NAME: Bill Grenko

TEAM NAME: Lock, Stock and Two Smokin’ Barrels (LSATSB)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH BBQ: We are foodies (our live’s revolve around food) and BBQ is just one of the many foods we enjoy.

WHO DO YOU COOK WITH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON YOUR TEAM: Bill Grenko, Anne Grenko, Bren NuDelman, and Kathleen NuDelman.

HOW MANY COMPETITIONS HAVE YOU COOKED IN: We have cooked in just shy of 50 comps.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN BBQ: We entered the Wildwood Bash in 2009 because we thought it would be fun. We were fortunate enough to get a couple top 10 calls and that was how the journey began. We cooked the Wildwood Bash again in 2010. In 2011, we cooked in 4 contests including the Bash and ever since 2012 we have been cooking 12-15 comps per year.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR FIRST COMPETITION: What we remember most is how overwhelming it all was. We also remember how some of the more experienced teams offered advice and help. They made us feel like part of the fraternity. This is why we help new teams at every opportunity.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR NEW COOKS: First, go through judges certification training to understand how comp BBQ is judged. Second, attend a Competitive BBQ cooking class to see what the pro’s are doing. And, finally … practice, practice, practice everything you learned!!!

WHAT IS YOUR COOKING STYLE AND COOKER OF CHOICE: We cook Hot & Fast on Gateway Drum Smokers. LSATSB is an Official Member of the Insane Can Posse.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON AT A COMPETITION: One of our secret weapons is our cooking fuel. We use only Rockwood lump charcoal (made in MO) and we use a just single Mojobrick for smoke in each cooker. We get a clean and consistent cook with just the right amount of smoke every single time. Consistency is critical in Comp BBQ.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMPETITION MEAT? WHAT POINTERS DO YOU HAVE FOR COOKING IT: Our favorite comp meat to eat is pulled pork. Whether you are cooking Low & Slow or Hot & Fast the best way to retain moisture is by using an injection. We use Twisted Belly Island Pork Injection.

FAVORITE ST. LOUIS BBQ SOCIETY EVENT: Without a doubt, the Wildwood Bash is the grand daddy of all SLBS Events and our favorite.

BBQ ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF: We have won several Grand Championships over the years, however, probably our proudest moment was earning Reserve Grand Champion at the 2014 Wildwood BBQ Bash. We hope to some day earn a Grand Championship in the event that gave us our start in comp BBQ.

WHAT DOES YOUR BBQ FUTURE HOLD: BBQ is our passion. We want to continue to share our passion with other enthusiasts, continue to make new friends, and continue to learn and become better cooks.

HOW DO WE GET A HOLD OF YOU:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LSATSB

Blog: http://lsatsb.blogspot.com

NAME: Arthur Aguirre

TEAM NAME: Fireside Smokers

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH BBQ: Since May 3rd 2008. That’s the day my wife gave me a Brinkman Smoke’N Grill for my birthday…she’s regretted that gift everyday since then.

WHO DO YOU COOK WITH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON YOUR TEAM: I cook solo. However, my team includes The General (my vegetarian wife, Jamie), McGuyver (Tony St. John) and my crew from Fireside Hearth and Home.

HOW MANY COMPETITIONS HAVE YOU COOKED IN: 27, since 2010.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN BBQ: My buddy Scott Thomas from www.grillinfools.com held his first BBQ contest at Jefferson Barracks and he asked me to enter it. So, I did and placed 3rd in ribs, 3rd in pork steaks and 4th place overall out of 18 teams.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR FIRST COMPETITION: I remember how fast the comp came and went…I also remember how hot my appetizer entry was because I used Habanero cheese in my Atomic Buffalo Turds. Not a good idea, it placed 17th.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR NEW COOKS: Pick a pitmasters brain about competition BBQ. The best opportunity to talk to one is on a Friday night. Saturday’s are not suggested, lots to do that day and turn in times are off limits to visitors.

WHAT IS YOUR COOKING STYLE AND COOKER OF CHOICE: I cook Kansas City style…extra sweet and rich, but with my own exotic twist. I cook on a Yoder YS640, Smokin’ Brother’s 30″ and a Big Green Egg.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON AT A COMPETITION: Bad luck has been my secret weapon. When a grill falls out of my trailer, a huge storm hits my site, breaking my garage door sensor leaving for a comp or almost being DQ’ed for chicken turn-ins, bad luck results in awards. I’d rather be lucky than good when going up against great competition.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMPETITION MEAT? WHAT POINTERS DO YOU HAVE FOR COOKING IT: Ribs are my favorite, they’ve won me the most money. I reveal all my rib secrets on my website (www.majorleaguegrilling.com). Check out my post on the 3-2-1 method.

FAVORITE ST. LOUIS BBQ SOCIETY EVENT: It’s a tie between AMVets Spit on the River and Tri-County BBQ Championships. Kirk Southard and Mike Bippen go above and beyond to make pitmasters feel welcomed. Glad to call them both my friends and I’ll be at both comps again!

BBQ ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF: My cookbook: America’s Best Barbecue: Recipes and Techniques for Prize winning Ribs, Wings, Brisket and more.  Nearly 400 pages, 200 recipes and 150 pictures of the best barbecue. Available in all major bookstores and everywhere online. Also found locally at Fireside Hearth and Home, St. Louis Home Fires and Gateway BBQ Store.

