BBQ cook-off heads to Ft. Griffin
By Kathy Thomson
The Mike Whitmore hand-forged Blade of Fort Griffin was recently delivered to officials at Fort Griffin State Historic Site, where it will remain in their safe keeping until it is presented to the winner of the 2019 Fort Griffin BBQ Cook-Off and Battle for the Blade on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The annual event raises funds for the historic calvary fort located around 14 miles north of Albany on Highway 283.
Entry fees for the fifth annual cook-off are $200 per team for the three meats (brisket, pork spare ribs, and chicken), and $30 per bonus event (steak and dove).
“We have huge guaranteed payouts this year, which puts us in the top five payouts for the International Barbeque Cookers Association contests this year,” said organizer Justin Winters. “We have $15,500 guaranteed in the three main meats, and another $3,000 in the bonus categories.”
Entry forms are available from Ramby Anderson at King & Robertson Insurance Agency or can be downloaded from the event’s website; however, teams will turn in a paper copy of their registration this year instead of registering online.
“We’ve had a few entries, but we are expecting most to bring cash and enter on the day of the event,” said Winters.
Check-in and the cooks only meeting are both scheduled for Friday, Sept. 27, at Fort Griffin.
All of the judging will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28, starting with the steak at 11:00 a.m. and concluding with dove at 4:30 p.m.
“We will be using volunteers for judging again this year,” said Winters. “Zach Maberry has the sign-up sheet at First National Bank. Those on the sign-up sheet will get a judging wrist band, which gets them into the event for free.”
All-day $10 passes will be available for the general public for those age 12 and over. Under 12 will be admitted at no charge. Coolers will be allowed for a $10 fee, but no alcohol is permitted.
Money raised at the gate will be used for renovations and additions to the campgrounds at the fort, including additional river access, campsites, and hiking trail improvements, according to Winters.
Live music will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, and a major radio station out of Fort Worth, 95.9 The Ranch, will be live on location on Saturday afternoon.
“We’ll basically be owning the airways for a couple of hours that afternoon,” said Winters.
The station broadcasts on 95.9 FM and is online at 959theranch.com.
The awards will be presented at 7:00 p.m., followed by the headlining artist’s performance.
“We want to encourage local teams to sign up for the cook-off,” said Winters. “We encourage locals to invite everyone they know to come and enjoy a day filled with fun, food, history, and the very popular and incredible Fort Griffin Stargazing Party that Saturday night, as we continue our efforts to deepen the appreciation of this area’s past with future generations and keep the roots alive and strong. It is going to be a great time, and we hope to see everyone out there!”
