Pit masters to serve up meat in unique, innovative BBQ showdown
(Seguin) – Pit masters from across the globe and even some of those familiar faces regularly seen on the Food Network or other TV cooking shows will converge in Seguin this weekend for not only a shot to take home prizes totaling up to $50,000 but to also capture the taste buds of folks from Seguin and surrounding communities.
The second annual Champions Barbecue Alliance (CBA) World Championship Cook-Off and Year End Awards Banquet is set for this weekend at the Seguin Coliseum. Helping to recruit and organize the event in Seguin is CBA member Joey Machado. Machado, one of Seguin’s familiar names in barbecue and in the barbecue brand business, says this weekend’s cook-off is designed differently and describes it as an unfiltered opportunity for cooks to present their barbecue the way they wish.
Simply, they took all the best features of all other prestigious competitions and melted them down into one.
“Usually what would happen is when you go to these cook-offs, they give you a set rule which goes ‘I need you to put this many slices of brisket in, I need them to point this direction or fat side up or fat side down or whatever and some of the cooks may not believe that this the best way to present their products. So, we allow them to put their products in there anyway they see will be the best way to highlight the products,” said Machado.
Machado says anywhere from 120 to 160 teams are expected to compete in Seguin. He says teams are traveling in from all over. This includes teams from Mexico, Canada and even Australia.
He says the basis of success for this event, however, will be on the recruitment of local judges. He says they’ll leave it up to the judges’ pallets to help determine the best of the best. Plus, he says there will be no paper judging. He says the scoring system will be digital – omitting any messy, saucy experience.
“The first turn in goes in a lunch which will be chicken and so what we ask for anyone who wants to come in and sit down and do judging, if they can show up 30 minutes early so it will be at 11:30 a.m. We have turn ins on every hour. We have four turn ins so it will be at 12 (chicken) 1 p.m. (ribs), 2 p.m. (pork butt) and 3 p.m. (brisket). If people want to sit in and judge on more than one category they can,” said Machado.
As an incentive to bring more judges to the table, Machado says the CBA is encouraging local schools to help recruit judges. He says this is just one more fun way of enjoying some delicious barbecue and supporting the community.
“What we are doing, we will have a box for them to drop in what school they are representing and the school that has the best turnout, we are actually going to be donating $500 to that school to be used for whatever cause they want. Like I said, finding judges at these events is always crucial for us. We want to make sure that we have plenty of judges because again, these guys entrust us with having the best scoring possible for these proteins that they are putting in,” said Machado.
To judge, individuals must be at least 18 years old.
Vendors and exhibitions are also being planned throughout the day on Saturday. Again, judging will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The community is also invited to a welcome party being planned on Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Seguin Coliseum dance slab.