The 5th Annual Shed Steak Showdown Cooked Up a Storm
This week’s guest introduction is by Robyn Lindars, the voice behind GRILLGIRL.COM, Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub, and the Healthy Electric Smoker Cookbook. She is unofficially known for smoking alligators and red-pill food facts in her Instagram stories and for making a really killer bloody mary. Follow her on Instagram at @grillgirlrobyn or on Facebook at @grillgirlrobyn.
If you haven’t heard of The Shed Steak Showdown, it is by far the biggest (and arguably the most fun) SCA Steak Cookoff of the year. The most recent edition of the event was held in mid-January and hosted at The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, by brother and sister duo Brad Orrison and Brooke Orrison Lewis.
Brooke Lewis and Brad Orrison from The Shed know how to throw a proper party. (Photo by August Taconi)
Brad and Brooke are the charismatic force behind the award-winning Shed BBQ Team that competes in Whole Hog (in an old Jeep Woody converted into a smoker), so suffice it to say that when The Shed team hosts a competition on its own turf, it is guaranteed to be a good time. And now that The Shed owns Cozy Rosie’s, the “Glampground” next door, attendees can camp onsite and never leave the party.
A Friday night Bayou crawfish boil kicks off the Cookoff. (Photo by August Taconi)
This year’s event kicked off with a proper crawfish boil on Friday night with a Mardi Gras king cake and a live band. The party continues until the winner is crowned, following the live cookoff event Saturday night.
Sterling Silver ribeyes were used for the steak entries at the event. (Photo by August Taconi)
The Shed Steak Showdown is a full-blown SCA event that is unique from other steak cook-offs in that it involves two steak entries, steak A and Steak B, where the winner of each has to take part in a live showdown at the end of the day. It’s a Chopped-style cooking competition, with one final “Shed Steak Showdown” winner.
Robyn Lindars shows off her team's Mardi Gras-themed Bloody Mary. (Photo by Rob Dopp)
In addition to steak, this event also has other categories, including turkey, ribs, a Kids Que competition, and the most epic, over-the-top Bloody Mary contest you have ever witnessed. The Bloody Mary competition has grown in grandeur over the years with turn-ins featuring full-blown dioramas, with this year’s noteworthy entries including a full swamp scene complete with actual alligator heads and Mardi Gras-themed Bloody Marys such as the one I turned in with Rum Runner’s BBQ, featuring a Chicken with C cups wearing beads that placed 11th out of 30 entries this year.
A steak turn-in from the Rum Rummers BBQ team. (Photo by August Taconi)
Despite the turn-in day last Saturday being wet and rainy with thunderstorms, spirits could not be dampened at such an epic event because The Shed's energy is infectious. There were too much cash and prizes from sponsors like Prairie Fresh, Loco Cookers, and Yeti not to have fun. During the event, Loco Cookers announced brand new tech in the kettle grill market, the Loco Smart Temp Kettle. Several Loco grills and Yeti merch were given away in addition to cash prizes, with a raffle collected for the Kids Que Winner yielding the winner a $4,000 cash prize, four times larger than the winner of the entire steak competition.
Rob and Brady Dopp from Rum Rummers BBQ Team prep steak turn-ins. (Photo by August Taconi)
The event culminated with Lindsay McDonald, winner of the Steak A cookoff, competing against Johnny Joseph, Winner of the Steak B cookoff. They battled it out in a live cookoff to determine who would be crowned the Shed Steak Showdown Winner. Johnny Joseph ultimately claimed the title for his second overall Shed Steak Showdown win. All category winners received a “golden ticket” to compete in their respective categories at the next World Food Championships.
Johnny Joseph won the top prize at the Shed Steak Showdown. (Photo by August Taconi)
As a member of The Shed’s own competition BBQ team, competing at Memphis in May and The Royal with them (and having done a few steak comps of my own with my Dad), I can say without a doubt that The Shed Steak Showdown is the most fun competition I attend all year. There is something magical about the place, the people, and the event. It’s a great event for SCA cooks to kick off the SCA leaderboard in a chase for points, and for some people, it’s just a great excuse to drink beer with great people. I hope to see you there next year!
