MABA/Lancaster BBQ Supply Summer Raffle
Comments Off on MABA/Lancaster BBQ Supply Summer RaffleThe Mid Atlantic Barbecue Association has partnered with Lancaster BBQ Supply to provide the opportunity to win an Alfa ONE Nano Outdoor Woodfired Pizza Oven valued at $1,399.00.
This superbly designed woodfired oven was built to the highest Italian quality. The compact, lightweight oven weighs only 110 pounds and can go from 32°F to 750°F in just 10 minutes and has a maximum temperature of 1000+F. Cooks a Neapolitan pizza in 60 seconds.
Included with the Alfa ONE Nano Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Oven Door
- Chimney Flue
- Chimney Cowl
- Levelling Legs
- Wood Basket
- Pizza Peel
- Wood Holder
It takes only five minutes to assemble the Alfa ONE Nano oven. When it arrives, simply screw on the leveling legs to the four corners of the oven. Next, screw the handle to the door and the pizza peel. Next, place the flue up inside the oven and put the chimney fowl on it. Put the wood basket in the center of the cooking floor and you are ready to start your pizza party!
Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20.
Tickets will be sold online until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 19, 2022.
Your ticket numbers will be generated at random. Your tickets will be put into the drawing which will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2022.
You do not need to be a MABA member to purchase raffle tickets.
Arrangements will need to be made with the supplier for pickup/shipping. Any costs for customization or upgrades to the models donated, taxes, shipping costs, and/or other crating costs are the sole responsibility of the winner. Limit one win per person. Colors may vary from those pictured.
Additional prizes will be awarded:
Wusthof knife set to include a Cooking School Knife Bag, four knives, and kitchen shears, with a retail value of $755.
Emile Henry 18″ x 14″ Pizza Stone with a retail value of $85
Each prize will include Bobby T’s Pizza Sauce and Seasoning to finish off your pizza party right!
Please thank Lancaster BBQ Supply for their generous ongoing support of MABA, and be sure to shop them online and in person!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES MARCH 2, 2022
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES MARCH 2, 2022Board Members Present
George DeMartz, President
Greg Boggs, Vice President
Shannon Turner, Secretary
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Theresa Bell
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Dave Travis
Board Members Absent
Travis Murphy
Call to Order
George DeMartz called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chris Schriver read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
Chris Schriver moved to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2022 Board of Directors meeting as submitted. Theresa Bell seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
State Cups
It needs to be determined who is ordering the State Cup trophies.
General Business
MABA Merchandise/Branding
Business cards with QR codes and stickers should be ordered to hand out at contests to advertise MABA. Discussions were had on this topic last year. There is interest in ordering MABA flags and vinyl logo stickers for purchase by MABA members. Can a place be set up online for members to buy MABA merchandise? Greg Boggs volunteered to pick this up.
Mission Statement Update
The mission statement should be updated to include Steak and Backyard. This will be discussed at a future BoD meeting.
Banquet Committee
There is interest to create a banquet committee who will work on the banquet throughout the year. George DeMartz has a proposal which will be distributed to the board members.
In the 2022 banquet slide presentation, recognition of business members was not included. Chris Schriver suggested adding a slide placeholder for recognition of business members as well as judges.
It is recommended that the price per guest for the banquet is raised.
It was suggested that ‘Judge of the Year’ is added as part of the banquet. A small gift bag or gas card could be provided to the recipient or winner of judge raffle.
Finance/Membership
George DeMartz pulled a list of members with upcoming renewals and the type of category they are participating in currently. Using the amount of money expected from renewals, this was compared to the 2021 expenses to estimate the budget numbers. Bill Jones reminded the board that we were viewing 2021 expenses, not 2022 expenses in the comparison. Based on the results, the board discussed whether the MABA annual dues are high enough. It needs to be determined what the cost is to run MABA in a non-Covid environment. An action for the board is to review the spreadsheet George DeMartz created and bring comments to the next board meeting.
