NBBQA’s 2023 Conference Will Bring BBQ Festivities to Florida
NBBQA’s 2023 Conference Will Bring BBQ Festivities to Florida
This week’s guest introduction is by Kell and Janet Phelps, the publishers of Barbecue News Magazine and managing directors of the NBBQA. In today’s issue, the Phelps preview the upcoming NBBQA conference in Orlando. If you would like to write a guest article for The Smoke Sheet, please get in touch.
On February 15-19, the National Barbecue and Grilling Association (NBBQA) Conference will return, but this time it will only be a mile from Disney World in sunny Orlando, Florida. The 2023 NBBQA Conference will take place at the Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center, and as usual, it will feature educational classes, networking opportunities, and exciting competitions.
Expect to hear from tons of top BBQ talent at the NBBQA Conference.
The theme for this year's event is #BetterTogether, showing that both grilling and smoking have a place in the same room. We, the NBBQA managing partners, are working overtime to ensure this upcoming event will showcase the best of the best from the BBQ and grilling family while providing valuable educational sessions taught by experts in their prospective fields. The support for the upcoming event has been tremendous, and we are beyond excited to host this conference.
We are elated to have several partners who have helped us organize different aspects of the conference. Craig Carter, 2022 Steak Cookoff Association Ancillary Points World Champion, helped us create the evening kickoff event called the Fire Fight Reception. Craig will also act as the official referee for the competition. This event is slated to be an all-star BBQ and grilling throwdown for attendees to enjoy. Todd Johns, Kathy Pullin, Rob and Amy Dopp, and Casey and Judy Jones will be competing and serving up samples to attendees, while Susie Bulloch will be emceeing the event.
You can brush shoulders with BBQ greats at NBBQA.
Rob and Amy Dopp also helped NBBQA organize the annual Bus Tour that will happen on Wednesday, February 15th. Their vast knowledge of barbecue in the area proved to be priceless, as the bus will be making stops at Sonny’s BBQ, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, and Pig Floyd’s.
BBQ Hall of Famers Lee Ann Whippen and Ray Lampe have been major players in helping to organize and plan the 11 different educational sessions. The Master BBQ and Grilling Classes slated for Friday and Saturday will attract anyone wanting to up their BBQ and grilling skillset, with four different classes for a single $200 ticket ($300 for non-members). The sessions will include classes by Tuffy Stone (ribs), Mark Lambert (Boston butt), Boars Night Out (whole hog), and Moe Cason and Bob Trudnak (brisket & beef ribs). Samples of the recipes used to prepare the proteins will also be provided during the sessions as well.
It’s easy to learn and have fun doing it at the NBBQA Conference.
The host hotel, Wyndham Orlando Resort and Conference Center is offering a discounted rate for the event until February 1, 2023. The hotel will be hosting all of the events happening during the conference, including three exciting Steak Cookoff Association events slated for Friday evening and Saturday.
Get ready to have a good time at the NBBQA conference.
Registration for the NBBQA Conference ends on February 1, so don’t miss out. Feel free to see more info at www.NBBQA.org or call our office at 800-385-0002.
Kell and Janet Phelps
Managing Partners, NBBQA
—For the fiftieth-anniversary issue of Texas Monthly magazine, Daniel Vaughn wrote about how brisket became the king of Texas BBQ. One place you’ll find incredible brisket is at Goldee’s in Fort Worth. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
As part of Texas Monthly’s special fiftieth-anniversary issue, BBQ Editor Daniel Vaughn wrote about the dominance of brisket on the Texas barbecue scene and how exactly brisket became the king of smoked meats. “For much of the twentieth century, barbecue joints in Texas were cooking every cut they could carve out of the half-carcasses that the slaughterhouses delivered to them,” Vaughn writes. “It wasn’t until the sixties that brisket made its move. That’s when the practice of packaging individual cuts into boxes was introduced in the beef industry. Pitmasters could now focus on the best and, not incidentally, most-affordable cuts for their operations, and brisket qualified.” READ MORE.
Atlanta-area staple Poole’s Bar-B-Q has reopened with a new owner and the same menu after closing in November. New owner Marcelo Sandrini, a restauranteur with several other spots in the area, reopened Poole’s “with the restaurant’s original menu, featuring a variety of smoked meats and sides like Brunswick stew and fried okra,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Poole’s had been a staple since 1989 but owner Darvin Poole closed it to spend more time with family. Sandrini stepped in with the Poole family's blessing to keep the traditions alive. “They showed us everything that they do, so we can replicate exactly what they’ve been doing for years,” Sandrini said. READ MORE.
Our friends at the Barbecue Bros. report that Buxton Hall Barbecue in NC remains a fantastic place to eat barbecue despite Elliot Moss departing the operation. Both Monk and Speedy report that the pork is still the main attraction. “The ribs, which I had not had at Buxton previously, were also really, really good,” Speedy writes. “They were cooked perfectly – tender but not falling off the bone, and well seasoned without being either too sweet or too salty. The pork at Buxton is always the star (and was again today), but the ribs made sure they were heard.” READ MORE.
Daniel Vaughn notes that Mum Foods in Austin takes inspiration from both Texas barbecue joints and old-school New York delis. The menu includes massive pastrami sandwiches, impressive sausages, and matzo ball soup. READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
D.C.-area food truck Money Muscle BBQ has now expanded with a dedicated location inside the Le Fantome food hall.
