Sisters teams fire up the grill

The sound of tanker planes and the smell of smoke filled the air at the Deschutes Fair and Expo Center on Saturday, September 2. It wasn't the acrid smoke of a forest fire though.

While the tankers came from the nearby airport, the smell came from barbecues slow cooking beef briskets and ribs. This was the Kobe Q Rotary Club of Bend's first annual barbecue competition.

Two Sisters teams entered. Sisters Rotary BBQers was made up of Rotary president Scott Pillar, Barbara Turner and Geri Petersen. The Ziwah Willies team consisted of Bill and Rosie Wavrin and Bill's brother, Chris.

The Sisters Rotary BBQers hinted that they had a secret sauce, but wouldn't elaborate. This correspondent found their entry to be a delightful way to start an afternoon of sampling barbecued beef.

"We're just really happy to be here; we're all Rotarians together," said Pillar.

Ziwah Willies chef Bill Wavrin admitted to being a novice competition barbecuer, having spent his career as a chef at highly rated spa resorts. He submitted his brisket with a selection of side sauces, each with a distinctive zing.

"I don't want food to be boring," he said.

Kobe Beef America (KBA) supplied the meat to the 19 barbecue teams. Kobe beef is a branded product, derived from Japanese Wagyu cattle and renowned for its consistent taste and tenderness. Rotary Club organizers welcomed the involvement of KBA. Kobe beef is a rare product, and it's not often the general public has opportunity to taste it.

Each team had to present a sample of brisket to a panel of local judges. The teams were pre-assigned their judging times, which meant several started their cooking in the wee hours of the morning.

Chef Dave Hatfield, aka "The Muscle Chef" and Phil Gattey of Bernie's BBQ in Bend, were two of the judges.

Successfully cooking barbecue is as much a science as an art, according to these experts. Barbequers need to have a basic understanding of food science to allow the melding of temperature, seasoning, moisture and cooking time that makes delicious barbecue.

Entries were judged on appearance, texture and taste. Judges were looking for tenderness - a sign of long, slow cooking. "Brisket isn't very forgiving if shortcuts are taken," Gattey said. The taste had to reflect a balance of seasonings and smoking that enhanced the flavor of the beef.

A team called the Bend Villains, at their first barbecue competition, walked away with the Championship, narrowly beating Reserve Champions Smokin' Man Barbeque from Medford.

The public had an active role in the competition. Each competitor made samples of brisket and ribs or other meat available, and the public was invited to vote for the People's Choice Award. Entry tickets placed in a box at a competitor's booth signaled a vote, usually to great cheers and thanks from the barbecuers.

Two Loose Screws, an experienced barbecue competitor, won a Traeger barbecue as the most popular People's Choice.

Ticket holders got a complete meal at the event with a booth supplying salad, baked beans and bread; beer and soft drinks were also available.

A third award for Showmanship was awarded to Fat Jack's BBQ, a flashy affair with a bright yellow trailer loaded with state-of-the-art equipment. They also cooked up a mean set of ribs. Fat Jack's took home $250 for their efforts.

Barbeque competition is a big deal in many regions of the United States, and both the organizers and judges of Kobe Q were pleased at the response to this first Central Oregon contest.

The event is slated to become an annual affair, with proceeds benefiting youth programs in Central Oregon.