Regarding finalization of the 2022 budget, can we decide on the final budget. Bill Jones indicated we are on rendition #6 and based on the numbers we have seen and what we have coming in, MABA will have a loss of $2300. There is money in the savings account to cover the deficit. George DeMartz recommended that we plan for an annual membership dues increase for 2023. If rates are raised, the board will need to show the benefit to the members to account for this increase.
Sponsorship Outreach
Chiles Cridlin is reaching out to Oklahoma Joe’s and Smithfield
Chris Schriver is reaching out to Chargriller.
B&B and The Butcher Shoppe should be contacted.
George DeMartz spoke to Mac Talbert who wants to put $5000 sponsorship money into MABA. Is there something that can be done for sponsors? Mac Talbert would like to promote large trophies for all places/categories for the banquet.
Big Jim wants to provide sponsorship (steak rubs).
Committee Reports
Committee updates will be the focus of the next board meeting.
Membership:
• Backyard ToY: Chiles Cridlen has offered to reach out to KCBS to utilize the data they already track for Backyard ToY. Chiles Cridlen will put KCBS and Mark Kenny in touch.
• Steak Toy
Publications: No update
Website/Tech: Chris Schriver continues to publicize MABA activities/announcements via the website.
Finance: Please see Finance/Membership section.
Bylaws: No update provided.
Strategic Planning: No update provided.
Nominations: No update provided.
Contests: No update provided.
Other Business:
The Board discussed the MABA Cup Rules revision. No update on Backyard rules revision (how to calculate points with example). The board does not think changes for the Steak rules is required at this time.
Hank paid his annual MABA dues in cash at the banquet. George DeMartz will extend his membership in Membership Works.
Michael Fay
Should MABA memorialize Michael with a BBQ ambassador award, name a State Cup program after him, or something else? Thoughts and stories can be added on Facebook via the newsletter. George DeMartz motioned to spend $100 on flowers for the funeral or a donation. Shannon Turner seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. Bill Jones will write a check for the flowers.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shannon Turner, Board Secretary
ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 26, 2022
Comments Off on ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 26, 2022Board Members Present
George DeMartz, President
Greg Boggs, Vice President
Shannon Turner, Secretary
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Theresa Bell
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Dave Travis
Board Members Absent
Travis Murphy
Call to Order
George DeMartz called the meeting to order at 1:18 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. George DeMartz read the Mission Statement.
Thanks to outgoing board members and welcome to new board members.
2021 Notable Accomplishments
• Backyard and Steak ToY Programs
• Sponsorship development
• Increased business member focus
• Increased social media development
• Electronic BBQ news
• Expanding MABA newsletter
Rules Update
MABA Financials
MABA member notable accomplishments
Remembrance of friends we lost this past year
What is MABA to you?
George shared his thoughts on what MABA means to him
How can you help MABA?
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 1:32 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shannon Turner, Board Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 2, 2022
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 2, 2022Board Members Present
George DeMartz, President
Greg Boggs, Vice President
Shannon Turner, Secretary
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Theresa Bell
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Travis Murphy
Dave Travis
Lisa Dommes (Advisory)
Board Members Absent
None
Call to Order
George DeMartz called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chris Schriver read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
Chris Schriver moved to approve the minutes of the January 5, 2022 Board of Directors meeting as submitted. Dave Travis seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Banquet – General
The menu for the banquet was provided. A final count of attendees will be required 10 days before the banquet. All board members should continue to promote the banquet via social media. George DeMartz moved to accept the proposal from the caterer including the headcount cost, the inclusion of a non-alcoholic drinks and a cash bar for alcohol. Theresa Bell seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. It was agreed that board members should arrive at the banquet at 10am.
Banquet – Slideshow/Raffle/Trophies
The slideshow presentation with highlights and accomplishments has been drafted. Greg Boggs will provide a list of business members for the slideshow and website. There was discussion on how the raffle will be managed. Chris Schriver moved to set up a separate call to discuss the raffle and George Demartz seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
The deposit for the trophies has been sent and final payment will be sent once the invoice has been received.
