Barbecue at Winks Salisbury NC with Fred from Canada - the Masterbuilt Smoker Winner

Fred won the Masterbuilt Barbecue Smoker back this fall in a drawing the Masterbuilt company sponsored on my Barbecue Master blog. Since Fred's from Canada but has family in Florida, we thought it would be fun for him to stop here in North Carolina barbecue country and pick up the smoker on the way down to visit his folks.

Well, today was the BIG DAY.

After a few months of being a boxed lamp table in my living room (so that I'd know for sure the smoker stayed in perfect condition), it was off to the Days Inn to personally present the really cool looking smoker with a window, light, and thermostat probe to Fred.

Fred picked some bad weather to drive from up North there, but things were clear tonight in Salisbury - just cold. Not as cold as he's used to though I'll bet.

First things first, the guys helped me unload the smoker, so now Fred has a brand new smoker which I'm sure he'll enjoy.

After dropping off the smoker, the crew went up the road to Wink's Barbecue. It is one of the few wood burning barbecue joints in the area. Most have had to switch over to gas or electric due to health codes and the labor involved in running a stick burning barbecue restaurant.

We all had chopped barbecue on buns which is the major style in this area of the country. The sauce was vinegar based with some red (any type of ketchup or tomato product with variations depending on the BBQ joint).

Wood burners vary night to night, since that kind of work is much more art than science. The barbecue was good tonight, but I've hit it on stronger nights. They sauced just a little heavy in the kitchen, but the que was still excellent.

We varied on our sides. They have quite a selection and all good. Fred tried out the fried okra. He'd never had okra before, and I think he liked it. He also had a chance to taste good hush puppies. He'd not been a fan before, we converted him.

As usual, the meal was big, so . . . no desserts. Jimmy did get a banana pudding to carry home though, so I guess he'll have that for a treat tomorrow.

Fred and I both picked up items (mostly barbecue related) to share across our borders. I got him a case of Cheerwine (a local soft drink) from the factory in Salisbury. It's kind of like a cherry Coke but not really. It's just different and a local favorite and served at most all barbecue restaurants around these parts.

I also picked up a range of barbecue sauces from around here and Frank Corriher country ham and Carolina Blonde beer. Oh yes, I also got Pig Pen's seasoning made also in Salisbury. So, Fred will have a taste of North Carolina to take back to Canada.

Fred brought me some fabulous looking barbecue sauces and a grilling book that made me drool just looking through quickly. Eli has already picked out this huge stacked burger that he wants me to make from the cookbook.

I also had to put on the super cute Canadian mittens Fred brought. They are from the Olympics and have the maple leaves on there. Just perfect for a cold January night in North Carolina.

I'll be back with more posts about all the "North of the Border" products Fred shared. I'm still backlogged with this sinus thing which has made it hard for me to taste things. Today was a better day, so maybe this crud is starting to back off.

Tomorrow more of the North Carolina BBQ folks are meeting at Lexington #1 to have another taste of barbecue with Fred.

Welcome to North Carolina Fred! Great to meet you. Enjoyed the heck out of the evening. Glad you won the smoker and that you're getting to check out our local barbecue world.

Salisbury, NC Barbecue a Wash Out

Cook up North Carolina Barbecue, and they will come . . . maybe.

The Salisbury, NC pork cooking competition yesterday (5-1-2009) didn't draw the expected crowd as reported by the Salisbury Post. In fact, there were only a half dozen people enjoying chopped pork shortly after noon.

It did rain before the event was scheduled to open. I know that's the case, because I was standing out in the rain grilling hamburgers and chicken for a cook out for one of my college classes. That, of course, puts a damper on an outdoor event. But, it doesn't have to be a deal breaker.

Here are Some Thoughts and Tips for Holding a Successful Outdoor Cooking Competition:

1. Get the Word Out - It's pretty obvious that people have to know about an event before they're going to show up. Traditional media is a good starting point, but online notices make a huge difference. I blogged the Salisbury barbecue event but only the day prior (which isn't enough time for people to find it), because I didn't know about the cook off until the day prior and only because I have Google alerts set for news on barbecue. Getting information to key bloggers and to members of the community who use social media sites like MySpace and Facebook can make a real difference (and at no cost).

2. Select the Right Day - Where were the people yesterday (Friday) at noon? Hum. I would wager that most were at work. That includes folks who might actually cook in a competition (only two teams were on site cooking - others trucked barbecue in from area restaurants). Saturday makes a lot more sense for a cook off and especially one that is labor intensive like barbecue.

3. A Rose by Another Name - Be sure the event title is transparent and that the words are easily searchable online. Barbecue was spelled Bar-Be-Cue or BBQ online. The alternate spellings may set the event apart from the big yearly Barbecue Festival down the road in Lexington, but it makes it harder to find information. It's like calling your beauty shop "Kut and Kurl." Try to find that in the phone book if you don't know to look under K.

4. Get Name Value on the Judges - Yes. It's a good idea to have barbecue experts on the panel to judge barbecue. That makes sense. However, food experts are not generally known widely outside the foodie community. Also, it seems odd when all judges come from outside the area (Raleigh, Cary, Burlington, Tennessee). Your locals will likely not know the out-of-towners. So, mix in some influential area personalities. Consider popular politicians, radio DJs, or others who will be known to the potential attendees.

5. Hard to Sell Grab Bags - The prices for barbecue at the event were reasonable in general; however, a first time event can be hard to sell. The $10 sample card to taste all the different barbecues could be a couple of bites or could be a lot of bites depending on the number of entries. The same issue comes up with the $2 price on samples. That's pretty high if samples are in the tiny sample cups like at the grocery store. It also was unclear how sandwiches and plates would be handled. Could you wander around and look at the offerings and select the one you wanted to try/buy or were all the barbecue entries pooled with the flavors mixed? Plates were only offered after 5 p.m., and it wasn't spelled out whether they were full dinner plates (slaw, buns, sides) or just a larger portion of straight barbecue. And, was the sauce included? Be specific, so people know what to expect.

6. Reason to Come and Hang Out - The Barbecue Cook Off was free (other than the cost of the food), but only two teams set up and cooked. That doesn't make for a festival atmosphere. A stage with entertainment gives folks a reason to wander over and stay. Of course, that does work better on the weekend rather than on a work day - even if it's a Friday. Add some fun for the kids too, and that will bring out families (and more food sold).

I'm not bashing on the Salisbury Barbecue Festival or the planners. I know very well how much work and effort it takes to put together a big event and how disappointing it can be to have a lower turn out than expected. I do hope they will continue to have the barbecue event and that the tips help anyone putting together a food festival or cooking competition.