Anything Butt Amazing

25 Years, One Sauce, One slab of Ribs

Working on a T-Bone Steak Ala Carte, Flying over to the Golden State. A lyric from an Elvis song that seemed to be stuck in my head for days. Whenever I go to Vegas that seems to happen, last year it was Viva Las Vegas.

This has nothing to do with BBQ other than it demonstrates a Homer Simpson like quality. Dough!

This contest has my favorite category, Anything Butt. It gives me a chance to cook what I think is my best item. Beef Ribs! Yes beef ribs. This was my slippery slope into the "Smoky World of Barbeque" I love beef ribs and had developed my sauce around them.

For many years I cooked massive amounts of food for family and friends. Beef ribs were always the main course. Chicken and seafood were secondary. So as usual I was excited to be competing in Las Vegas, hell I'm excited to compete anywhere. This is a big contest with some big time cookers and big money. I always look forward to cooking against the Big Boys.

My niece Jodi and her son Spencer live in Las Vegas so we always stay with her. Kim really likes this cook off for the same reason also because it's Vegas and she can gamble!

What was the most important for me at this contest was a validation of my sauce and those beef ribs that I am so proud of. We finished in the middle of the pack in the four categories but we took 1st place in the Anything Butt category with my beef ribs.

It was the culmination of 25 years of work perfecting my "Q" Original BBQ and dipping sauce. This sauce is so different from BBQ sauces that everyone has or uses I was hesitant to use it at competitions. I have fed a lot of people over the years with it and they keep coming back for more. I knew it was good.

We tied for first in desert last year at the contest and 7th this year so we really have enjoyed Heatin' Up The Bay and Las Vegas. We are sorry to hear that it is not going to happen next year. There should be a contest in Las Vegas; it is the only way to draw top teams from around the country to the West. At least for now.