The board is waiting on a response from Smithfield.
State Cups
Delaware: TBD
Maryland: Maryland State BBQ Bash – 10/15/2022
Chris Schriver moved to agree to this contest being the Maryland State Cup and Travis Murphy seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Syd Norris indicated that this contest may be on the same date as the Royal Oak Invitational but the group agreed there were no other viable options so would keep the Maryland State BBQ Bash as the State Cup contest.
New Jersey: New Jersey KnoQ-Out Que Day 1 – 4/23/2022
Dave Travis moved to agree to this contest being the New Jersey State Cup and Greg Boggs seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
New York: I Love BBQ & Music Festival – 9/4/2022
Greg Boggs moved to agree to this contest being the New York State Cup and Theresa Bell seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Pennsylvania: Smoke in the Grove – 7/30/2022
George DeMartz moved to agree to this contest being the Pennsylvania State Cup and Greg Boggs seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
West Virginia: Almost Heaven BBQ Bash – 6/18/2022
Bill Jones moved to agree to this contest being the West Virginia State Cup and Theresa Bell seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Virginia: Wise Chillin’ and Grillin’ – 7/16/2022
George DeMartz moved to agree to this contest being the Virginia State Cup and Theresa Bell seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
North Carolina: Kings of Q – 5/21/2022
Shannon Turner moved to agree to this contest being the North Carolina State Cup and George DeMartz seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
George DeMartz will reach out to organizers to let them know they will have the State Cup.
Committee Reports
Membership: Greg Boggs will continue to lead the committee and provide the membership report.
● Backyard ToY: Dave Travis and David Dick will work on Backyard ToY. David Dick has a spreadsheet to share with the committee.
● Steak Toy
Publications: Chris Schriver will co-lead this committee with Dave Travis. Chris Schriver provided an update on the Publications Committee activities.
Website/Tech: Chris Schriver continues to publicize MABA activities/announcements via the website.
Finance: Bill Jones provided the financial report. The Board discussed providing a high level view of the MABA financials to the MABA organization. This will be tabled so that the Board can discuss and agree what will be provided, i.e., will this be added to the Members-Only portion of the MABA website?
Bylaws: No update provided.
Strategic Planning: No update provided.
Nominations: Chris Schriver and Teresa Bell will co-lead this committee.
Contests: A motion was proposed by Shannon Turner to create a separate committee for new contests and judging. Greg Boggs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. AJ was proposed to lead the committee and Andrew Schafer, David Dick, and Joel Abee were proposed to help. It was agreed that a mission statement should be developed. The committee should try to help develop MABA resources for organizers, such as a guide on how to organize a contest (could use KCBS materials as a reference). The materials could be created by the committee member and then sent to potential organizers by a Board member.
Other Business:
The Board discussed the MABA Cup Rules revision. This will be tabled until the March board meeting.
The Board discussed raising the dues for MABA members. This will be tabled until the March board meeting.
The funding of MABA programs was discussed and they will continue to be funded for the next year.
George DeMartz proposed Lisa Dommes continuing to attend the MABA Board meetings as an honorary board member with no voting rights. Chris Schriver seconded the motion and it was unanimously agreed.
New Business
The board discussed setting up a Banquet committee to work year-round on the banquet. Theresa Bell agreed to help with this.
Board members who haven’t provided their bios to Chris Schriver should do so as soon as possible.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shannon Turner, Board Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ TRANSITION MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 5, 2022
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ TRANSITION MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 5, 2022Board Members Present
Lisa Dommes, President (Outgoing)
George DeMartz, Vice President
Theresa Bell, Secretary
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Greg Boggs
Chiles Cridlin (Outgoing)
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Shannon Turner
Travis Murphy
Dave Travis
Board Members Absent
Ercole Chila (Outgoing)
Call to Order
Lisa Dommes called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chris Schriver read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
George DeMartz moved to approve the minutes of the November 30, 2021 Board of Directors meeting as submitted. Theresa Bell seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Election of Board Members
George DeMartz, President
Greg Boggs, Vice President
Shannon Turner, Secretary
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Thank you to the outgoing members: Lisa, Chiles, Ercole
Committee Reports
Backyard ToY: Travis will continue to work on Backyard ToY along with David Dick
Membership: Greg Boggs will continue to lead the committee and provided the membership report.
