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Florence plans barbecue cook-off Labor Day weekend

Barbecue cooks are being sought for the Florence Labor Day Barbecue Cook-Off which will be Sept. 3-4.

Entry forms for the contest are available online at florencebbq.blogspot.com or call Les Allison at (620) 382-7310.

Contestants will have an opportunity to win cash prizes of $3,000 for grand champion, $1,000 reserve champion, $150 first, $100 second, and $75 third.

Entry fee is $115 per team.

The Prairie Goose Stompers, an eclectic bluegrass and variety band, will present a concert and jam session from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 3.

A Good One patio grill/smoker, valued at $930, will be given away through a drawing. Need not be present to win.

Beginning Sept. 3, most teams will smoke briskets and pork butts overnight. Teams can stay with their cookers overnight.

The next day, most teams will begin cooking chicken and ribs.

At 11:30 a.m. the first entry, chicken, will be judged. Ribs will follow at 12:30 p.m., pork butt at 1 p.m., and brisket at 1:30 p.m. Teams may turn in entrees five minutes before or up to five minutes after the official times. Those who are late will be disqualified.

Judging will be completed by 2 p.m. An awards ceremony will be at 3:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the concert, cook-off, and participate in the drawing.

Contest rules

Kansas City Barbecue Society rules and regulations will be followed.

For a complete listing of the rules, go to www.kcbs.us.

Basic rules for this competition include:

— Each team will have a chief cook and as many assistants as the chief cook deems necessary.

— Each team will be assigned a cooking space Sept. 3 after teams check in and a cook's meeting. No equipment can exceed the assigned space.

— Contestants will provide own equipment, supplies, and electricity.

— Fires must be wood, wood pellets, or charcoal. Propane is permitted as a fire starter provided the competition meat is not on the cooking device. No open pits or holes are permitted.

— Parboiling or deep frying competition meat is not allowed.

— Four meat categories: Chicken — cornish game hen, kosher chicken. Pork ribs — ribs shall include the bone; country style ribs are prohibited. Pork — Boston butt, picnic and/or whole shoulder weighing a minimum of five pounds; pork shall be cooked bone in or bone out and shall not be parted. Beef brisket — may be whole brisket, flat, or point; corned beef is not allowed.

— Teams can check in between 1:30 and 6 p.m. Sept. 3. A cook's meeting is at 6 p.m. to review rules.

— All meat shall be inspected by official meat inspector at check-in and must be in original unopened package. Contest meats may be purchased at Wilbur's Market of Florence.

— Teams may not share cookers.

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