Sizzling start to summer with Montana BBQ Cook-Off
Barbeque – one of the fundamental sights and smells of a Montana summer.
For the thousands of people that crowded the main street of Absarokee last weekend, summer was in full swing, with plenty of sun and plenty of barbeque.
The 15th annual Montana BBQ Cook-Off drew 35 teams, representing eight states and Canada, hoping to wow the judges with their charring, smoking, and marinating techniques to earn a share of the $12,000 cash and prizes awarded at the end of the day.
Overall grand champion went to Parrothead Smokers of Dakota Dunes, S.D., with 701 points. Four points behind was reserve champion You Que’d Me All Night Long from Gillette, Wyo. Hickory and Spice BBQ of Tustin, Calif., finished third overall.
Five local teams represented the area well at the competition.
Montana Outlaw BBQ of Columbus, last year’s grand champion, finished in fourth place overall. The team’s best showing was in the brisket category, in which it earned second place.
Absarokee’s Longboard BBQ finished in 23rd overall. Another hometown team, Absarokee Fire and Ambulance, earned 29th place.
Nye also sent two teams to the cook-off – Upper Stillwater Smokers, 26th overall, and Two Rivers Lodge, 34th place finishers.
The Montana BBQ Cook-Off is an official sanctioned event of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.
Governor Steve Bullock, in a letter addressed to Montana BBQ attendees, recognized the event as “an official State Barbeque Championship in the state of Montana.”
As grand champion, Parrothead Smokers has earned a place in two of the most prestigious barbeque competitions in the world – the American Royal World Series of Barbeque in Kansas City and the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tenn.
Cook-off crowds were entertained by live performances throughout the day by Montana Sun, 2 GeeZerZ and HannaH, and Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs.
According to its website, the goal of the Montana BBQ Cook-Off is to promote the local Absarokee area. The event is run by a nonprofit organization, with all proceeds re-invested back into the event and community.
Results
Overall (35)
-Grand Champion: Parrothead
Smokers (701.1)
-Reserve Champion: You Que’d
Me All Night Long (697.1)
-3rd: Hickory and Spice BBQ (692.5)
Chicken (33)
-1st: You Que’d Me All Night
Long (177.1)
-2nd: Mountain Smoke (175.4)
-3rd: Parrothead Smokers (174.3)
Pork Ribs (33)
-1st: Lonestar Smoke
Rangers (178.88)
-2nd: You Que’d Me All
Night Long (178.86)
-3rd: Grate Expectations (174.26)
Pork (34)
-1st: Parrothead Smokers (179.4)
-2nd: Hickory and Spice
BBQ (177.7)
-3rd: You Que’d Me All Night
Long (174.3)
Brisket (34)
-1st: Proud Souls Barbecue (178.9)
-2nd: Montana Outlaw
BBQ (177.7)
-3rd: Mountain Smoke (177.7)
Dessert (28)
-1st: Smokin’ Jerks (180 – perfect-
perfect score; key lime cupcake
with key lime curd)
-2nd: Wild Hawgs (180 –
perfect score)
-3rd: Big Pig BBQ (178.9)
Local teams
-Montana Outlaw BBQ (Columbus)
-Overall: 4th (691.4)
-Chicken: 10th (170.9)
-Pork Ribs: 15th (168.5)
-Pork: 4th (174.3)
-Brisket: 2nd (177.7)
-Open: 24th (164.5)
Longboard BBQ (Absarokee)
-Overall: 23rd (626.8)
-Chicken: 23rd (157.7)
-Pork Ribs: 13th (170.3)
-Pork: 24th (155.4)
-Brisket: 33rd (143.5)
-Open: 15th (171.4)
Absarokee Fire and Ambulance
-Overall: 29th (607.9)
-Chicken: 30th (152.0)
-Pork Ribs: 27th (155.9)
-Pork: 31st (145.7)
-Brisket: 23rd (154.3)
Two Rivers Lodge (Nye)
-Overall: 34th (139.4)
-Brisket: 34th (139.4)
-Open: 28th (139.4)
Upper Stillwater Smokers (Nye)
-Overall: 26th (622.4)
-Chicken: 22nd (158.3)
-Pork Ribs: 25th (158.3)
-Pork: 20th (161.7)
-Brisket: 32nd (144.0)
-Open: 7th (174.8)