Publications: Chris Schriver will co-lead this committee with Dave Travis. Chris provided an update on the Publications Committee activities.
Website/Tech: Chris Schriver will lead this committee with help from Syd and Dave Travis. David Dick will be contacted to see if he would like to participate on this committee. Website is via WordPress.
Finance: Bill Jones will continue to lead the committee with Glenn Zobel helping. Teresa asked if we could have an annual financial meeting to be more transparent. Chiles suggested the board look at the NEBS website as an example and discuss at next board meeting.
Bylaws: It is difficult to file updated documents in Pennsylvania currently. The board agreed to hold off on determining who will lead this committee.
Strategic Planning: George DeMartz will lead this committee and Greg Boggs will help. Strategic planning will represent a roadmap for MABA.
Nominations: Chris Schriver and Teresa Bell will co-lead this committee.
New Contests/Judging: This committee was proposed to help new contests and judging classes get started. AJ was proposed to lead the committee and Andrew Schafer and David Dick were proposed to help. This committee can feed into the Strategic Planning committee.
Banquet
The Board discussed the Annual Meeting and Banquet. Lisa Dommes will follow up with the hotel re: the block of rooms. The insurance has been obtained. George DeMartz will sign the contract. Discussion was had re: receipt of payments from sponsors. The board agreed beer/wine/liquor will be served. A shuttle bus will be provided to transport attendees to/from their hotels at a cost of $500 which will be available 2 hours before and after the event. Chris Schriver is working on the trophies which will cost $3000 for all awards. The winners for 1-3 places should be notified due to the Char Griller prizes. Dave Travis has contacted Gunther Wilheim. Smithfield will pick up the first round and will provide goodie bags. A smoker from Lancaster will be provided for the public raffle. Lisa Dommes will remain on the debit card until after the banquet. George DeMartz proposed that a document is created authorizing Lisa Dommes to continue to use the debit card and the board agreed. Teresa Bell will follow up with John about the menu.
Other Business:
Lisa Dommes will file the board of directors in Pennsylvania.
The Board discussed the 2022 State Cups. Further discussion was tabled until after the banquet.
Turkey Smoke: Chris Schriver has talked to the Turkey Smoke reps and they are agreeable to working with MABA. Sponsorship will be needed. MABA would adopt KCBS’s rules and would create a Turkey Smoke chase.
New Business
The board discussed whether applications for Backyard, Steak, etc. teams should be removed from the website. It was proposed a list be provided to the members and if their name is not associated correctly, they should update their profile accordingly. It was agreed to table this proposal for a year and to keep the applications on the website. Chris Schriver will send a note to MABA.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:14 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shannon Turner, Board Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 30, 2021
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 30, 2021Board Members Present
Lisa Dommes President
George DeMartz Vice President
Theresa Bell Secretary
Bill Jones Treasurer
Greg Boggs
Chiles Cridlin
Chris Schriver
Board Members Absent
Ercole Chila
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Call to Order/Reading of Mission Statement
Lisa Dommes called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chiles Cridlin read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
Chris Schriver moved to approve the minutes of the November 3, 2021 Board of Directors meeting as submitted. George DeMartz seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Committee Reports
Membership: Greg Boggs provided the membership report.
Publications: Chris Schriver provided an update on the Publications Committee activities.
Finance: Bill Jones presented projected financial statistics for the year to date and the current month.
Nominations: The election will open up at midnight. The ballots have been set up in Election Buddy and are set to send automatically.
Unfinished Business
The Board discussed the Annual Meeting and Banquet. The hotel in Frederick, MD has stopped responding to our emails and phone calls. We can go with the Frederick fire house if they are still available or explore other venues. The casinos in Pennsylvania and Maryland have either not responded or cannot accommodate a group of our size. The Board members will research venue options.
