Dig up your dungarees and straighten out your straw hat, the 6th Annual Barbecue Cook-off returns Saturday, June 4 in what promises to be the smokiest, and probably booziest party of the summer. This year’s event will see an elite task force of the top scoring barbecue teams from previous competitions come together for the ultimate foodie throw down.
Set in the courtyard of Bubba’s Bar-B-Que Saloon in Hongqiao, teams will race to serve their barbecue categories to partygoers on the hour, every hour from 11am-3pm, starting with sausage, followed by chicken, ribs, pork (pulled or chops) and finally, brisket. Free-flow drinks are provided by host venue Bubba’s, and Ken assures us the party will be a thoroughly family un-friendly event.
Let's "meat" the contestants...
Team Maya/Mayita
A tactical alliance between Britain and Mexico, team Maya/Mayita consists of Rob Jameson of Oxford, England and his right hand man, chef Jose Saldana of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. With a restaurant famous for its glazed ribs, these guys are the team to watch in the ribs category.
What’s your strategy for winning the previous competition?
Good preparation! It’s not the only thing but it’s definitely important. The meat needs to be tender, which requires time spent marinating.
How would you describe the style of your barbecue?
We’ll obviously have some Mexican influence. We just came back from Mexico armed to the teeth with fresh ancho, guajillo and chipotle and achiote chilies.
Can you tell us what you’ll be cooking?
That’s a secret! Though I can tell you we’ll be doing a housemade sausage, which we also do for the brunch menu at Maya. And definitely one pulled meat. Mexico is famous for that, so we want to give our new chef a chance to wow the judges and public.
Team Detroit American Barbecue
A new entrant to the Shanghai barbecue scene, Bruce “Big Dog” Taylor is the proprietor of underground Jing’an joint, Detroit American Barbecue.
Tell us a bit about your barbecue?
By day I work as an engineer for Chorus Motors, but by night I run my restaurant, Detroit American Barbecue. My dad passed down his barbecue secrets to me, and I learned my style of ribs from a chef back in Florida. Back at my restaurant I serve an all-American menu including pulled pork, chicken, and chilidogs.
What’s your strongest suit?
Definitely our ribs! They’re served ‘wet-style’ with a tangy and smoky glaze. Last year, I ended up entering the competition the night before and would have won, but I lost out on presentation…
[Ken interjects]: You need to go all out on the presentation too!
What tips do you have for cooking barbecue at home?
Find a good recipe, then keep trying and practicing until you find the perfect flavor for you.
Team Mexico Lindo
Hailing straight from Texas, father-and-son duo David and Pascal Monaco are the proprietors of Mexico Lindo, one of Shanghai’s longest running Mexican restaurants.
Describe the style of your barbecue?
We turn the up the heat with our meat! We’re big fans of spicy food and grow our own jalepeños and habanero peppers. We also do ‘wet-style’ barbecue – the more sauce, the better.
Which team are you most eager to beat?
Definitely Ken’s team, the Bubba’s All-Stars! We’re proud Texans, and are keen to beat the only other Texan in the race.
How does your team dynamic work?
Pascal Monaco: A lot of alcohol helps the wheels go round; if we ain’t drinking, we ain’t cooking.
David Monaco: I’m the boss around here though.
Pascal Monaco: And I’m the pretty one.
Team Bubba’s All-Stars
So you’re looking for a second team member this year?
Sure am. It’s got to be somebody with stamina, who’s happy with standing by a hot smoker all day!
How did you come to love barbecue so much?
I grew up in south Austin, which is the cradle for good barbecue in the United States, AKA the ‘Texas Barbecue Belt.’ Everyone there has a smoker in their backyard. I was self-taught over the years, but my dad got me interested when he cooked a whole turkey on our smoker. I was hooked.
What differentiates your barbecue style?
I like bold flavors! Hints of black pepper and cayenne, with a lot of chili, but less sweet. I use apple vinegar in it too.
Have you ever experimented with local flavors?
A couple of years back, I tried adding Sichuan pepper to my chicken spice mix – and it was delicious! I even took it to a barbecue cook-off in Texas, though it may have been too ‘out of the box’ for them.
June 4, 11am-late, RMB300, Bubba's Texas-style Bar-B-Que (Hongqiao), see event listing here.
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