Charbroiled clout for Cook-off

Just two years old and the No Bull BBQ Cook-Off is already
smokin’ other West Coast competitions. On Saturday, Morgan Hill
became the host of the largest barbecue cook-off along the Pacific,
thanks to its 66-team showing; an estimated 18,000 people witnessed
the feat.
Just two years old and the No Bull BBQ Cook-Off is already smokin’ other West Coast competitions.

On Saturday, Morgan Hill became the host of the largest barbecue cook-off along the Pacific, thanks to its 66-team showing; an estimated 18,000 people witnessed the feat.

The sweet, smoky scent of grilled meat hovered over the Community and Cultural Center from 10 a.m. until last call at 6 p.m. and amid the hypnotizing smell of barbecue sauce, was a boisterous air of friendly competition and eager ingestion that characterized the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s 2nd annual No Bull BBQ Cook-Off.

The nationally recognized barbecue contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society brought in teams from throughout the state competing mostly for pride – and only enough money to cover their expenses for the weekend – at the event that has already become one of the biggest of its kind.

“You have made history,” an event organizer, Ric Gilbert, told the crowd assembled for the cook-off’s closing awards ceremony. “This is the biggest (barbecue) event ever on the western coast.”

Winning the overall best barbecuer award and a $500 prize was the Slap Yo Daddy team from Diamond Bar. The same team won the top award last year, and Slap Yo Daddy barbecuer Harry Soo said the key is the “consistency” of their grilled meat across the four main categories – ribs, pork, chicken and brisket. The team also took first place in the pork category, as well as second place in chicken and ribs.

Soo and grill partner Benny Adauto were pleased with the win.

“The strongest teams in the West were here,” said Soo, an information technology manager by day.

Of the five teams from south Santa Clara County competing, Huminie’s Hogalicious based out of Gilroy took home the most awards, including third place overall and first place in the ribs category.

“We’re thrilled,” said the team’s chief griller Adam Hollman, who noted Saturday’s cook-off was only their second attempt at a professional contest. He said the prize money might “help us break even” on their costs to compete.

But among these barbecuers, there’s more on the line than $13,000 total in prize money. “This isn’t about money at all, this is about bragging rights,” said Butch Richardson of Huminie’s earlier in the day.

Most teams arrived to the parking lot along Depot Street Friday night, ensuring enough time to prepare and cook. Huminie’s Hogalicious set up shop and slept in their camper, monitoring the smokers all night. “I think we slept about 45 minutes this morning,” Richardson said. “There was a lot to do.”

Tom Sharp of Big Pig BBQ, cooking out of Oakley, was impressed with the growth of the No Bull competition since last year. This time the event was better organized and supplied with food than the inaugural cook-off, though he ran out of meat before 3 p.m. Saturday.

Opening the event to spectators Friday night this time added a new element, as barbecuers balanced the intense focus on their work with off-the-cuff tutorials for attendees interested in tips they could take to their backyards.

“It’s fun and confusing at the same time,” Sharp said. “We explain the whole deal (to visitors), and people are curious” about barbecuing.

Sharp, a police officer preparing to retire this summer, said he participates in about 10 competitions a year, and is working toward winning the “big one” that will propel him to an elite status. 

Up all night at Big Pig’s tent were Contra Costa Community College district culinary arts students Anita Waller and Audrey Pastones. 

Their job was preparing the four types of meat for grilling – marinating, trimming, and “loving the meat,” they said.

“It’s a lot of work,” they learned, Pastones said while washing dishes Saturday afternoon. 

Sealed away inside the community center were more than 60 Kansas City Barbecue Society certified judges licking their lips and making the tough choice of best pork, brisket, chicken and ribs. A “side bet” of Safeway’s Rancher’s Reserve steak was showcased as the fifth leg of the contest, where competitors had more freedom (like using vegetables) than the strict rules of KCBS grilling.

Dimitri Grekoff of Elk Grove roamed around the aisles of smokers, trailers and tents; little did grillers know that he was a judge – incognito – scoping out their technique. He looked on as Soo of Slap Yo Daddy explained his strategy, though a peek behind his tent while preparing his product was strictly forbidden.

“(Our barbecue sauce) is constantly changing also. Barbecue flavors are like fashion. Sometimes it’s short skirts, sometimes it’s long skirts. It’s like fashion, so sometimes the judges like it sweet, sometimes the judges say ‘I don’t like sweet anymore.’ They like it spicy. So we try to tailor our product to match what the scores show. I spend a lot of time analyzing my pictures, analyzing my color, looking at my scores week to week,” Soo explained to a few on-lookers as teammate Adauto turned chicken on one of two smokers. According to the KCBS rules meat cannot be cooked in a pot, in the oven, by boiling or steaming, or with heat from gas or electricity.

“We have a bull’s eye on our backs today,” Soo said smiling.

Picking Soo’s brain were Doug and Barbara Drummer of Santa Clara. Doug is a backyard barbecuer and returning No Bull patron; he comes to get tips from some of the best.

“This is what he’s in it for,” Doug said about the coveted title of grand champion, pointing to Soo. Last year the Drummers got a taste of Slap Yo Daddy’s product – “Excellent,” Barbara said – but arrived earlier this year just in case barbecuers ran out of meat as they did in 2010.

“We only had coffee and oranges for breakfast,” Doug said.

For judge Grekoff, the tenderness of the meat and “the proper balance of smoke and flavor” were what his taste buds were looking for.

And his taste buds have seen it all – from the deep South to back East – Grekoff has a well-rounded palate, adding that California barbecue is too sweet.

“I want to taste the meat, not the sauce,” he said.

Marisela Rojas came to the cook-off from San Jose, with her daughter, two grandchildren and niece.

“We came to sample some barbecue,” said daughter Naila Rojas, adding that her 5-year-old son was in awe of the No Bull happenings as the event resembled cooking shows on television he enjoys watching.

The winner of the people’s choice award, determined by lay judges among the thousands of visitors who voted for their favorite, was Big Ed’s Buzzard BBQ of San Jose. Cook-off organizers and barbecuers who attended the inaugural No Bull event last year said they were better prepared this time around. Last year, about 3,000 people were expected, though the true number of attendees quickly doubled that.

Little barbecue aficionados Madison Ramirez and Mason Santos beat the crowd Saturday, and walked with chaperone Teri St. Cloud from their Fifth Street home first to the Farmers’ Market before 10 a.m. to grab some carrots. Then the family headed into hog heaven. Madison munched on her carrot and said she liked the smell of roasting peppers, while Mason was excited “for the steak and the beef.”

“We’re teaching them about their senses, and they’re reading all of the signs,” St. Cloud said. “You can smell the barbecue from our home. It’s just a perfect day.”

Mason chimed in, “This right here is our backyard, Mom.”