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Legion hosts Ohio BBQ cookoff

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By By Jill Kelley, Staff Writer 9:30 AM Friday, July 22, 2011

KETTERING — On July 9, American Legion Post 598 in Kettering was the smoky site of the Ohio BBQ Cookoff Competition.

Forty-five barbecue teams and 6,000 to 8,000 people attended the fifth annual event that pits contestants against each other for a chance to win an Ohio draw at the annual Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tenn., in October.

Jimmy Weaver, an event organizer, said teams don’t have to be from Ohio to represent the state.

“Just about every state holds one of these; if you win in Ohio, you represent Ohio,” he said, noting that this is believed to be the biggest of three contests in the Buckeye State.

“This year we had teams from as far away as the Dakotas, Texas and Florida.”

In fact, the Ohio winner was Chick, Swine and Bovine from Jessup, Md., and the runner-up was Hoosier Crawdaddy out of Straughn, Ind.

Chick, Swine and Bovine earned a chance to compete at the annual Jack Daniels event, which last year saw 61 teams from the U.S. and 15 teams from Australia, Austria, Germany, Canada, England, Estonia, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland and Switzerland competing for the title.

QUAU from Brimfield, Ill., was named Grand Champion in 2010, and The BBQ Guru from Warminster, Pa., took second.

At the Kettering event, Weaver said there were 48 judges in attendance, most certified by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

They judged the teams in four categories — Boston Butt, Chicken, Ribs and Brisket — and compared taste, tenderness and appearance in a blind judging.

“The Kansas City Barbecue Society has over 300 of these contests each year,” Weaver said.

Weaver said he originally wanted to participate in the contest.

“I am a competition cook,” he said. “And then I thought how we have the perfect grounds at the American Legion. Why not have a contest here?”

Weaver said they held the first barbecue cookoff five years ago, and started with 17 teams.

“We’ve gone from 17 to 45 in just five years,” he said. “Our goal was to go ahead and try to raise money for the veterans — especially our local veterans.”

In the last five years, the event has raised more than $10,000.

“This year we partnered up with the Fisher/Nightingale Houses out at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,” Weaver said.

“It is a 501(c)3 charity and not necessarily supported or paid for by the government or Air Force,” Weaver said. “They maintain their own facility and have to raise their own funds to do what they do.”

Admission to the post’s barbecue event is free, but there are vendors and other activities during the two-day event.

“We had entertainment on Friday night, and had a fish fry at minimal cost,” Weaver said. “On Saturday morning, we provided a free breakfast to team members and vendors on site.”

After the barbecue competition on Saturday, there was karaoke that night.

“We want this to be a family event,” Weaver said.

He said next year’s competition will be held the second weekend in July, and again will be at the American Legion Post 598, 5700 Kentshire Drive, in Kettering.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7325 or jikelley@DaytonDaily News.com.

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