Invoices will be finalized and sent to the ToY sponsors.
New Business
The Board discussed excluding the KCBS World Open and the American Royal Open from the contest count for Tier 2 Master Series teams. The Invitational contests are already excluded under the ToY Rules, and the Board would like to encourage attendance at these prestigious events for Tier 2 teams that qualify. Since long-distance travel is involved, it makes sense to allow Tier 2 teams to experience both the Open and Invitational contests without penalty toward their Tier 2 standing. Lisa Dommes moved to update the Tier 2 Master Series ToY Rules to exclude the American Royal Open and the KCBS World Open from the total contest count for Tier 2 teams. Chiles Cridlin seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Updated language will be posted to the website and an announcement will be made to the members through email and social media.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Dommes, Board President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 3, 2021
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 3, 2021Board Members Present
Lisa Dommes President
George DeMartz Vice President
Theresa Bell Secretary
Bill Jones Treasurer
Greg Boggs
Chiles Cridlin
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Board Members Absent
Ercole Chila
Call to Order
Lisa Dommes called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chiles Cridlin read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
Theresa Bell moved to approve the minutes of the October 6, 2021 Board of Directors meeting as submitted. Greg Boggs seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Committee Reports
Membership: Greg Boggs provided the membership report.
Publications: Chris Schriver provided an update on the Publications Committee activities.
Finance: Bill Jones presented projected financial statistics for the year to date and the current month.
Nominations: The Call for Candidates for the Board of Directors election will be sent out soon via email and social media post.
Unfinished Business
Greg Boggs has the North Carolina state cup and Gunter Wilhelm knife for presentation at Currituck. Bill Jones will bring the check.
The Board discussed the Annual Meeting and Banquet. The hotel in Frederick, MD has been asked to submit a revised proposal, but it has not been received yet.
The Board discussed the timeline and rules pertaining to the MABA Cup. Further discussion was tabled to the December meeting.
New Business
The Board reviewed a Rookie ToY application from Bubba’s Barbeque. Upon review of the team history, the application was approved.
Invoices need to be prepared for Smithfield and the Butcher Shoppe for their donations.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Dommes, Board President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 6, 2021
Comments Off on BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 6, 2021Board Members Present
Lisa Dommes President
Theresa Bell Secretary
Bill Jones Treasurer
Greg Boggs
Chiles Cridlin
Chris Schriver
Norris “Syd” Sydnor
Board Members Absent
Ercole Chila
George DeMartz Vice President
Call to Order
Lisa Dommes called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m., noting the presence of a quorum. Chiles Cridlin read the Mission Statement.
Approval of Minutes
Theresa Bell moved to approve the minutes of the September 13, 2021 Board of Directors meetings as submitted. Greg Boggs seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Committee Reports
Membership: Greg Boggs provided the membership report. We are nearing the limit on the Membershipworks account. It was agreed to delete the oldest accounts rather than paying for expanded limits. Memberships expiring prior to 2017 will be deleted to start. Additional years will be deleted as needed.
Publications: Chris Schriver provided an update on the Publications Committee activities. The BAMA and MABA Backyard teams have a friendly rivalry that will be featured on social media. To date, 15 of our Backyard teams will be attending the Invitational, along with a number of Master Series teams. We will run social media posts around the event. Social media numbers continue to climb.
Finance: Bill Jones presented projected financial statistics for the year to date and the current month.
Unfinished Business
The Board discussed changing the barbecue competition season to align with the KCBS season. The membership responded 2 to 1 in favor of this change in the recent survey. Chiles Cridlin moved to change the MABA Master Series and Backyard Barbecue competition season to November 1 through October 31, to align with the KCBS competition season. For this year only, the November and December competitions will count for both the 2020-2021 Super Season and also the 2022 season. Syd Sydnor seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. The North Carolina State Cup in Currituck in November will only apply to the Super Season MABA Cup competition. This information will be published to the membership through email and social media as soon as possible so teams can plan their schedules accordingly.
