Interview: Tommy Houston of the Checkered Pig

Team: Checkered Pig
Location: Martinsville, VA
Website: www.checkeredpig.com
Twitter: @checkeredpig
Facebook: Checkered Pig

I met Tommy Houston of Checkered Pig two years ago at the Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook-Off in Waxhaw, NC. I saw him again this year, in Waxhaw, and asked if he would be willing to do an interview with me for my blog. He graciously said he would. Tommy is a busy guy. He owns a restaurant in Martinsville, VA, caters, and travels around to do BBQ competitions. With all that going on he agreed to do an interview.

Interview: Kosher Q? Find out from the RaBBi-Q.

Team: Rabbi-Q
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Website: RabbiQ.com
Twitter: @BBQRabbi

I met Mendel of Rabbi-Q through Twitter. I found the idea of kosher BBQ fascinating because when I think of BBQ I think pork. I know beef and chicken and other meats can be BBQed but it isn't everyday you hear of kosher BBQ in KCBS. Through talking with Mendel I have discovered kosher BBQ and kosher BBQ competitions. I think this is great. I love a good brisket and beef ribs along with smoked turkey and chicken. Read the interview to find out how he cooks pork for KCBS competitions and to find out more about kosher BBQ competitions.

Interview: Knuckleheads BBQ

Team: Knuckleheads BBQ
Location: Monroe, NC
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/KnuckleheadsBBQ
Twitter: @knuckleheadbbq

I met Buddy at the Grill'n and Chill'n BBQ Cook-off in Waxhaw, NC in 2013. My BBQ brother Wayne introduced us. Buddy grew up in the Carolina's and around Eastern North Carolina BBQ. He's taken what he learned as a kid and brought it to his cooks, altering to suit his style of BBQ. Knuckleheads is a small one man team that brings a passion for BBQ to the competitions.

Interview: Hot Grill on Grill Action

Team: Hot Grill on Grill Action
Location: Omaha, NE
Web Page: http://www.bbqrevolution.com/
FaceBook: Hot Grill on Grill Action on Facebook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BBQRevolution

My fellow Q-blogger Big Wayner put me in contact with Matt of Hot Grill on Grill action. They were one of the contestants on BBQ Pitmasters back in season 2. Going back and forth with Matt in emails has been fun. He and the Hot Grill on Grill team are a group I would love to hang out with at a BBQ competition.  They were happy to oblige me with an interview and I'm in the process of reviewing their BBQ book The Book on Competition BarbequeVolume 1- Priceless for Beginners, Perfect for the Pros. So far it's great and it has a lot of information for those who want to start a team. Read on and find out more about this team.

Interview: Fergolicious BBQ

Team: Fergolicious BBQ
Location: Gardner, KS
Web Page: http://www.fergoliciousbbq.com
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/FergoliciousBbq
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FergoliciousBBQ

Since they will be featured on the April 26 BBQ Pitmasters show, I'm releasing the May interview a little early so you can find out more about one of the teams.

I'm always looking for teams to interview for my blog. Jeremy, of Fergolicious BBQ, contacted me about their team and asked if I would be interested in featuring them. After exchanging emails I was more than happy, and honored, to feature them on my blog. They've been judging and competing since 2012 and are one of the contestants on this season (season 5) of BBQ Pitmasters. Find out a little more about how they got into BBQ and how they prepared for the show.

Interview: Give it to God BBQ Team

Team: Give It To God BBQ

Location: Ponchatoula, LA

Web Page: www.yokeup.net/BBQ.html

FaceBook: www.facebook.com/GiveItToGodBBQ

I started to follow Give it to God BBQ on Facebook and read their posts about BBQ competitions so I figured I would find out a little more about the team. Jeff was gracious enough to say yes. Not only do they compete at competitions they also hold a Church service for other competitors and build some useful BBQ charcoal baskets.

Interview: Hog-It-Up BBQ

Team: Hog-it-Up BBQ Team

Location: Bluemont, VA

Web Page: hogitupbbq.com/
Twitter: @hog_it_up_BBQ

I've been following Hog-it-Up on twitter and they seem like a fun team, so I decided to interview them and they were happy to oblige. As a transplant from Texas to Virginia, Mike has brought Texas style BBQ to the East coast competitions. I'm sure we could argue the finer points of Carolina BBQ over Texas BBQ but I figure if it's smoked and it tastes good it's all good BBQ.

He met his wife, Michelle, in Australia and together they make some good BBQ. They also compete in chili cook-offs so they're a busy pair. With their dog Boomer and Mike's brother Kevin they make up Hog-It-Up BBQ Team.

Interview: Sauced BBQ!

Team: Sauced! BBQ
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Web Page: http://www.saucedbbqcompany.com
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/saucedbbq

I met Scott and his wife, Joline, in 2009 at Hog Happenin’ in Lincolnton, NC. We were both competitors and they were in the spot next to us. Over the couple competitions we were at we would see them and discuss various aspects of competing and cooking our food. Over the years it's been fun to watch them change cookers and grow their cook camp size and family. Each year Sauced! has added awards to their wall and continue to do so.

Interview: Rocky Top Smokies

Team: Rocky Top BBQ Co. LLC
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Web Page: http://www.rockytopsmokies.com/

I met Rocky Top Smokies at the Charlotte Blues, Brews & BBQ in 2012 when I was an onsite judge. They cooked a great pork shoulder and the hog looked delectable. Since then I have followed them on Twitter (add link) and Facebook (add link).

They cater in the Charlotte area and have been on the Wilson Show on Fox in the morning sharing the BBQ love. Jonathan and his team are fun to talk to and make a great product.

Interview: Redneck Scientific

Team:Redneck Scientific
Location: Clayton, North Carolina
Web Page:http://rednecksci.com/

I had the pleasure of meeting the Head Pitmaster behind Redneck Scientific at the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship. I have followed Redneck Scientific on Twitter for a while and wanted to meet them in person. Jerry is a lot of fun to hang out with and talk to. He knows his way around a pit and pig and enjoys what he does. They make their own sauces and rubs that they use when they cook on their homemade UDSes (Ugly Drum Smokers) or as Jerry calls them Redneck Convection Ovens™.

Since 2011, Redneck Scientific has:

• won 3 Grand Championships
• had 2 Reserve Grand Championships
• earned 3 perfect 180 scores in KCBS (We are the only team to ever earn a perfect score in Ribs and have 2 separate  180 scores in NC contest since 2009)
• finished Top 10 Overall  16 times
• won first place in a category 12 times
• had 7 top ten Chicken calls
• had 12 top ten Rib Calls
• had 16 top ten Pork Calls
• had 16 top ten calls in Brisket

Below is a short interview and some tips for cooking that Christmas turkey. 

Interview: Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ

Each month I’m going to try to do a short interview with various BBQ teams, aficionados and purveyors of BBQ equipment. I’ll be looking for some small insights from the teams about their cooking, how they started and maybe get some cooking tips. If you have a team you would like me to interview, shoot me an email and I’ll see if they will be willing to do it.

To kick off the interviews, I asked Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ be my first interview.

Team: Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ
Location: Belmont, NC
Web Page: www.bigbuttbbq.com

I met them a few years ago cooking at a competition in Shelby, NC when I was competing. I have watched them as they have started to win more and more in the area. Alex and his dad run a great rig and do a great job with help from the rest of his family.

Most recently they won Grand Champion for the Charlotte Q-City BBQ Championship, taking first in ribs and shoulder and second in whole hog.

Grand Champion for the Charlotte Q-City BBQ Championship