PHOTOS BY JENNIFER COLTON
For more than 10 years, backyard cooks have faced off at the Umatilla County Fair, and this year was no exception.
Cooks were already setting up around the Coke Stage at 8 a.m. on Wednesday for the Backyard BBQ Contest before the cooking centerpieces – beef tri-tip, lamb roast, potato and onion – arrived.
Hermiston’s Mike and Deannie Simon – team Smokin’ Hot & Saucy – took the top prize this year, which included a wood pellet smoker. The winners in each division also received cash prizes: $300 for first place, $200 for second and $100 for third.
Despite the money on the line, most of the 16 teams predicted their chances were “just as good” as the others and spoke highly of their competition.
Burns, who competed under team name “Third Degree,” took second place in the Lamb Roast. He has been entering barbecue competitions for four years, and this was his second year in a row at the Umatilla County Fair.
“I’d just encourage everyone who loves to barbecue to come to these events. There are quite a few events around the county, and we could use more participants,” he said.
Nearby, the team of Conestoga, Jeff and Denise Marks, were wrapping onions in bacon, a popular addition for all categories of the competition. Something must have worked – the Hermiston team took second-place in the onion category, as well as first in lamb and third place in each tri-tip and potato.
“I always have great hopes, and we’re extremely confident in our product,” Denise Marks said. “We love to do this. There are so many people, and we just enjoy it.”
The duo competed at the Backyard BBQ for four years before taking a year off. Wednesday marked their return to the competition.
“There’s a lot of new faces, and that’s great,” Denise said. “I hope everybody does well – and has fun. A great attitude is where it’s at.”
Another Backyard BBQ competitor, Joe Arguello, of Pendleton, agreed. Head of the Beef 52’s, Arguello brought in his own cheering squad – his children.
“I do these competitions because I enjoy it, and I get to hang with my kids,” Arguello said. “I love cooking, you compete, get to taste other people’s food and get ideas … but for the most part, you just come out here and have fun.”
The competition also brought out first-time cooks like Robert Longoria. Heading up the Even a Princess is Built Ford Tough team, Longoria had never competed in any cooking challenge before and participated as a favor to family members and Fair Princess Sevana Patrick.
“My first time here, it’s an experience in itself,” Longoria said. “It’s going great so far, but it’s a challenge.”
Despite his rookie status, Longoria placed second in the beef tri-tip category.
Each team competed in all four categories, and meat and produce were provided by local sponsors: Beef Northwest, River Point Farms, Blue Mountain Potato Growers, CHS Inc., Eastern Oregon Mobile Slaughter, EOM Construction, Fiesta Foods, Oregon Potato Commission, Ranch and Home, Silverdale Farms, and Umatilla County Cattleman’s Association.
A total of six judges tasted and scored entries by blind number, and the results were tallied. The overall winner was determine by the highest cumulative score.
2015 UCF Backyard BBQ Contest Results
Overall Winner: Smokin’ Hot & Saucy, Mike and Deannie Simon
Tri-tip Beef: 1st place – Smokin’ Hot & Saucy; 2nd place – Even a Princess is Built Ford Tough, Dennis and Cyndie Whitaker, Robert Longoria; 3rd place – Conestoga, Jeff and Denise Marks
Lamb Roast: 1st place – Conestoga; 2nd place –Third Degree, Tyrel Burns; 3rd place – Smokin’ Hot & Saucy
Onion: 1st place – Die Hard BBQ, Tim Watts, Bob Crow and Corey Ashbeck; 2nd place – Conestoga; 3rd place – Smokin’ Hot & Saucy
Potato: 1st place – Die Hard BBQ, ; 2nd place – Smokin’ Hot & Saucy, Mike and Deannie Simon; 3rd place – Conestoga, Jeff and Denise Marks
