Smokin’ Cracker BBQ
Our last team spotlight was with the Big Kahuna out on the West Coast in Oregon. Now we are going to take you all of the way across the country to visit with Jimmy Brod of Smokin' Cracker BBQ in Florida. Jimmy has a very good message for the BBQ Newbies out there. If you go to the Smokin' Cracker BBQ site you will see a ton of pics with Jimmy and his trophies. It didn't start out like that but through perseverance good things started happening. Today Smokin' Cracker BBQ is one of the top BBQ teams in the state of Florida. It should give all of us newcomers out there great hope for the future. In this interview you will find a formula for success. Mainly, ask questions, pay attention and practice. That's one thing we love to do for sure.....practice making great BBQ.
SBBBQR:. Jimmy, first of all we want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview. We would like to go back to the beginning for a moment. Do you remember your first contest and how did you do?
Jimmy: Monty the first contest I ever competed in was a local contest held in Sebring, FL. The contest was sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association in 2003. I competed in the local and professional division because of course I thought I knew what I was doing! I knew how to BBQ, Boy was I wrong. I had a lot of fun and meet some life long friend that weekend and I knew that I wanted to know more about the world of competition BBQ.
SBBBQR: What did you learn from your first contest?
Jimmy: My first contest helped me understand that the old belief that more Q is better is just wrong. I cooked about 15 slabs of ribs, 6 whole birds, 8 pork butts and 6 briskets. You just can't put that all in that little box. I also learned that a big cooker will work you to death. My first cooker (stick burner) while it is a work of art is soooooo big you and I could get inside it and play cards. I burned 15 bags of Kingsford and two or three whole hickory trees at that first contest.
SBBBQR: We noticed on your website(www.smokincrackerbbq.com) that you have some pretty impressive trophies on display. When did the lightbulb come on for you. What helped you make it to the level you are at today?
Jimmy: Monty I asked lots of questions and I took lots of notes. I spent the whole year in 2004 getting my butt kicked and to make things worse I wasn't getting better. I was looking for the magic recipe, rub, sauce or marinade. I finally realized that I had to appeal to all the judges and good better than average BBQ was what they wanted to get.
SBBBQR: How long had you been competing before you won your first contest and how did it feel?
Jimmy: 2005 was my toughest year! I was known as the third place king. I finished third overall 4 contests straight. I keep tweaking my food and finally I got my first Grand in Clermont, FL 2006 with my wife and kids there cheering me on. I got one more Grand in 2006 in Kissimmee, FL and then this year started with a bang. I won Reserve Grand at my home town contest in Sebring and went on to win the Florida State Governors cup at the KCBS contest in Lakeland, Florida with a Reserve Grand. I went on from there to win 3 Grand Champions in a row and one Reserve Grand. This year has been a blast I am a few points behind HomeBBQ.com for FBA team of the year and I plan on giving him a run for it. I have to say I am on cloud nine in Q right now!
SBBBQR: How many people do you have on your team and what are each persons specific duties?
Jimmy: Monty we have fun with that because I am a bit of a control freak. I do all the preparing and cooking but my family and friends all play a huge roll in supporting me. I never have a problem filling the other seats in the truck when going to a contest.
SBBBQR: We've also noticed that you seem to be a pretty busy man. How do you find time to get it all done?
Jimmy: I am so fortunate to have an awesome job. I am 50% owner of a family operated business in the aviation maintenance industry. My father is still a relatively young man at 58 years old and we split up duties and this allows me to take the time off I need to pursue my passion in Q
SBBBQR: If you were going to coach a beginning bbq team in a contest, what is the first thing you would tell them? In other words, what could you tell them that would help them have a shot at doing well in the contest?
Jimmy: That's easy! Go become a judge! And ask the guys that score well lots of questions. Keep in mind you have to weed out the lies.
SBBBQR: Jimmy, our team is still on the learning curve but we've grown more comfortable with each contest as far as how the entries should look and how we should cook. We still get the "willys" when it comes to ribs. Is there anything at a contest that gives you those feelings?
Jimmy: Bird, I hate it. Chicken is different every time. Chicken is a tough thing its just chicken and to make chicken right takes some real patients and some fancy foot work. I'll elaborate on that another time.
SBBBQR: Which contest would you rank as your number one contest of all time?
Jimmy: It would have to be the KCBS Lakeland Pig Fest in 2007. I competed against the best in the country and pulled out a Reserve Grand with all my family in attendance. That's what makes it special.
SBBBQR: At one contest we competed in we noticed a bunch of yelling coming from a team competing a few spots down from us. It was about 3:00am and these guys were flying out of their motorhome. Apparently they had all fallen asleep. When they opened their pit flames were shooting out a mile high. I am sure everything on the pit was pretty toasty. What's the craziest thing that has happened to you at a contest?
Jimmy: I forgot to cook my ribs. It was about 9:30 and I was dealing with some plumbing issues in my cook trailer and I all of the sudden realized they were still in the cooler. I ran the Spicewine up to about 300 deg and got them on by 10:00 AM. I cooked the ribs in 2 hrs and got a first place call. I just lucked out I guess. I cooked them wrapped the whole time and only got some color on them in the last 10 min.
SBBBQR: Jimmy, once again we would like to thank you for taking the time to do this. In parting is there anything else you would like to add that would inspire the newcomer to the sport of competitive bbq?
Jimmy: If you go to a BBQ contest and in the first 1-2 hrs you don't meet some real cool down home people then their might be something wrong with you!
SBBBQR: Thanks so much for taking the time to do this. I don't know about everyone else out there but I think I might have just found a new way to do ribs at our next competition.
Jimmy: Thanks Monty. Fun with Q!
Any Comments? If you have a comment or would just like to send a big HELLO to Smokin' Cracker BBQ, email us and we will pass it along.
Smokin' Cracker BBQ
Saturday, August 25, 2007
