By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Walter Hall Park in League City became a campground for BB-Q contestants starting on Thursday evening when BB-Q teams pulled in and set up their gear.
With 86 acres, the park was able to accommodate all the overnight cook-off vehicles with their grills and smokers and a full stage that hosted 14 musical performances. The park was dotted with food trucks and guests. There was ample grassy seating for guests, and some brought in their own lawn chairs to enjoy the yearly musical feast.
The event was possible because of many volunteers. ‘People were busy serving the community with a servant’s heart. They have no expectation of anything in return, just doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” shared a member of the Lion’s Club.
The Lions club of League City hosts the event each spring. “It’s a fundraiser, and we love being able to bring the community together for this event, along with being able to use the funds we raise to give back to the community,” shared Greg Gripon member of the League City Lions Club.
One team of BB-Qers was a father and son duo, Cory and Ronnie Reykoff. “We started cooking on Friday. Ribs for me are the hardest to cook,” shared Cory. “Everybody in my family just loves fall off the bone ribs, but for the contest, they the meat needs to stay on the bones,”
So, he shared, they don’t enter ribs. They enter fajitas and brisket.
John, of Lazy B Cookers, loves cooking on a grill and going to competitions. “It’s not about winning, John shared. “It’s about being with the best people I know and having fun.”
John is retired. He said that if it’s not fun at this point in his life, he is not participating.
In past years judges for the BB-Q contest sat outside under the pavilion. this year Corey and Nicole Kauffman donated funds so the judges could do their judging in the indoor banquet facility. The judges were delighted to be in a cooled environment.
Rules for judging a food contest are simple: First be ready to eat. Then follow the directions of the head judge.
“Keep a poker face. You can talk with each other but not about the product. Take a drink of water between each sample, put your used fork and knife in the blue container, and grab a fresh fork and knife. Do not touch the food. Use your utensils to carve off a slice.” Ed, the head judge, proclaimed to the final judging table.
Sitting at the final judges’ table for the BB-Q chicken were some newbies and some very experienced judges. Philip and Chrissy were newcomers and reported having a good time thus far as judges. Justin, and Melissa have judged a few other competitions and were very good at keeping a poker face.
The one judge with the best poker face was Theo Boyce. His fellow judges were curious as to why he was so good at keeping a straight face.
It turns out Theo has several decades of experience. He shared about his first competition. It was in 1978, Kevin Harrington was a paraplegic, and he ran a contest, I helped him out with judging,” Theo shared, and the entire set of judges was intrigued asking him more about his years as a BB-Q judge.
It turns out Mr. Boyce is a bit legendary as a judge and a connoisseur of BB-Q. He lists several Texas BB-Q chefs who he knows personally. He travels the entire state of Texas to sit and tastes the product of those BB-Q chefs who dare to believe they have what it takes to win a contest.
His passion is finding out who is a real pit master. He’ll pack up his car and take off for a few days just to go try out a new BB-Q place. Boyce was born in Texas and has retired from his career in the chemical industry.
The other judges at the table were in awe of his expertise.
Judges for the best ribs at the final table changed a bit. Philip, Justin, and Chrissy left the table. Pat Halisey and Gerri Bentley sat down. There was a newbie judge who wasn’t so sure she was up for the task.
I usually don’t get involved in the events I’m covering, but one of the Lions club members had other duties and asked me to sit down and judge. All I can say is I started with a headache and by the end of tasting 15 of the best of 50 BB-Q ribs, my headache was gone. I might just develop my own judging reputation and head out for BB-Q competitions across the region.
