If you think you can handle the blazing brisket, succulent chicken, perfectly-cooked pork shoulder and taste-bud bursting ribs, mark your calendar for Blues, Brews and BBQs, Brentwood’s inaugural Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned barbecue competition.
Scheduled for May 27 through the 29 at the Streets of Brentwood, Blues, Brews and BBQs is an all-American event featuring a car show, live music, and all the barbecue you could possibly feast your eyes on.
“This is a fundraiser for Brentwood Police Activities League and other community organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis and the East Contra Costa Historical Society,” said event Chairman Jeff Schults. “This is our first year, and we’re really excited about it and are planning for the long term. We hope this event takes root and takes place year after year. We want it to be Brentwood’s third signature event behind CornFest and the Art, Wine and Jazz Festival.”
Schults, who co-chairs the events with Chuck Collondrez, a Brentwood-based competition barbecue master, said a sanctioned-barbecue fundraiser has been on the minds of many Brentwood locals for years as a result of the continued success of the Brentwood PAL BBQ King Cookoff held on Super Bowl Sunday. The idea has been kicked around for a while, and as many community organizations are strapped for cash, 2011 seemed like the right time. To kick it up a notch, the event features beer tastings, live music and family activities.
Schults and other Blues, Brews and BBQs committee members traveled to various barbecue events to see what it takes to host a professional competition, and after observing the masters work and doing some research, they decided Brentwood was ready for the big time.
“There are a rigid set of things that must be done to be an officially sanctioned event,” Schults said. “Teams have their meats inspected by official members of the Kansas City Barbeque Society to make sure there is no tampered meat. They even check your supplies to make sure the competition is fair. We’ve found 20 Bay Area-based judges who are officially sanctioned by the Barbeque Society, so this is going to be the real deal.”
Teams must pay a $300 entry fee to participate in all four of Saturday’s meat competitions. The first category costs $90 and additional categories $70. The entry fee for Sunday’s non-sanctioned event (similar to the February Brentwood PAL BBQ King Cookoff) is $100. Schults said offering a variety of competitions allows more opportunities for amateur grillers to take a shot and go up against the big boys.
Friday features a non-sanctioned clash of the best salsas, desserts and chilis in town. The entry fee is $20.
Since this is the event’s inaugural effort, the committee hasn’t set any expectations. “We’re trying to build something here,” Schults said. “It’s not about how much money we raise. The event is free to the public to come and enjoy the car show, walk around the vendors’ area and chat with the contestants. We’re even selling beverages for $1. We want this to be an affordable family event. And East County is a giving community. We know a lot of people will come out to support us. This is going to be a really fun event.”
Application forms for cooking competitions and the car show are available at www.palbbq.com. Schults is also looking for vendors to participate in the event. For more information, call him at 925-890-8296 or e-mail gpabwood@gmail.com.
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