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Motley Que Crew wins the 2012 World's Champion Bar-B-Que competition held at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Saturday.: Nathan Lindstrom/Special to the Chronicle
Smoked brisket may be the iconic taste of Texas but a buttery bird snatched the top honors at the 2012 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Saturday night.
Motley Que Crew, competing in the contest for the first time, was named Overall Grand Champion. The team, whose original five members includes Food Network celebrity Guy Fieri (who was not in Houston because he had a prior engagement at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival), also took first place in the chicken category.
Although Motley Que entered all three meat categories – chicken, ribs and brisket – at the competition, it was the barbecue chicken that clinched the top honors.
“We’re happy,” said team head cook Matt Sprouls of Champaign, Il. “Considering this is an entirely different way of cooking chicken than we’re used to.”
Sprouls said the team had to adjust its barbecue chicken preparation to meet Rodeo specifications. So what’s the secret to championship barbecue chicken?
“All I can tell you is the judges must love butter,” Sprouls said with a grin.
He added that the win in Houston is especially sweet because Motley Que had its origins in Houston. The team was formed in February 2003 at the home of David Klose of Houston (Klose is the purveyor of custom barbecue pits, grills and smokers) where they took a barbecue class. According to the team’s website, “Five guys interested in learning the ways of the legendary pit masters came together for a weekend that would forever change their lives.” The team earned its bid to compete at the America royal Association’s World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest by winning the chicken category at the 32nd Annual World Series of Barbecue in Kansas City, Mo.
Robert Riley, Matt Sprouls and Mike Zemenick of Motley Que Crew are the 2012 World's Champion Bar-B-Que Contest.: Nathan Lindstrom/Special to the Chronicle
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The results of the 2012 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo:
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Grand Champion: Motely Que Crew
1st runner up: Guzzlin’ Gourmets
2nd runner up: Jasper County Go Texan
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Champion Brisket: Keep’er Hot Cooking Team
1st runner up: Bulldog Mountain Cookin’ Crew 1
2nd runner up: Hoot County Saloon 1
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Champion Ribs: Metro Go Texan 5/Road Dog Cookers
1st runner up: Milam County Go Texan
2nd runner up: Cheokee County Go Texan
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Champion Chicken: Motley Que Crew
1st runner up: Guzzlin’ Gourmets
2nd runner up: Jasper County Go Texan
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Go Texan Best BBQ: Jasper County Go Texan
Runner up: Metro Go Texan 5/Road Dog Cookers
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Champion Dutch Oven Dessert: Swine-Os
1st runner up: Metro Go Texan 1-Bayou City Lagniappe Cookers
2nd runner up: Lite Bunch
These Guys Hardly look like a Bunch of Leather Clad Rockers from the 80's.
what was the point of selling tickets to this event if the public couldn't purchase bbq from the competitors or taste any?
But they do serve the general public canned chopped beef and only charge $6.00 for a beer.
Plus it's for the children
Lee Sun,
Your ticket allowed you to get a plate of BBQ at the Chuck Wagon.
Do you really believe that the competitors could,or would even want to provide enough BBQ for the over 255,000 folks that attended the event this year?
These guys are in the business of Quality, not Quantity...
Maybe if you sponsor a team next year, they can cook for you.
I hear ya, BBQguy, but the media creates this mess every year. Any time a local news person talks about the Cook Off they tell everyone to come on down & taste the bbq from all the teams.......a little honesty would be helpful....
"what was the point of selling tickets to this event if the public couldn't purchase bbq from the competitors or taste any?"
It was available. That BBQ was available with the cost of your ticket. Next time, look for the tent serving food that says "BBQ". Duh!
Otherbill clearly hasn't been to BBQ Cook-Off much, the only BBQ you can get with the purchase of your ticket is a sloppy joe at the Chuck Wagon. The media definitely needs to make it clearer that attending BBQ doesn't mean you get to go into every tent and try all the entries, instead of telling people to come down to cook-off on Saturday night when people with tent passes (and parking passes) couldn't even get into the parking lots. 255,000 people might have attended but a majority can't even get in.
I want to know who the hunky guy is in the top picture, wearing the black t-shirt (the one on the left, holding the trophy and giving an Elvis leer). Second -is he available?! WOOF!!
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