Owensboro Pork Pullers

08/18/2024

Been a long time since I've watched the sun come up over a smoker! Got absolutely skunked yesterday in steak, so fingers crossed that today goes a little better in bbq! Being a touch rusty doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling this morning. It's been 2-1/2 years since I've cooked all four meats at the same time, nothing like throwing down with a bunch of the nation's best here in Troy, IL at Smoke N for The Kids bbq cookoff!

04/28/2024

Made my way down to Dyersburg, TN yesterday for an SCA double steak cookoff. Steak A wasn't the best I've turned in, and the judges agreed. But steak B! Got to hear my number called for 1st place!

03/15/2024

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ilBOBuMHa/?igsh=MWd3MmVlajRlczBlaQ==

03/13/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/ftcLpK3s2N2z6nu8/?mibextid=oFDknk

03/12/2024

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4auajsuudQ/?igsh=MXh4c21icGRtdWZodA==

01/16/2024

How it started, vs how it ended. Rolled into 2023 in Missouri in January and that win put me on the top 10 list for the first time ever. Fell off for a couple weeks and then went 2nd & 3rd in Livingston, TN and stayed top 10 until the end! It was a LONG year of doing battle with some bad ass cooks to stay there! I will be mostly a homebody through 2024, just kinda tired, over it a bit, and maybe a touch broke after that year of pushing! Last year's stats that took me a while to figure out....

Total steaks cooked in competition: 85 (83 at regular comps + prelims and finals at World comp)

Total miles to cooks said steaks: 20,850 (stupid, ain't it?!)

States cooked in: 12. Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Top 10's in every state except North Carolina 😔

7 first place finishes!
37 top 10's
21 top 5's
3rd place in my group at World Prelims
25th overall in World Finals
9th in points in Arkansas State Championship

I'm happy with those results, and happy that year is behind me! Gotta give props to all those that do this stuff year in and year out, y'all really are beasts! And a HUGE congrats on the monster numbers that put up this year, congrats on your first USA points championship!

11/05/2023

Last weekend I went Southeast to Gatlinburg for the TN state championship steak cookoff. Friday night didn't go as planned, ended up 33rd outta 40. Regrouped that night and rolled out a 3rd and 15th on Saturday and watched a good fella win the State Championship!

Came home, packed up, and rolled Southwest to Marion, Arkansas for another triple steak event. Same story, different weekend...Friday night wasn't the best results, coming in 14th place. Again, regrouped and came back with another 3rd on Saturday steak A! Steak B was a "Frankensteak", and it ended up with another 14th. Not a bad weekend! Will head home tomorrow and get ready for Collierville, TN next weekend!

10/22/2023

Back home and cleaned up and ready for next weekend, but first.....this weekend!

Traveled, for the 3rd weekend in a row, to Mississippi for SCA competition. Horn Lake, MS this time. Started off Friday night a little rough with a 16th place finish, a 47 in texture killllllled me. Regrouped and came back running on Saturday with 3 entries and 3 walks! Ribs was a tie for 3rd place, Steak A was a tie for 10th place, and Steak B I was able to hear my numbers called last of the night for my seventh 1st place win of the year! Super pumped about this one! As I said a month ago about #6 and trying for 7...I don't know if there will be an 8, but I'll have fun trying to get it!

Thanks to everyone who promoted, hosted, repped, and cooked this weekend, was a good venue and a good time with friends! Next weekend is another Friday-Saturday deal, this time in the mountains of East TN at the Tennessee State Championship cookoff in Gatlinburg!

10/19/2023

This past weekend saw us back down in Mississippi again, at Southaven. .wiink and I went down and cooked a couple steaks on Saturday and then went to the other end of the parking lot and watched The Avett Brothers and Willie Nelson!

For the 2nd weekend in a row, I drew really close to back of the pack on steak selection, so I made the best out of it! Steak A was what could be classified as a roast, but was able to trim it down and nail all my marks except for taste. 11th place. Steak B was better for me, putting me in the top 10 for the 32nd time this season, with a 7th place call!

This coming weekend is a triple steak and ribs weekend...back down in Mississippi again! Horn Lake, MS, jist a few miles down the road from Southaven....praying my trailer is still where I left it last weekend!

10/09/2023

Steak. Whole bunches of steak! I tend to forget to post results here lately. Since my last post from Pierron, IL there's been 3 more comps.

Friday and Saturday, Sept 22/23 we spent in Murphysboro, IL. Good times were had at a 2 day double, where I was fortunate enough to walk 7th on Saturday. No walk Friday with a 15th finish.

Friday and Saturday Sept 29/30 was Tuscumbia, AL. Anyone who knows me knows that I feel cursed when I cross that state line. Historically, Alabama has hated my steaks. Was able to break that curse Friday night with a 4th place call! Saturday started rough with a 14th in A, but was lucky enough to get a 10th in B! 2 calls outta 3 in Alabama made me happy!

Now on to the most recent weekend! I was supposed to go to Missouri for the MO state championship, but called an audible and went South to Booneville, MS instead. Cooking 8 hours from home on a Sunday is rough on a fella who has to work Monday. The change to Mississippi was a good one!!

Friday and Saturday October 6 & 7 was hosted by the Burns family and benefitting the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Friday night I went across the stage with a perfect tie with Ronald Burns for 4th place! Saturday's steak A was something special for me. I turned it in and said to myself that it was top 3 nearly guaranteed. (I am NEVER confident when turning in a steak.) Steak A walked with a perfect tie for 2nd! Steak B I felt like was a bottom 3 steak, just didn't hit my mark on anything I tried. 10th place! I was blown away and also the only one to walk in all 3 steaks down there this weekend!

This has grown long winded, sorry! Next 2 weekends has us back in Mississippi again, Southaven this and Horn Lake next! Stay tuned...(but don't hold your breath that I'll remember to post in a timely fashion)

09/19/2023

Spent a little time over the weekend displaying 10 years worth of BBQ & SCA awards at the house. Sometimes we don't realize how fortunate we've been over the years, looking back over old trophies puts things in perspective!

Then, there's the current condition of the OPP wagon. Broke an axle last weekend on the way to Pierron, IL and had to sideline it for a few days. Replacing the axles this week, and hope to have it back for Murphysboro, IL this weekend!

09/19/2023