Barn Burner BBQ Lambs Farm - October 15-16

Lambs Farm
Friday, October 15, 5 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, October 16, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Free to spectators
Things get hot and spicy as Lambs Farm hosts the 5th Annual Barn Burner BBQ Competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. The smoky food festival features the friday Chili Challenge Cook-Off, contests, demonstrations, raffles, vendors, Miller Beer Tent, live music and more! The public is invited to compete in or judge the chili competition, and learn expert tips from the barbeque competitors. Learn the trick to cooking low and slow. One lucky chili entry will be proclaimed the People’s Choice. There will be several winners in the barbeque competition, and the Grand Champion will be invited to the Great American Barbeque and the American Royal Invitational, and entered into a drawing for a chance to compete at the Jack Daniels World Championship.
http://www.lambsfarm.org/events/

I have no affiliation with this. I just drove past there yesterday and saw the sign.

That sounds like a good time. Never been up that way to Lambs Farm yet. Anyone enter this to cook yet?

Cbot - its a sanctioned KCBS contest. I cooked it the first year and judged it the following years..not sure about this year
Its a very nicely run contest with a lot good teams cooking ..its just that the weather can be a bit iffy that time of year to be out all night cooking..usually its cold and wet

I took my daughters to this event 3 years ago after a soccer game, and it was interesting but I left hungry. I have not been to any major bbq competitions but I thought that most competitors either sold or gave away samples. When I was there in the early afternoon, everyone was nice and talkative but there was no food to be had other than at the concession stands. there was a BGE demonstration booth that was giving out food, but that was it. I know that it was one of the first years, so maybe things have changed. Isnt there usually plenty of food around at bbq events?

-Will

WillG wrote:I took my daughters to this event 3 years ago after a soccer game, and it was interesting but I left hungry. I have not been to any major bbq competitions but I thought that most competitors either sold or gave away samples. When I was there in the early afternoon, everyone was nice and talkative but there was no food to be had other than at the concession stands. there was a BGE demonstration booth that was giving out food, but that was it. I know that it was one of the first years, so maybe things have changed. Isnt there usually plenty of food around at bbq events?

-Will

Will - Ive been cooking in sanctioned and non sanctioned comps for 7-8 years now and believe me thats a very common misconception..a lot of people come to these comps for free food. Teams are not there to vend..they are cooking for a competition...The concession stands are for people to buy food at.
Some teams will hand out food samples even though most comps teams are told NOT to hand out samples due to health dept regulations.
The biggest issue I see is most people show up at noon on sat (crunch time) when teams are starting to prep their turn ins (noon-1:30) . Keep in mind a team has to have a meat box prepped and ready for turn in every half in that time period. It does nto leave much time to hob knob with the public and hand out food. I always politely tell people who do show up to come back after turn ins and they can have all the samples they want but few ever bother to stop back
Now I do believe Lambs Farm has a peoples choice chili contest the evening before where you sample chili from the teams that bother to participate in that
Seriously though if you want to sample free bbq take a certified judges class and you can eat all the free bbq you can handle at the judging table

Head-
Thanks for the info. It was just disappointing that while I was smelling all this great bbq, my food choice was basically hot dog or brat. It would be nice to have some concession stands selling more bbq type stuff. I might have to look into the judging thing....maybe when the kids are out of the house.

Thanks, Will

Cbot wrote:That sounds like a good time. Never been up that way to Lambs Farm yet. Anyone enter this to cook yet?

it does look like fun.

I was thinking about entering , but the price is just a little too much for my blood- cost is $60 per category or $230 for all 4 categories......that and I am retiring from competitions, they are alot of fun, but way to much work for my lazy, old ass(the cooking is easy, the lugging around of smokers, grills, tables, & coolers blows), I like hanging out on my deck in the country, firing up my smoker for family, friends and neighbors more.

I do reserve the right for it to be a Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson or Brett Favre type "retirement" if I get the itch to compete next year..