The Board discussed the Annual Meeting and Banquet. The venue has been narrowed down to two options. Lisa Dommes will contact the preferred venue and ask them to submit a revised proposal at a lower price.
New Business
The Board discussed the MABA Cup and the process by which State Cup winners are notified of their eligibility and the timeline.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Dommes, Board President
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RULES CHANGE
Comments Off on IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RULES CHANGECompetition Season Changes for Master & Backyard Barbecue TOY Programs
The MABA Board of Directors recently polled the membership with regard to aligning the MABA barbecue competition season to the KCBS competition season. The Board of Directs reviewed the results which were 2 to 1 in favor of aligning to KCBS. This past week the Board of Directors discussed, voted and approved a change to the competition season for the Master Series and Backyard Series Barbecue Team of the Year Programs. The competition season for Steak Team of the Year remains unchanged.
What
The competition season for both the Master Series and Backyard Series Barbecue Team of the Year Programs will now be “defined as a calendar year from November 1st through October 31st the following year.” This also impacts the Master Series Rookie Team of the Year program that follows the calendar year Master Series Team of the Year program. The previous definition for the competition season was “defined as a calendar year from January 1st through December 31st.”
Why
The Master and Backyard Series Barbecue Team of the Year programs will now align with the competition season of the major sanctioning body, KCBS, which MABA uses to determine points, and allows for easier points tracking and verification through BBQData.com.
When
The new program rule change will go in effect for the 2022 season starting November 1st, 2021. The 2020-2021 Super Season will conclude December 31st, 2021. Overlap of any contests in November and December will be credited to both the 2020-2021 Super Season and the new 2022 season for this year only.
The MABA website will be updated to reflect the new rules by December 1st, 2021.
BBQData.com will update programming, and points for the new season will be updated to the MABA website by February 1st, 2022.
Additionally
The North Carolina State Cup Champion who will be crowned at the Bulls & BBQ competition in Currituck, NC in November will count for this year only and will be eligible to compete in the 2021 MABA Cup Championship to be held March 25th to 27th, 2022 at BBQ Gives Back in Urbanna, VA.
It is important for the Board of Directors to release this update now so teams are informed and have opportunity to participate in any November/December 2021 overlapping competitions that would count for points in the 2020-2021 Team of the Year Super Season and the upcoming 2022 Team of the Year competition season.
Thank you,
The MABA Board of Directors
MABA SEPTEMBER 2021 UPDATE
Comments Off on MABA SEPTEMBER 2021 UPDATEPresident’s Message
Fall is in the air and we are heading into the homestretch of the 2021 season. We have bounced back from 2020 and enjoyed a busy year. Contests are already landing on the books for 2022.
I want to extend my thanks to everyone who responded to our recent Membership Survey. The Board of Directors appreciates your feedback, and we are already incorporating your suggestions.
Elections are coming up and we encourage everyone to consider running for a seat on the Board of Directors. If you have a passion for fun and want to see MABA succeed, please consider running for the Board. We also have plenty of room on our committees for anyone who wants to get involved and learn more about MABA.
Please feel free to contact me at president@mabbqa.com with any questions or concerns. I welcome all feedback from our membership. Be well and we hope to see you at a contest soon!
MABA Business Member Highlights!
Smoke’n Dudes BBQ Co. is a BBQ Caterer & Supply Store in Bucks County, PA. So sit back, relax and let us be the BBQ catering company you’ve only dreamed of. If you are looking for anything related to barbecue DIY look no further than our BBQ supply store.
Linvilla Orchards is a great source for a large variety of woods used for cooking food. This wood is used in barbecue smokers, grills and a range of solid fuel cooking systems that have become increasingly popular in the restaurant trade. Chefs that cook over wood know that using different varieties of wood for smoking or grilling imparts meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables with distinctive and mouthwatering aromas.
Yet Another Team Earns First GC in Mid Atlantic!
