Second Laredo Big Bad BBQ Cook-Off

If you like the taste of perfectly BBQ chicken, succulent pork ribs and juicy brisket, then come get your fill at the second Laredo Big Bad BBQ Cook-Off 2016 taking place November 11 & 12 at the Uni-Trade Stadium parking lot.
Teams will compete for the title of Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion with a total of $20,000 payout in those three categories, as well as jackpot categories in fajitas, carne guisada and beans. Over the two-day cook-off, attendees can enjoy live music, a DJ, and activities, food, arts and crafts vendors, bar-be-que sampling and even, a chance to judge the official entries. Entry for the event on both days is $5 or one new toy per adult, all to benefit the Laredo Police Department Community Relations Unit Blue Santa Program. Children 17 and under enter free of charge.
The Laredo Big Bad BBQ Cook-Off has already drawn competitors from all over the state. Some of the cooks who will be part of the event are chefs that have been featured on BBQ Pitmasters on Destination America Network; award winning teams that will be back again this year include Mama & Papa Joe’s BBQ, who last year won first place in the Chicken category, and S&S Pit Crew. S&S Pit Crew has been seen on Travel Channel’s All You Can Eat Meat and BBQ Crawl Season 1&2. There are various other teams registered that are currently ranked in the Top 10 of the International Barbeque Cookers Association (ibcabbq.org), the organization sanctioning and setting the rules for this competition. Head judge will be Eddie Tapia.

In last year’s Laredo Big Bad BBQ Cook-off, Kelly Curtis of the Panther Creek Cookers won the Grand Champion title and first place in the Brisket category and Craig Sharry from the Texas Pepper Jelly received the Reserve Champion and first place in the Pork Spare Ribs category. Both champions were determined by adding the points of the three categories in which they placed, earning them enough points to walk away with bragging rights and $4,000 and $1,000 in cash, respectively. Last year’s event garnered 91 cooking teams over the two-day event.
Slots are still available for anyone wishing to be a part of the cook-off; registration online in advance of the event is encouraged and available at www.laredobbq.com. Starting on Friday at 6:00 p.m., teams can compete for first place prizes in the three jackpot categories of fajitas, guisado and beans. The Grand Champion competition begins on Saturday when the gates open at 12:00 p.m., and teams earn points and cash in the three meat categories; chicken, pork ribs and brisket. Cash payout will be up to 15th place in each. However, the highlight for public attendees will be the People’s Choice Sampling on Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00, once all the competition meats have been turned in. Teams can offer samples of their best meats or food of their choice and there will be a text-to-vote system for all who wish to participate. Attendees will get to sample each team’s offering and then vote for their favorite. The people’s choice will win a variety of prizes including cash.

To be able to determine who will walk away with the top purse will require judges – a lot of judges.
Organizers are inviting anyone 18 and over to sign up for any of the six categories and expect to try a lot of great food and bar-be-que. To sign up, cooks and judges can go to www.laredobbq.com.

The second Laredo Big Bad BBQ Cook-Off 2016 is sponsored by Falcon Bank, Cavendar’s, Family Chevrolet, State Farm Agent Luis Estrada, Miller Lite, and La India Packing Co. and brought to you by the City of Laredo, and co-hosted by the Laredo Energy Arena and the Uni-Trade Stadium.