Robyn Lindars
Founder, GrillGirl.co
—The 2023 James Beard Foundation list of semifinalists included a diverse list of nominees from the BBQ community from across the nation.—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Barbecue pitmasters and restaurants across the country made a great showing with the recent announcement of the list of James Beard Award nominations. Semifinalist nominees included Moo's Craft Barbecue in Los Angeles, Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta, Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach, Distant Relatives and KG BBQ in Austin, Goldee’s Barbecue in Fort Worth, Curry Boys BBQ in San Antonio, Gatlin's BBQ & Catering in Houston, and Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin. According to Eater, the finalists will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, and the winner's gala will be Monday, June 5, in Chicago. READ MORE.
The brisket and the ribs are good at Franklin Barbecue, but Ivan Vires' favorite thing about the Austin BBQ restaurant is the line. He waited in it for the 100th time on his 47th birthday before owner Aaron Franklin presented him with recognition for his longtime support of the Texas BBQ landmark. "He is an expert in barbecue, and he is going around the states all the time just looking for new places to try," said Kenneth Bednarz, Vires' best friend. "But he always comes home to Franklin because it's the best." READ MORE.
In some barbecue circles, the fourth slice of brisket is considered a true test of the quality of a brisket. The theory was first put together by Leonard Botello IV of Truth Barbeque in Texas and Burt Bakman of Slab barbecue in Los Angeles. The two pitmasters would trade photos and work together on finding the best brisket, which has now led Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly to look more closely at the “fourth slice.” READ MORE.
QSR Magazine spoke with pitmaster and restaurateur Pat Martin about how his life and joints turned upside down during the early days of the pandemic. Now his empire is growing again, with the January opening of a Hugh Baby’s location in Charleston, South Carolina. This is the first opening for Martin since pre-pandemic times. READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
The Pitch in Kansas City poses Four Inane Questions to pitmaster Scott Umscheid of Scott’s Kitchen and Catering at Hangar 29.
Here’s what makes Kansas City barbecue sauce sweetly unique, according to Tasting Table.
Pitmaster Rodney Scott explains the difference between grilling grass-fed and non-grass-fed beef.
The Daily Meal shares red flags you should never ignore when dining at a barbecue restaurant.
Durham BBQ restaurant Backyard BBQ Pit gets a big boost from the community after fear of closing amid repairs and inflation.
Friends of The Smoke Sheet the Barbecue Bros. report that Bubba’s Barbecue in Charlotte has re-opened after a two-year closure.
CBS News profiled the Royal Rib House in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, where barbecue is a family legacy.
—Aaron Franklin tells you what you need to know about how to properly manage the fire in your pit.—
WATCH
Let’s Talk About Fire — BBQ With Franklin
In this episode of BBQ With Franklin, acclaimed pitmaster Aaron Franklin discusses the art of fire, fire cooking, and how to manage fire in your pit. He talks through the size of the wood you need, what to look for during burning, and how to think through airflow. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Bill Purvis of Chicken Fried BBQ and Randy Vanslyke of High I Que BBQ — Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
In his relatively brief competition BBQ career, Bill Purvis of Chicken Fried BBQ has enjoyed considerable success cooking in various sanctioning bodies. However, his Grand Championship at last weekend’s San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo BBQ Cookoff was his biggest to date. In this episode of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Purvis reviews his recent victory, and discusses what it’s like cooking with cameras from the Food Network show BBQ USA following his every move and his soon-to-be expanding product line. Randy Vanslyke of High I Que BBQ also joins the show to preview his upcoming BBQ class while offering some good advice on how to prepare for the upcoming competition season. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Hardcore Carnivore: Cook Meat Like You Mean It — Jess Pryles
Hardcore Carnivore is a protein-packed cookbook for meat lovers everywhere. From slow-smoked barbecue ribs to perfect cowboy steaks, author Jess Pryles’ recipes are meaty winners. In addition to dozens of recipes for chicken, game, pork, lamb, and beef, Pryles—touted as the “female Ron Swanson” by her loyal followers—covers all the basics, finishes, and tricks of the trade, ensuring you’ll be cooking meat like a seasoned pro in no time. ORDER HERE.
—This super simple sausage recipe from Smokin’ Joe’s Pit BBQ is perfect for beginners.—
SPG Sausage
By Smokin’ Joe’s Pit BBQ
This SPG sausage recipe is super simple, and it's the base of many great sausage recipes. This SPG sausage recipe is a blank canvas, so from here, you can add whatever other ingredients you'd like. However, you can enjoy this delicious and simple recipe by itself!
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.
Thanks for reading our newsletter. Please share it with friends and family that also love and support barbecue! Want to be featured in or sponsor The Smoke Sheet?
Email us here!