Will - yea some do have BBQ vendors there..some dont..i blame the organizers as they tend to allude to the fact just to get people to come I think

Jim - thats one of the reason I only do a few local area ones now ..it started to become more work than fun

Any interest in an ad-hoc LTH team? Four people, split the entry fee four way (250/4=62.5), take 3 hour watches throught the night to keep fires burning, each person responsible for one item (i.e. Brisket-person1, Pork Shoulder-person 2, Ribs-person 3, Chicken-person 4). I would be willing to do either Pork Shoulder or Chicken.

GJDAD you get any takers on the offer? You or anyone else going to be there this weekend? Weather look ok...well see.

I had an invite to judge Lambs Farm, I'm a KCBS certified judge, but had already booked up. I've been in the past as a visitor and it is a solid contest. I don't remember the food vendors, but know enough people participating I end up sampling quite a bit of BBQ.

Most BBQ people/teams respond well to genuine interest and are happy to show off their BBQ in terms of a taste. One note of caution, the teams are there to compete, the time just before turn-in is stressful, if you see three or four large scruffy looking men bent over a Styrofoam box arranging parsley around brisket steer clear.

Gary hit the nail on the head about turn in time..
I attended Friday night and all day Saturday assisting Big Ed of Big Eds BBQ in his first ever KCBS comp. Weather was incredible for October in Chicago. Ed got a call in brisket and and pork and ended up finishing 11th overall out of 46 teams which is outstanding for a first time out.
Tough comp with many good BBQ cooks/teams competing including Johnny Triggs from Pitmasters fame.
Gjdad - great meeting you

Unfortunately (maybe fortunately ask Big Ed) I wasn't able to attract a team. I did attend Friday late morning and early afternoon. Also Saturday after turn in around 2 pm. The teams are really nice people very open handed with thier experience and willingness to share with an interested spectator. Capt Ron, Stockcar, Big Ed (with Head's Red as a ringer), Cancersucks.com made me really feel welcome. Congrats to all those teams. A special thanks goes to Head's Red and Big Ed who were very helpful to an aspiring BBQ sauce dealer. I got to speak a little to Johnny Trigg, my son was thrilled to be able spend time talking with Mr. Trigg. Keith of KRE Smokers feasted my son and myself on some great BBQ. I still have the bug to compete so maybe next year I can put a crew together for some local events.

gjdad wrote:I still have the bug to compete so maybe next year I can put a crew together for some local events.

Dave - I pretty much cook solo or with my son when he can make it. What I also do is invite someone who is looking to get into comps to come and hang out for the weekend so they can see what comps are all about. Its a good way to see how box prep is done as well as coordinating the 4-5 turn times. Plus you dont have the added pressure or expense.
The season is pretty much done for me but you (or anyone else) is welcome to join me at one next season.
Its a great way to see the comraderie and good times from a cooks point of view vs what you will will see as a visitor (its really nothing like what is protrayed on TV)

p.s. there is an annual KCBS cookoff in Des Plaines at Rand River Bowl in the middle of Feb if you want to brave the elements..myself I usually judge that one:)

Head's Red BBQ wrote:

gjdad wrote:I still have the bug to compete so maybe next year I can put a crew together for some local events.

Dave - I pretty much cook solo or with my son when he can make it. What I also do is invite someone who is looking to get into comps to come and hang out for the weekend so they can see what comps are all about. Its a good way to see how box prep is done as well as coordinating the 4-5 turn times. Plus you dont have the added pressure or expense.
The season is pretty much done for me but you (or anyone else) is welcome to join me at one next season.
Its a great way to see the comraderie and good times from a cooks point of view vs what you will will see as a visitor (its really nothing like what is protrayed on TV)

p.s. there is an annual KCBS cookoff in Des Plaines at Rand River Bowl in the middle of Feb if you want to brave the elements..myself I usually judge that one:)

Thanks Bill. I would like a mentor especially the first time out. I talked to Kieth about his winter burn off event in Des Plaines it is on my schedule for Feb.

I just came across this thread. I wish I would've seen it earlier being that it's always nice to run into fellow LTH'rs. I competed in this past weekend's competition with fellow LTH'r inter4alia and his brother. Our team name is Q-topia. This was only the 2nd time we've ever competed--the first was at the same competition a few years ago. We finished near the bottom a few years ago but faired slightly better this year--28 out of 46 teams--even though we thought we did well enough to place higher (I'm sure many feel that way).

