We're a Chicken Outfit

Though the monsoon lasted most of the day, we endevored to persevere. Our bourbon stocks were adequate thanks to Pat. Ice was plentiful. We had wine, and beer...and the tent of a thousand pieces served us well. Hillsborough is aways fun because it's pretty much the same competitors as always. Big Mark was there, as was the RUB Hut boys, the Ribs Within and the Keansburg Firehouse and Moose's Mayem.

The ribs and chicken went on the smoker at roughly 9:00. It was still dry then. We had sovled rubic's tent puzzle and finally started the real work. Only after the ribs and chicken went on the smoker did the skys open up. It was a steady rain. A soaker of a rain....which, as you can imagine, played hell with the temperature of the smoker. On one end 200 degrees...on the end that sticks out into the rain, 100. Can you guess which end we cooked on?

We were stymied on the Chef's Choice. I forgot about it and didn't bring anything for it. Thankfully, when Pat made the liquor run, she was able to get some shrimp. Salvation!

Chicken turn in was at 3:00. No problem. We pulled our chicken, and foiled it at about 1:00. At 2:30, we sauced it, and put it in to carmalize a little. We made the 3:00 turn in just fine.

Rib turn in was at 3:30. No problem. We had three slabs that were nothing less that works of art. A test cut revealed that they were at perfection. It was clearly the consensus that we had produced the perfect rib. We delivered our entry of six hollywood cut ribs at 3:00.

The Chefs' Choice turn in was at 4:00. The shrimp are still frozen? Oh shit. We spread the shrimp on a baking pan and shoved them in the smoker. 5 minutes later they were thawed enough to peel. Raw? Of course they were raw. You can't cook 'cooked' shrimp. Sprinkled with bbq seasonings, cajun seasoning, or bbq sauce, they went back into the smoker. Ten minutes later, they are still raw. Oh shit. We sat the pan on top of the firebox to see if that would cook them. Five minutes later, oh shit. Finally, we opened the firebox, spread the coals flat, and sat the baking pan. At 3:59, we had nine shrimp done, in the box and delivered.

Awards were at 5:00. They were held in the fire house because the sunshine was was again pouring. It was a cozy group. Everyone cheered for everyone else. We thought we had a good chance because we were pleased with everything we delivered. Of course, that is usually the case. In the end, we won Second Place for Yardbird (that's chicken to you yankees), and Seventh Place for Ribs, Sixth Place for Chef's Choice. We were Third Overall.

Of course, that's not the end of the story. Less than one mile from home, either the bearings or the brakes on the van's left front wheel apparently exploded. We were able to limp home at 5 mph and get the smoker put away....and that's the end of that story.