardizi of Decanter and Capriccio have entered teams, as has Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge (the BBQ restaurant in shed 2 at the Dallas Farmers Market, which according to some may have the best brisket in the Dallas city limits). David Uygur, winner of the Bastille Day Mussel Competition, has also signed up for the sausage category. Given his pedigree (Lola and the much anticipated Lucia) and experience in the art of salumi and charcuterie, we’re betting he brings something amazing to the smoker.

The cooking will start Saturday morning at 11am and continue through the night. The judging and tasting starts at noon on Sunday, September 12. Make plans to stop by Saturday afternoon or evening to meet the teams and take a smell of whats cooking. And if you are interested in tasting the BBQ and participating in the People’s Choice portion of the competition, here’s what you need to know: there are going to be a limited number of wristbands sold that will entitle you to the tasting. We’re talking 300 or so for a crowd that is estimated to be over 1500 at this point. The first batch of 200 wristbands will be sold for $15 each at The Kessler Theater on Saturday from 2pm – 4pm. The remainder of wristbands will go on sale Sunday morning at 10:30am… we’re guessing they’ll be long gone by the time the tasting starts at noon.

If you miss out on the wristband have no fear – we have also made arrangements to have Smoke and Luckie’s Smokehouse come out and sell BBQ to the masses. We’ve even got our friends at Spiral Diner coming out to hook up the veggie lovers in the group!

You’ll also be able to buy cold beer to wash down all this tasty food, and there will be an incredible lineup of live music, games, pop-up shops and other fun activities to entertain the whole family.

Don’t miss out – there’s not a better place to be this weekend then on Davis Street and 7th Street between Winnetka and Edgefield.


Chew on this if you want to officially sample the goodness at the Blues, Bandits and Barbecue cookoff this weekend.

Festival sponsors will sell 300 wristbands ($15 each) that will allow the wearer to taste the brisket, ribs, chicken and homemade sausage 23 BBQ teams will turn out Sunday.

The first 200 bands will go on sale Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis. The final 100 will be sold beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Kessler. (cash or credit card). "Once the wristbands are gone, they are gone," says cookoff organizer Rob Shearer in an e-mail.

The competitors will embrace their allotment of grass-fed, organically raised meats (supplied by Oak Cliff's Urban Acres from such producers as Oak Cliff-based Nitschke Beef) beginning at noon Saturday. Are we getting fired up yet?

The judging and music-food festival begins at noon Sunday along and around the 1300 block of West Davis.

Organizers Go Oak Cliff are expecting at least 2,000 people. Vacant land in the 700 and 1800 blocks of West Davis will be available for parking.

If you don't get a wristband or can't mooch meat from the competitors, you won't go hungry. Or thirsty.

Smoke, Luckie's Smokehouse, Urban Acres, Nitschke Beef and Spiral Diner will be among the food vendors from noon to 6 p.m.

Blues musicians will perform from noon to 6 as well Sunday both inside the Kessler and on an outdoor stage nearby. Free.

Here's the lineup assembled by the Kessler's Edwin Cabiness and Jeff Liles:

Lucky Peterson and Bobby Patterson, Ann Armstrong & Steve Hughes, Blue Mountain bandleader Cary Hudson, 17-year-old-hotshot Hunter Hendrickson w/ Jim Suhler of Monkey Beat sittin' in. And the Cliff Blues Band.

Members of the Adamson High School football team will attend. The Sunset High School Bisonettes drill team will perform. A portion of the event's proceeds will be donated to Adamson and Sunset high schools.

See you there?


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