Get Naked and Show Em the Biscuit

The Ironman, put on by Eric Forrester and Mark Flanagan, is one of the more unique events in our area.  You agree to cook only 7 pieces of chiicken, 1 rack of ribs, 1 pork butt and 1 brisket, all without the help of fans or electronic gadgetry.

We had never done anything like this…and missed our BBQ family terribly.  So we signed up and went, despite everything that we have heard about the weather!

And boy, were they right.  It rained during most of set up, and then got windy and cold.  Pretty much all of the chalenges you would want while ccoking without controls and fans.  We had to concentrate really hard, and really monitor our cook to make sure we hit all of our marks.

And we did a real good job in a pretty tough field.  Finished 8th overall, with a 3rd place pork call.

You read that right.  A third place pork call.

But that wasn`t the highlight of our weekend.  That was reserved for getting to hangout with our BBQ family after a long cold ass winter. Uncle Dave from Pavone Brothers was there…so were Jack and Jenny from Black Cat…who are always up for a good time. Lets not forget the wildman from Smoking Gnome, Mr. Sal who provided us with a very nice post turn ins drinking implement. And who could leave out our pals from 3 Eyz, Bone to Bark, Pig Pen…who had the dubious pleasure of cooking next to us.  Got to see our buddy Big Ugly.  And who could forget cooking next to Mark Gibbs of Checkered Flag 500.  The fun never ceases there…his brisket punched us in the face.  The boys from Brown Liquor and 1752 were off in the distance…all good times and great fun.  Mike Fay and Mike and Barb from Chix, Swine and Bovine were even around to cheer the group on.

But the constant during the weekend was the recent loss of our friend Bill Allen.  Bill died 3 weeks ago at a competition in Georgia after receiving a perfect 180 score in chicken.  He was signed up to cook this weekend.  Our friends Mike Skahill  and Sean Moffat cooked under Bill`s Hollywood n Swine Banner, and brought home a third place ribs.  It was touching, emotional, and fun all in the same breath.  270 Smokers had a pot luck on Friday night to celebrate Bill, which was attended by our friends from PigPickers.  

Wont forget this competition for a while.  A really good time, and a very emotional time.  Congrats to 270 Smokers for the GC, and to 3 Eyz on the RGC.  Back in the saddle quickly…next week we enter into Delaware for the first time!