Bluesy 'cue

As crowds sank in mud and baked in the heat Saturday afternoon, the barbecue teams at the MO Blues & Barbeque Festival began packing the tools of their trade.

As grills and smokers were loaded on trailers, attendees made their way to the shade of the pavilion at the Missouri State Fair West Campground to get a cold drink, listen to music and wait to hear who would bring home the trophy for best overall barbecue team.

Team Q, of Columbia, won third place in chicken, pork ribs and best overall. After all the hard work was done, they took a minute to drink a beer and relax after a long day of cooking. Jay Curry, who cooks pork for Team Q, built the smoker they cooked on, as well as other smokers at the competition.

“I got started building smokers when I decided I wanted one for myself. People kept coming around my shop and before I knew it, two or three people wanted one. It was about three years before I got time to make one for myself,” Curry said.

Teams like Belly Brothers and Big Creek Barbeque, which won first place in the chicken category, cook competitively on one of Curry’s smokers.
Brian Johnson, who cooks brisket for the team, said Team Q really wants to “stay local” in their competitions.

“We don’t really travel around too much. We go to about six or seven of these things a year, but we really like this one. Between Sedalia, Hermann and the American Royal, we stay plenty busy,” Johnson said.

For the last two years, the team has been invited to the American Royal competition in Kansas City to compete against hundreds of teams from around the world. Last year, the team’s beef rub won best in the world at the famed competition. Also, one of their barbecue sauces won third best in the world.

John Friedrich, another team member, enjoys the atmosphere of the competition.

“As long as it’s fun, I’ll keep coming. It’s just one big brotherhood. We get to come here and see old friends, and sometimes, meet new ones,” Friedrich said.

Even though the team had high hopes of winning this year’s competition, which included a coveted invite to the American Royal, local flavor ruled the day. Great Grills O’ Fire, led by Mark Hyman, of Jefferson City, took first place for best overall barbecue team.

The team, which has won three previous years, took home $1,250, free entry to next year’s competition and bragging rights for the next year.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Hyman said, looking excitedly at the new trophy. “I just want to let everyone know this is barbecue for everybody. It’s just a way to go out there and have a good time.”