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Event Wed Sep 02 2015
BBQ Bonanza Next Weekend at Soldier Field
Barbecue is actually an amalgamation of cooking techniques, including smoking, baking, braising, and grilling. Such level of complexity, combined with sauce preferences, makes BBQ a deeply sensitive subject. Kansas City, Memphis, Central Texas, or the Carolinas? Cow, pig, or chicken? Sour sauce or sweet sauce? Blood has literally been spilt over the matter.
Chicago is no exception to this intense competition. For the fourth year in a row, 70 BBQ teams will compete in the Windy City BBQ Classic, the only BBQ competition in Chicago to be sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS), the largest competitive organization in the world. The winner will be automatically qualified to compete in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the Oscars of the BBQ community.
"The Windy City BBQ Classic is a great venue for the competing teams and an absolute must for the barbecue aficionado or serious foodie who loves BBQ as much as our teams, restaurants and judges," says Jared Leonard, co-founder of the classic and owner of Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse.
New this year, the event will also be offering a Grand Tour of American BBQ, in which 500 people will have the ability purchase a VIP access ticket. Perks include: a guided tour of "Pit Master Alley" to see the teams prepare their BBQ, craft beer and cocktails, and a whole hog butchering demo. Tickets are limited to the first 500 people, and can be purchased for $100.00 per person online.
This year's competition takes place at the South Parking Lot at Soldier Field on Saturday, September 12 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. All proceeds from the Windy City BBQ Classic will benefit Operation BBQ Relief, a non-profit organization that helps with relief efforts during natural disasters by cooking and catering barbecue meals.