CARIBOU, Maine — A Fort Fairfield team earned the first sanctioned championship title at the Chamber’s Smokin’ Barbecue Cook-off, which kicked off the Maine Potato Blossom Festival over the weekend.
The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce hosted the seventh annual contest at Spud Speedway in Caribou.
The cook-off is newly sanctioned by the Northeast Barbecue Society, and was the first event — and the only one in Maine — of the society’s 11 contests planned throughout New England. Being sanctioned can open doors to participants, Chamber Executive Director LaNiece Sirois said Saturday.
“Teams can be part of a barbecue society,” Sirois said. “When a team that is a part of the society enters an event, they get points. The points start to add up, and then they start to get invited to the really big competition with big money and recognition, so it creates opportunity for the teams.”
This year’s contest featured teams from Aroostook County and Orrington, but the chamber wants to grow the event to attract participants from throughout Maine and beyond, Sirois said.
Early on Saturday afternoon, people wandered the speedway venue as racecars tested the track. Across the Thompson Road, a potato field blossomed.
D&A BBQ of Caribou, Double D Barbecue of Fort Fairfield and Smokey Bears BBQ of Easton had most of their food prepared and were awaiting the start of the people’s choice session, when ticketholders had the chance to sample everything participants had cooked and vote for their favorites.
Aaron Libby, owner of D&A BBQ of Caribou, was looking forward to participating in his first sanctioned event.
“For the competition, we’re going to do brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken,” Libby said. “We’ve been doing this for six or seven years now.”
Libby’s team included his son, Jacob McDougal, his daughter, Christen Bui, and her husband, Leon.
Pitmaster Tom Peers of Smokey Bears BBQ in Easton was enjoying the contest vibe. It’s a nice break and he enjoys the crowds and fellow cooks getting together, he said.
He and his crew were preparing street tacos, specialty hot dogs, brisket and pulled pork, and something completely different: “barbecue-shi.”
“It’s basically just a sushi roll with all your barbecue mix-ins inside,” Peers said. “You have your proteins, coleslaw, a little bit of cheese in there, some seasonings, barbecue sauce and a couple of Japanese sauces to go on there just to make it nice.”
The chamber announced winners on Sunday.
Double D of Fort Fairfield earned the Grand Champion title and also won first place in people’s choice, chicken and pork. The team also earned second place for brisket and third for ribs.
Cousins ‘Que of Orrington was named Reserve Grand Champion and snagged first place for ribs and brisket, as well as third place for pork.
D&A BBQ took second place for people’s choice, chicken and ribs, and came in third for brisket.
Smokey Bears captured third place in people’s choice and chicken, and came in second for pork.