By Chris Schriver
After seeing three teams earlier in the year win their first GC, the Mid-Atlantic region is on a roll with a fourth team earning their first grand championship!
On August 29th at the Dirty Boots BBQ & Meat Contest – Day 2, we saw Pitmaster Greg Boggs and lovely kale boxing teammate, Karryl Boggs of Boggs Hog BBQ walk away with top honors against a stacked field! If you don’t think those perfectly made kale boxes didn’t have something to do with their first GC, ya’ll better think again! Great job Karryl!
We reached out to Greg and Karryl to reflect back on what it took to get that first GC. Greg advised that when he started competing in 2018, he learned quickly that he needed to learn from the best in the region. “I have taken several classes over the years,” he stated. He went on to point out that it ended up taking about 40 contests before they won their first GC. They had a couple of close calls along the way but nothing ever better than 3rd overall. That was until the weekend of the Dirty Boots contest. Greg finished by saying, “it was a great feeling to finally achieve one of our goals in competition bbq.”
Congratulations again Greg and Karryl!
New York MABA Cup Winner
With summer winding down and fall upon us, one more MABA State Cup is in the books with one left to go!
The sixth MABA State Cup contest of the 2021 season took place at the I Love BBQ & Music Festival in Lake Placid, NY over the Labor Day weekend where Pitmaster Daniel Jacobellis and his brother, James of Top Gun Barbecue team were crowned the New York MABA State Cup Champion!
A huge congrats to Top Gun Barbecue and all NY teams that competed!
Next up is the North Carolina State Cup Championship in Currituck, NC on November 6th. Good luck to all MABA North Carolina teams!
Interview with Chris Lemon from Lem’s Meat Varnish
By Ron Calloway
Ron Calloway – Can you tell me how Lem’s Meat Varnish came to be?
“I’ve always had a passion for grilling food. I was working at a car lot and was playing around with making sauces. I would make my buddy this special gold sauce every Thanksgiving and he would put it on his turkey before he deep fried it. It was the fall of 2011 when I really started making, testing, and trying to prefect the mild BBQ sauce. Back then I thought it was just a waste of time, so I gave up for five months. The more I thought about it I told myself why give up on something you love to do? I jumped back in with both feet and in 2013 I thought I perfected the sauce. I then started whipping up several small batches of the sauce to ship to friends and family. I got good feedback, but everyone started asking for a spicy sauce. I took my mild sauce and tripled the amount of heat in it, and it was a hit!”
Ron Calloway – What were some of your first successes?
“Very quickly people started requesting 5-6 jars and even cases of my sauces. I was extremely surprised by all this attention. In fact, the local Kroger store manager contacted me directly because he wanted to sell it in his store. Talk about an even bigger surprise! I reached out to Blue Smoke Salsa about making a batch for me, and John Yates was kind enough to provide me guidance on the different things I needed. At this point I didn’t have a business license or even a name for my sauces! It took me about 3 months to get all my ducks in a row, but I did finally get back to John at Blue Smoke Salsa. In fact, I called John every other week to report my progress and talk about my sauces.”
Ron Calloway – Lem’s Meat Varnish is a very cool name, how did you come up with it?
“Since I didn’t have a name for my sauces, I posted a request on Facebook asking for recommendations. I literally got hundreds of suggestions and lo and behold my buddy Jason Metzger suggested Lem’s Meat Varnish! I loved that name and decided to stick with it. I contacted a labeling company and next thing you know I was ready to go back to Blue Smoke Salsa to get my sauce made commercially. It took about a week to get set up with them and I remember being so excited that I could hardly sleep at night! I packed everything I needed into my 2001 Oldsmobile and headed to meet up with John at Blue Smoke Salsa. I even got there an hour before they opened. On that day in April 2014 Lem’s Meat Varnish was born. “
Ron Calloway – What were some of your early struggles?
“I worked my tail off getting my sauces into any and every store I could and drove countless miles. I am fortunate to now sell LMV in many Kroger stores in the WV and VA area as well as other great retail stores including Famers Meats and Deli Winfield, West Virginia, Food Fair, Milton and Hill Top Meats in Ripley, West Virginia.”