Daniel Vaughn joined the Texas Standard to “reflect on how Texas barbecue has changed over the past five decades.”
Big Al’s Smokehouse in Dallas has been serving barbecue for nearly 50 years.
Terry Black’s Barbecue will be opening a new location in Fort Worth, while Hutchins BBQ plans on opening a third location in Trophy Club in late May.
Acclaimed Houston restaurants Killen’s Barbecue and Brett's BBQ Shop open new locations in the city’s suburbs.
Here’s how food safety helped push Texas barbecue cooks to use offset pits, according to the Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid.
Weber will be releasing the new LUMIN electric grill, Weber Griddle, and more this season.
John Tanner offers high praise for the pastrami at Silver and Sons BBQ in Montgomery County, Maryland.
—Chef Norberto Piattoni opened The Modestos in the Catskills of New York, focusing on outdoor cooking using local ingredients.—
WATCH
How an Argentine Pitmaster Roasts Whole Pigs in the Middle of the Woods — Smoke Point
Norberto Piattoni is the co-founder and chef operating the pop-up the Modestos in the Catskills of New York, where he roasts whole pigs over an open fire. Originally from Argentina, Piattoni’s culinary career led him to open-fire cooking and an appreciation for locally sourced ingredients. Watch as he cuts open the pig, finds wood for the spit, builds the spit, and roasts the pig. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Champion Pitmaster Harry Soo of Slap Yo' Daddy BBQ and Author Dan Good — Baseball & BBQ
In this episode, hosts Leonard and Jeff chat with champion pitmaster Harry Soo, who has more than 100 first-place finishes, 30 Grand Championships and is a television personality (BBQ Pitmasters, Chopped, Smoked,). Leonard and Jeff are joined by guest co-host Doug Scheiding, who knows Harry from their previous meetings at competitions, including their time together at The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Bar-B-Que Contest. They also talk with baseball author Dan Good. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Chiles and Smoke: BBQ, Grilling, and Other Fire-Friendly Recipes with Spice and Flavor — Brad Prose
It’s time to go beyond salt and pepper brisket! With Chiles and Smoke, professional recipe developer and pitmaster Brad Prose delivers a BBQ book unlike any other. Spanning beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetables, each chapter also incorporates a variety of chiles, from spicy Jalapeños to bitter Shishito Peppers. Explore the alluring union of smoke and heat with recipes including Coffee-Rubbed Tri Tip with Shishito Gremolata, Chipotle Tahini Grilled Chicken, Chile Verde Spare Ribs, Grilled Scallops with Charred Poblano Cream, and more. In addition to the recipes, Brad walks you through how to char, grind, pickle, grill, and smoke chiles, demonstrating endless ways to liven up your meals. Crank up the heat and bring these bold flavors to your next BBQ. PRE-ORDER HERE.
—Impress your guests at your next BBQ or dinner party with this Bourbon Smoked Duck Breast recipe from Big Swede BBQ.—
Bourbon Smoked Duck Breast with Port Sauce
By Big Swede BBQ
Johan Magnusson of Big Swede BBQ is here with a new recipe video, and it is a tasty one. In this video, Johan will be cooking up some mouthwatering Smoked Moulard Duck Breast in Port Sauce on the grill using Bourbon Barrel Blocks. The sauce is made with port, red wine, and spices, which gives it a rich and complex flavor that pairs perfectly with the smokey duck. In this video, Johan will give a step-by-step tutorial on how to prepare and cook the duck, as well as the sauce, so you can easily recreate this dish at home.
Learn more about Southside Market Barbeque.
—It's time to start mapping out BBQ events to attend in 2023.—
February 15-18, 2023: National Barbecue & Grilling Association National Conference — Kissimmee, Florida
The National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA) will be hosting its annual national conference in early 2023. Expect great classes, speakers, food, competitions, and much more at this event. MORE INFO HERE.
February 23-25, 2023: Houston Rodeo World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest — Houston, Texas
More than 250 teams will compete in the next World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. While most team tents are invitation-only, visitors can enjoy several public venues, including The Garden, Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon and the Chuckwagon. Plus, the carnival is open for wild rides and fun games. The event is one of the largest annual BBQ competitions in the country. MORE INFO HERE.
March 31-April 1, 2023: Hogs For the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hogs For the Cause barbecue competition and festival is back in 2023 for its 15th anniversary. The event will be held at the UNO Lakefront Arena festival grounds. Proceeds go to fight pediatric brain cancer. MORE INFO HERE.
April 2, 2023: Houston Barbecue Festival — Humble, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival will return for its 10th anniversary this April. Tickets are now on sale for the event that includes some of the state’s best pitmasters and barbecue joints such as CorkScrew BBQ in Spring, Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy, Harlem Road Texas BBQ in Richmond, Tejas Chocolate & BBQ in Tomball, and more than a dozen of Houston’s most popular ’cue restaurants. MORE INFO HERE.
May 17-20, 2023: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
Recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious barbecue contests, the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $145,000 in prize money. The event will be held again at Tom’s River Park after a hiatus. However, based on the reduction in space in the new Tom Lee Park the event organizers expect the contest will be limited to 150 teams. MORE INFO HERE.
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