Reading jimswside's and Head's Red's comments on how much work is involved hit home with me because I'm still tired and sore from this past weekend. Unless you compete all of the time, and have a rig where you house most of your stuff, the loading, transporting, unloading, setting up, reloading, and again unloading can really kick your butt. Even though competing has been fun, it's also been a frustrating experience, although we've learned something new each time (and in between).

the sleeve wrote:I just came across this thread. I wish I would've seen it earlier being that it's always nice to run into fellow LTH'rs. I competed in this past weekend's competition with fellow LTH'r inter4alia and his brother. Our team name is Q-topia. This was only the 2nd time we've ever competed--the first was at the same competition a few years ago. We finished near the bottom a few years ago but faired slightly better this year--28 out of 46 teams--even though we thought we did well enough to place higher (I'm sure many feel that way).

Reading jimswside's and Head's Red's comments on how much work is involved hit home with me because I'm still tired and sore from this past weekend. Unless you compete all of the time, and have a rig where you house most of your stuff, the loading, transporting, unloading, setting up, reloading, and again unloading can really kick your butt. Even though competing has been fun, it's also been a frustrating experience, although we've learned something new each time (and in between).

i do know one person from Q-Topia..not sure of his name though..talked with him awhile back at the Elk grove comp a couple years ago answering questions as he was thinking of putting a comp team together at the team..glad to see he did..was that you?
I believe you guys got a all or two at Libertyville as well..congrats!

Head's Red BBQ wrote:

the sleeve wrote:I just came across this thread. I wish I would've seen it earlier being that it's always nice to run into fellow LTH'rs. I competed in this past weekend's competition with fellow LTH'r inter4alia and his brother. Our team name is Q-topia. This was only the 2nd time we've ever competed--the first was at the same competition a few years ago. We finished near the bottom a few years ago but faired slightly better this year--28 out of 46 teams--even though we thought we did well enough to place higher (I'm sure many feel that way).

Reading jimswside's and Head's Red's comments on how much work is involved hit home with me because I'm still tired and sore from this past weekend. Unless you compete all of the time, and have a rig where you house most of your stuff, the loading, transporting, unloading, setting up, reloading, and again unloading can really kick your butt. Even though competing has been fun, it's also been a frustrating experience, although we've learned something new each time (and in between).

i do know one person from Q-Topia..not sure of his name though..talked with him awhile back at the Elk grove comp a couple years ago answering questions as he was thinking of putting a comp team together at the team..glad to see he did..was that you?
I believe you guys got a all or two at Libertyville as well..congrats!

Yup, that was me. Wow, great memory! While we're on it, I bought a bottle of your sauce from that initial Elk Grove meeting--good stuff. As far as getting any calls at Libertyville, that unfortunately was not us. We were middle-of-the-pack[give or take] in every category. I guess that explains our middle-of-the-pack overall finish .

Being that you've got a lot of experience with local competitions, which ones are your favorite and why [if you don't mind me asking]? Like I said earlier, we've only done Libertyville. We did, however, judge at Westmont this year. It seemed like a good one but man was it hot!

sorry..I swore I heard you team name called..my mistake.
I try and do any of the local ones when schedule allows..sanctioned and non sanctioned..some good non sanctioned comps you should look out for next year are Lisle (which is moving to another town) and Glen Ellyn
as far as KCBS any of the local contests are good

p.s. Westmont was perfect weather for me..I like cooking in HOT weather

Head's Red BBQ wrote:sorry..I swore I heard you team name called..my mistake.
I try and do any of the local ones when schedule allows..sanctioned and non sanctioned..some good non sanctioned comps you should look out for next year are Lisle (which is moving to another town) and Glen Ellyn
as far as KCBS any of the local contests are good

p.s. Westmont was perfect weather for me..I like cooking in HOT weather

Thanks for all of that info. I will be sure to seek you out to say hi if we make any of those events.