WHAT DOES YOUR BBQ FUTURE HOLD: In the short term, I have goals to win a Grand Championship, the inaugural Budweiser BBQ Series Cup and Team of the Year. Not sure about the long term, having too much fun enjoying the moment. I hope to get my sons involved (ages 6 & 7).

HOW DO WE GET A HOLD OF YOU:

Facebook: Major League Grilling

Twitter: @MLGbbq

Website: www.majorleaguegrilling.com

NAME: Alan Bowman

TEAM NAME:  I started cooking at Canadian Bakin’ as an homage to my Canadian roots and to my Ontario born wife.  In 2014, the boys at Code 3 Spices (team name Smokin’ Sirens) and I combined to form the Code 3 Spices BBQ Team

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH BBQ:  about 3 Years

WHO DO YOU COOK WITH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON YOUR TEAM:  We have 4 to 6 team members, depending on the size of the competition.  Each person cooks 1 of the 4 basic meats…chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.

HOW MANY COMPETITIONS HAVE YOU COOKED IN: I’ve cooked in around 30 competitions

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN BBQ:  To my family, anything with bbq sauce on it was ‘bbq’.  Mostly, this meant hamburgers, hot dogs and the occasional pork steak.  I ate at Super Smokers one day and marveled at the tender, juicy, smoky ribs.  I did some research and learned what I called bbq was really….at best…grilling.  During my research I stumbled upon a TV show called BBQ Pitmasters which opened my eyes to the world of competition bbq.  It looked pretty simple so I signed up for a local backyard competition and have been hooked every since.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR FIRST COMPETITION:  My wife and I cooked the World Pork Steak Championship at Schlafly Bottleworks.  We had 1 weber grill, an EZ Up and about 10 plastic grocery store bags to carry our various ‘bbq’ items.  I was extremely nervous!!!  Playing in sports my whole life I’m very competitive and didn’t want to make a fool of myself.  I expected the other teams to be secretive and look at us like we were ‘outsiders’.  People could see we had no idea what we were doing and upon our arrival came to our aid setting up the canopy and loading/unloading our vehicle.  The team next to us even shared their breakfast with us!  Despite the competitive nature of bbq events, this generosity continues to this day with most teams the the competition bbq world.  We finished 5th in appetizers and middle of the pack in pork steaks….and had a GREAT time!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR NEW COOKS:  

1 . Don’t over-smoke.  Start light with your wood and build up from there.  Nothing kills the flavor of your meat faster than the harsh taste of creosote.

2.  Practice.  Allen Iverson was wrong, practice just like you are at a comp.  At home, take everything you think you need outside and make a list of everything you brought out.  If you need to go back inside for something, add it to the list.  Do an entire cook just like you were on a comp site.  If you don’t use something, take it back inside and cross it off the list.  In the end, whatever you have on your final list is what you take to your next comp.
3.  As you can see, I’m a fan of lists.  List out step-by-step instructions from prep to cooking to boxing.   Make a list of items you need to take to the comp.  Follow your lists and everything will work out fine.
4.  Above all, have fun!  Share in fellowship with the teams around you.  We can’t all win every time but we can have fun every time!

WHAT IS YOUR COOKING STYLE AND COOKER OF CHOICE:  I cook medium fast between 270 and 300.  I think this is a good cross between grilling and smoking, giving me the best of both methods.  We cook on what is known as the St. Louis Set-up….a Rebel 17 and a Gateway Drum Smoker, both regulated with Pitmaster IQ 120’s.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON AT A COMPETITION:  Code 3 Spices !!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMPETITION MEAT? WHAT POINTERS DO YOU HAVE FOR COOKING IT:  I love cooking pork because it gives me the most flexibility to be creative especially with my boxing.  Pulled, chopped, chunks, plugs, money muscle…all can be presented in any number of ways.

Tip:  Whether I’m cooking at home or in competition, I always inject my pork with a mixture containing apple juice.  Injections get deep into the pork butt where rubs cannot penetrate.  And of course, apples and pork go well together.

FAVORITE ST. LOUIS BBQ SOCIETY EVENT:  Ironically, The Wildwood BBQ Bash is both my favorite and least favorite event.  I LOVE the challenge of cooking 8 categories over a 2 day period.  But,  the stress of vending and the week of prep work it takes to get ready for the event makes it quite difficult.

BBQ ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF:  I’ve won 3 GC’s, one using only a single 18.5 WSM for all 4 meats, I won the STL version of the Travel Channel show American Grilled and Ive been to the American Royal twice.   But I have two that far and away blow away any of my other accomplishments.  I had tears in my eyes both times…

1. My wife getting a perfect-perfect score in Dessert at the 2014 Bash.  We were just hoping for a top 50% and she showed us all how dessert is supposed to be made
2. My daughter winning her first ever Kids-Q at Jakey in June in 2013 at the age of 6.  She did all the prep work all the cooking and made me one proud Daddy that day

WHAT DOES YOUR BBQ FUTURE HOLD:  From a team perspective, we hope to build on our success.  This year our goal is to win at least one GC, win Bash and get a call at The American Royal.  Personally, I hope to utilize my recent TV appearance to gain a foothold in the bbq community.

HOW DO WE GET A HOLD OF YOU:

Twitter: @CABAkin and @code3spices

Facebook:  Code 3 Spices – www.code3spices.com

Website:  http://www.code3spices.com/