Ron Calloway – What’s next on the horizon for Lem’s Meat Varnish?
“I have since developed a southern gold sauce to go with the spicy and regular versions and am happy to report I now ship to 42 states. One of the things I like most about Lem’s Meat Varnish is that I work for myself. I make all the key decisions and like to have the control over my future and business. I have also launched my new website to allow online ordering.”
Ron Calloway – Tell me about your competition barbecue team…
“I started competing in KCBS Competitions and with the success of my sauces I’ve translated that into success for Lem’s Meat Varnish BBQ Team! In 2020 I finished third in the country in the chicken category for KCBS and finished fourth in the country in the rib category. I was fortunate to compete in the KCBS World Invitational BBQ Competition in November 2020 where I finished in fourth place! I was very humbled to compete so well against the best pit masters in the country. I am a living example of never giving up, trust your instincts and working hard. My advice is to never give up on your dreams!”
Coach’s Corner – Pitmaster Tips
By Steve Dotson
When is it time to use heritage breed or specialty meats? The short answer is if you’ve got the extra money, whenever you want.
Perhaps a more strategic answer is maybe it’s time to broaden your butchering horizons when you feel confident cooking cheaper brands. As I’ve told several folks this year who’ve asked, you can either cook the cut or you can’t…period. There is no magic brand that will take your ribs that don’t already score well and magically cook out to perfect 180 ribs. That being said if you are competitive with whatever your current variety is and you’re pushing for those last few points it might be worth trying to start with a better piece of meat and see if that helps you find them.
We must also keep in mind the law of diminishing returns, just because you pay double for a slab of meat, doesn’t mean it’s twice as good as what you were using before. The long and short of it, get great at cooking what is easy to source and a good cut for a reasonable price, and when you step up to those heritage breeds you’ll really understand what the difference is and just what it is you paid for.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Visit the MABA Events Calendar for more details.
Judging Certification Classes
10/8 SCA Certified Steak Judge Class, Lancaster, PA
12/4 KCBS Certified BBQ Judge Certification Class, Mannington, WV
12/10 SCA Certified Steak Judge Class, Goldsboro, NC
SCA Steak Cookoffs
10/9 Smoke Showing Double, Lancaster, PA
10/10 Garden Spot Double, Lancaster, PA
10/15-16 Blonde Farm Fall Double, Shenandoah Junction, WV
10/23 Lancaster BBQ Supply Fall Double, Lancaster, PA
10/30 Ribeyes Steakhouse Double, Snow Hill, NC
11/6 Raise the Steaks Triple, New Holland, PA
12/11 Santa’s Sack Double, Goldsboro, NC
www.steakcookoffs.com
KCBS Master Series Contests
10/8-9 Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown, Rocky Mount, NC
10/8-9 Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship, Harrisburg, PA
10/8-9 Waxhaw Grillin’ and Chillin’ BBQ Cookoff, Waxhaw, NC
10/15-16 Maryland State BBQ Bash, Bel Air, MD
10/15-16 Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q, Galax, VA
10/16-17 Zom-B-Q Rufus Teague Series, Galax, VA
10/22-24 Red White and Que Double-Campground Series, Jackson, NJ
10/29-31 Shelby’s BBQ Extravaganza Double, Shelby, NC
11/5-6 Currituck Bulls and BBQ, Powells Point, NC
12/11-13 River Bar Smoke Out, Goldsboro, NC
www.kcbs.us
KCBS Backyard Series Contests
10/15-16 Maryland State BBQ Bash, Bel Air, MD
10/15-16 Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q, Galax, VA
10/16-17 Zom-B-Q Rufus Teague Series, Galax, VA
10/22-24 Red White and Que Double-Campground Series, Jackson, NJ
10/29-30 Almost Heaven’s Spooktacular Backyard BBQ, Buckhannon, WV
12/11-13 River Bar Smoke Out, Goldsboro, NC
www.kcbs.us
