Twenty Eight: COW-Q-Lated BBQ

Clearly, from the jackets in these pictures, they weren't taken in the last 18 straight days of triple digit temperatures.

The pictures were taken in February.

A few months prior to these pictures Matt and Jeff decided over a football game and a beer that they would start competing in Bar-B-Q contests.

Next a google search of : "BBQ Contests in Dallas Fort Worth", then the purchase of a trailer and smoker, and the rest is history.

Apparently there are all sorts of rules and regulations around BBQ contests. It gets pretty serious. In this particular competition, there was a rifle up for grabs in the awards ceremony.

These newbies were the only ones that shacked up (together) in a tent. All the other professional-BBQ-contest-competitors traveled in luxurious RV's with their smokers trailing behind that cost more than Jeff's truck.

Those professionals know how to cut brisket into 1/4" slices...and know that you never, NEVER! cut the chicken into quarters or you'll be disqualified.

It's Serious Stuff, this Bar-B-Q business.

Look at me thinking you just show up, throw a few ribs on a plate and take it to the judges.

So Matt and Jeff are official competitors now.

Official competitors that made the finals, that is.

Which is pretty impressive considering they spent about an hour developing their recipes and four hours coming up with their name and t-shirt logo.