and we want to brag a bit because we have something no other wine shop in Middle Tennessee has. You may not know it, but Frugal MacDoogal has an award-winning competitive barbecue team! In fact, the Wine Manager, Jeff Warzynski, is the team leader of the Frugal S’Wines. You get grill out recommendations from other shops, but none of them comes with the authority of this kind of experience!

My barbecuing expertise is limited to a gas grill on the back deck. I had no idea there is so much to a real competition. For a weekend judging, the team arrives early on Friday morning to make their rubs and marinades, and to inject the butts, briskets, and chickens with special tenderizers. All meats must be inspected to make sure they are being stored at correct temperatures. Then the fire is started. No charcoal or gas fuels are allowed. All barbecue must be cooked over natural woods—apple, hickory, or cherry. The fire cannot get too hot or the meat will burn; nor too low, or it won’t cook properly. This means that team members must sleep on site, and take turns tending the fire throughout the night. The cooking temperature is also critical, because there is a schedule that requires each type of barbecue to be presented to the judges at a specific time. If chickens are due by noon, competitors only have a 15-minute leeway. Of course, all this work must be done in blistering summertime heat, and usually in grassy fields with bugs and mosquitoes.

Well, not all of this experience is outright fun, but there are obvious compensations. During the competition, the team members have an adequate supply of cold beer, and they produce a steady stream of eats from the grill, such as burgers, kielbasa, bratwurst, smoked bologna, and special smoked jalapeno peppers stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon. The 3-member team generally has a supporting cast of up to three dozen spouses, kids, and friends to help with details, and to eat the barbecue following the competition, because amateur teams aren’t allowed to sell what they cook. An obvious compensation is the recognition and prestige of winning a prize, but there is also the prize money itself. A spirited competition may offer a total purse of $35,000-$40,000 for the top three finishers!

When the judges have made their decisions, it is time for team members and others to eat the fruits of their labors! Here is where the wine comes in. Remember, the wine guys have thousands of bottles to choose from. These are the wines they drink! By the way, the Frugal’s team uses a barbecue sauce with a brown sugar and honey base, which may explain some of the unusual choices.

Barbecue chicken (quarters): Red: La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux, $9.99. White: Silver Beach Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $13.99; or Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2005, $19.99.

Ribs (pork): Hendry Rose, $14.99; Cesari Mara Vino di Ripasso 2004, $16.99 (a rich and raisiny “baby” Amarone); or a lighter style Syrah such as Syrahtica American Canyon 2004, $14.99.

Brisket or steaks (beef): Robert Hall Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, $18.99; or Newton Claret 2005, $22.99.

By the way, the Frugal team took the Grand Prize as well as two Second Place awards at last year’s contest sponsored by the (www.thebellevuechamber.com). If you go there, click on “Events”, then on “Second Annual BBQ Cookoff”. Jeff is in the middle of photos # 115, 119, 122, and 123. Note that many of the events are fairs and other “kid friendly” venues. We hope you’ll come out with the family for one of the future competitions. See the wine guys for your summer barbecue needs!


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