I love to cook, don’t you?

From age 8 to 88, there’s a competition for every member of the family

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Posted by: KFarrell
[email protected]
334-718-2416
Date: Aug 13 2015 8:06 AM

In the Wiregrass there are several cooking competitions available for chefs of every cooking level, and there are more cooking contests at PorktoberQue this year than ever before! For students aged 8-18, the popular Kids Que will again be sponsored by Academy Sports+Outdoors. Kids will be grilling pork chops provided by Fatback’s Restaurant and competing for $250 in prize money. Every child that enters is a winner though, as they get a tailgate sized grill to keep, as well as the fun and experience of cooking at PorktoberQue.

 For those more comfortable in the kitchen by the oven or stove than over a grill, the Bean Contest is the best option. The contest has few rules- prepare a dish of beans (any kind, any stile), turn them in Friday night at 7:00 at the judges tent and you could win one of five prizes worth a total of $500 provided by Fatbacks Backyard BBQ restaurant. The only rule is that you can’t turn in a commercial can of beans without doctoring it or changing it in some way. But, you may start with canned beans and add your own flavors and style. The cost to enter the Bean Contest (www.beancontest.com) is $20 and you receive 4 tickets in to PorktoberQue ($16 value), a glass souvenir mug ($10 value) and the chance to compete for great prizes.  Beans can be made at home and brought in a disposable container for judging, or made on site in a Dutch oven.

 Of course, PorktoberQue features a sanctioned KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) BBQ cook-off. Teams cook chicken, ribs, pork shoulder and brisket and fight for a little over $7500 in prize money. Porktoberque usually features 30 professional barbecue teams from across the southeast, who cook over wood, charcoal or pellet smokers for the certified judges. Information is at www.porktoberque.com for interested competitors.

 Finally, for the kings of the grill, there’s the inaugural “Wurst Cook” making it’s PorktoberQue debut on Friday September 25. Contestants of any skill level will grill, smoke or cook by any means Bratwurst for the Friday night judging. The bratwurst are provided to contestants at the 4:30 team meeting, and they will be returned in the provided box at 7:30 to the judging area. For the $25 entry, contestants will receive 4 tickets to PorktoberQue ($16 value), a glass souvenir mug, ($10 value) and a pound of bratwurst for the competition ($5 value) from our sponsor, Sysco Gulf Coast. There’s more information at www.wurstcook.com or you can enter by calling (334) 699-1475

            PorktoberQue may not be on the Food Network (yet) but big time reality cooking is alive and well here in the Wiregrass. Cooks of all ages and skill levels are urged to compete and have fun at PorktoberQue this year, while building their culinary skills. Besides the cooking competitions, PorktoberQue features polka music, dancing, beer and bratwursts in the air-conditioned Fest Haus (look for the large metal building at the Houston County Farm Center), an outside stage with contemporary music, Ultimate Air Dogs Dock Diving competition, wrestling throughout the weekend, a car show, plenty of food and merchandise vendors, bounce houses for kids and a lot of family fun.

 Admission is just $4 per person per day and if you wear lederhosen or a dirndl you get in free! All proceeds benefit local youth programs, schools and nearly two dozen clubs, non-profits and youth programs benefit from PorktoberQue. More information can be found at www.PorktoberQue.com or by calling (334) 699-1475

            

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