Grill Your ACE Off - Lakers Backyard Pitmaster

***UPDATE 09/02/2021***

Charlie's on Prior has offered a GREAT deal for our contestants! You can purchase your meat from them at their cost! If you've ever been to Charlie's, you KNOW they only use the highest quality products! Please get in touch with Randy, Sean or Owen at Charlie's at least 10 days prior to the event. All payments and invoicing will be handled by each contestant and Charlie's staff. Please ensure you call during non-peak meal times. 952-226-5253

Judges: Please arrive by 1pm at the latest. The first product is turned in at 2pm and we would like to ensure everyone is ready by the first turn in!

***END UPDATE***

20 teams of up to four (4) individuals will be competing to earn the title of Lakers Backyard Pitmaster! This is an amateur competition ONLY, no professionals allowed! All proceeds will go to Invisible Wounds Project, a MN based 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

You will start cooking at 6am on Saturday October 2, in the Rock Creek Building parking lot. There will be trophies and cash prizes for Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, People's Choice and the top 5 in each category; pork, wings, ribs, and dessert. This cook will coincide with Heart-tober Fest, a fundraising Oktoberfest style celebration with Boathouse Brothers Brewing.

All items shall be in the original package upon check in. No brining, marinating, or pre-seasoning allowed. All products, excluding the rubs BUT including the sauce, shall be prepared on site the day of. The sauce shall be made with a beer picked by Boathouse Brothers staff.

Your head judges will be Al Imholte from Carlson ACE Hardware, Emmett Swartout from Boathouse Brothers Brewing, and a mystery judge from Charlie's on Prior! We will also have community members judging so our head judges will not be too full! It will be a blind judging, with your items turned in prior to going to the judges. All contestants will be given a random participant number 1-20.

You have the option of supplying your own meat, or we can supply it for you. We will supply: three (3) medium sized pork butts, five(5) pounds of wings, and six (6) racks of ribs per team if you so choose. If you provide your own meat, it MUST be in at least the quantities listed above. Each team is responsible for their own dessert and sauce ingredients.

RULES

*If Contestant provides their own meat, it must be inspected prior to starting to prepare/cook.

*Start at check-in with cold, untreated, raw meat, in the original packaging. You will also draw a number 1-20 that will be used for People's Choice voting.

*Charcoal, wood and pellet cooking methods may be used. You will be allowed up to 2 cooking devices. All cooking must be done onsite.

*Allowed Garnishes: Chopped, sliced, shredded or whole leaves of fresh green lettuce, parsley, cilantro, or kale.

*All competitors will have approximately a 20’x20’ area to cook in.

*Turn-in containers will be provided after meat inspection.

*All competitors must have a fire extinguisher

*All competitors must have a wash, rinse, and sanitize station 

*All meat must be kept below 40 degrees prior to cooking.

*Electricity and water will be provided. Extension cords will NOT be provided.

*Parking will not be on-site. There are plenty of parking spaces, including public lots, within walking distance of the cooking area. You will be allowed to drive to the cooking area to unload.

*This will be a blind judging. When you turn in your product, you will draw a number 1-20 for that product. You will be judged on presentation, texture, and taste.

*People's Choice: guests will be allowed to purchase a voting card for each category. These will be limited to 20 for each. You will provide a sample of your product in single serve containers provided upon check-in, that will be handed out to the voters when they show you their voting card. Unlike the official judges, this will NOT be a blind judging.

Turn in times (10 minute window or you will be disqualified for that judging)

*2 pm--Turn in chicken

*2:30pm--Turn in ribs

*3pm--Turn in pork

*4pm--Turn in dessert

Prize money

*Grand Champion -- $300 and Trophy

*Reserve Grand Champion --$200 and Trophy

One in each category

*1st Place -- $150 and Trophy

*2nd Place -- $100 and Trophy

*3rd Place -- $50 and Trophy

*4th Place--$25 and Trophy

*5th Place--$20 and Trophy

*People's Choice--$25 and Trophy

Any remaining product can be consumed by those in attendance after judging, as long as there is enough for the People's Choice voting. Since we don't have a food service license, we will not charge guests for food consumed from the contestants. You may bring home as much as you wish from your cook.

The entry deadline is Friday September 24th at NOON! Gather your friends and get a team together...these spots will go QUICK!

*No refunds after payment unless another team can fill your spot

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Host or Publisher Invisible Wounds Project