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Local crew offers peek into world of barbecue [St. Cloud Times, Minn. :: ](St. Cloud Times (MN) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) June 18--It's February in Isle, and the frozen Mille Lacs Lake is supporting 35 competitive barbecue teams. The temperature has dropped to as low as minus 22 with a wind chill factor of minus 40. Standing around a homemade smoker that weighs more than 1,000 pounds, four co-workers from St. Cloud Hospital's information technology department are competing together in the Fire On Ice BBQ Championship -- their first contest together. "It's a lifestyle," said team member Zach Ethen, of Foley. "(Barbecuing) is a way you can spend your whole day." The team -- named Clover Ridge Smokers -- finished 22nd overall. Their tri-tip roast was ninth, pork was 14th, ribs were 23rd and chicken was 24th. They were graded meticulously on flavor, tenderness and appearance. The group detailed every action into a log. Members use the information to replicate successes and improve on failures. The Clover Ridge Smokers are scheduled to compete at the St. Francis Wing Competition on June 21 and the KCBS Great Northern BBQ contest in Brainerd on Aug. 8-9. "As IT people, we are very process and detail oriented. It carries over to this," said Dave Kryzer of Milaca, the group's pitmaster who has been smoking meats for more than 30 years. The Clover Ridge Smokers gradually formed out of lunchtime work conversations. Kryzer was previously part of other barbecue teams. Thanks to Food Network barbecue programs, the competitive barbecue circuit has grown. There are contests throughout the nation. More than 500 teams compete annually in Kansas City, Missouri, at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue competition. The Minnesota in May state championship had about 50 teams. "It's a social thing," said team member Scott Gangl, of St. Cloud. "Part of the draw is you are hanging out. And the fun part is learning and tasting different things. "When it turns out better than anything you have ever tasted, it's a pretty cool moment." The team uses smokers built over 100 hours from scratch in Kryzer's garage. The group also sells and rents smokers. They make a range of smokers, from drums to stick burners. They range in price from $300 to $3,000. The group generally uses stick burners for competitions. "I wouldn't barbecue with anything else anymore," said team member Jeremy Thomes, of Sauk Rapids. The Clover Ridge Smokers uses meat from Manea's Meats of Sauk Rapids -- the team's sponsor. Before each competition, the meat is inspected. It cannot be seasoned or marinated before a competition. "The big thing with competition barbecue is you cook it different than backyard barbecue," said Kryzer, who also earned official Kansas City Barbeque Society judge certification. "The way competition barbecue works is it's all about one bite. You make this big old thing of ribs, but what it boils down to is you have one bite in a single rib. "So you overseason it and you over do a lot of aspects of it to get that one bite perfect." Thomes is the team's sauce maker. He doesn't share his recipes -- even with teammates. His barbecue sauce has an apple cider vinegar base and was adapted from his brother's recipe. "I'll make it for people, but I'll never give that recipe away," Thomes said. Added Kryzer: "None of us know, but we are all fine with that. That's his deal." The contest has strict deadlines on which product needs to be turned in when. "You don't want to get behind or overlap," Ethen said. The group monitors how long the smoker is open. "You have to minimize losing heat and smoke," Thomes said. The teammates rotate bringing samples in to work. They try different techniques and seasonings. And they plan for their next competition. "Barbecue right now is where NASCAR was in the early '90s," Kryzer said. "What's different is I can go do this. I can watch it on TV and then go do it myself." Clover Ridge Smokers --Dave Kryzer, Milaca --Jeremy Thomes, Sauk Rapids --Scott Gangl, St. Cloud --Zach Ethen, Foley For more information about the team or purchasing or renting a smoker, visit http://crsmokers.com. Follow Jake Laxen on Twitter @jacoblaxen. ___ (c)2014 the St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, Minn.) Visit the St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, Minn.) at www.sctimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |