Cook-off teams drawn to challenge, fun
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Shelly Schulz Goin' Green John Northington of the Egypt Renegades demonstrates his "green machine" at the WCYF Cook-off Saturday afternoon. The machine is a rebuilt 1910 irrigation motor once used to make farming life easier and is now used to crush cans for recycling.

While they have other reasons for getting into the action, the consensus of the teams in this year's Wharton County Youth Fair Cook-Off was the real appeal is just being there.

Among the rookie teams in this year's competition was Beer'd Up from El Campo, sponsored by Wedge Fishing and Rental. And while they were a rookie team, they aren't all rookie cookers.

"I've been cooking or 36 years," Lead Beer'd Man Jeff Hansen said. "This was just one of those years where I had to get a team together. I do it because it's mucho fun."

While entered in each of the cook-off categories, Hansen was different in his personal preferences. While the most coveted cooking title seems to be brisket, the El Campo cook veteran has long preferred a different kind of cooking.

L-N Photo by Shelly Schulz Hoping for Another Win The Tejano Cookers delicately slice their brisket entry in the hopes of taking home first place again this year. The team represented Wharton County at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo this year, after taking top honors at last year's WCYF barbecue cook-off.

"For me, it's chili," he said. "Actually anything cooked in a pot."

This year's competition was made that much more interesting as strong winds swept through the fair grounds around mid-morning just hours before the turn in time.

"Most people won't admit it, but it has an effect," Hansen said. "My fire box is facing the wrong way so I can't get into the fire pit and I'm cooking about 100 degrees lower than I need right now."

His teammate Stephen "Slick" Drlik had just the opposite problem with his fire box facing the wind and running 100 degrees too hot.

Backyard Smokers is actually one team claiming two places in the competition by having its 10 members divided into a pair of five person entries - teams one and two. The group has one of the more interesting set ups - that of an Old West saloon front.

"We try to enter every cook-off we can get to during the year," East Bernard's Todd Svatek said. He said Smokers draws from across East Wharton County with members from East Bernard, Newgulf, Lane City and Boling along with his father Leonard Svatek, a Humble resident.

"I keep the pit at my house when it isn't being used," the senior Svatek said. "That way they have to let me on the team when they go to competitions."

Smokers started working on their set up at 8 a.m. Friday and were still tweaking things on Saturday morning. As a result, they endured through the weather Friday night and the wind Saturday morning.

"It was bad, but then we've had worse out here in the past so its no big thing," he said. "If something gets blown over, everyone goes and lends a hand to get it put right. We're all competing here, but the big thing is making new friends and hanging with old ones you met at past competitions."

Located beside Smokers were the Hardtime Cookers, made up of Cesar Chapa and Troy Zahradnik, both of Wharton. Their site was little more than a trailer to stay in and a pit.

"No, no, no, we're not interested in showmanship," Chapa said. "We're pretty basic and here to cook, have fun and meet people."

While the pair have done well at the WCYF in chicken, a fifth last year, and in ribs, a previous third, they're missing the trophy they most desire.

"Like most teams, we're entered in all the meats," Chapa said. "But the biggest, that's brisket. Brisket is the 'Granddaddy' of barbecuing."

While most teams are dominated by the men, with most admittedly trying to get away from wives and girlfriends for some beer drinking, swearing and pit cooking, several teams count the women among their key people.

"I think we've got an advantage having more women then men," Jane Stewart of the Egypt Renegades said. Sponsored by Northington Ranch, the team was going for showmanship with a tin building look, an animatronic beer drinker and a powered beer can crusher.

"We've got a good presentation. But we're here for the cooking. A lot of men think they know outdoor cooking, but working a ranch means we do it on a regular basis. We want to win both the cooking and showmanship. In fact, we want to in it all."

While many of the teams are made up of friends and friends of friends or groups of co-workers, there are families that can produce their own team.

"Our team is family," said Misty Joyce of Boling. A part of Smokin' Tradition, the team includes members from Wharton and Bay City along with Boling.

"We enter cook-offs five to six times a year. It's grandparents and in-laws and the kids and everybody. It's something we all enjoy."

Michael Joyce added the team concentrates on the cooking because while they are talented when it comes to putting meat over flame, there is something they do lack.

"We're entered in everything but the showmanship," he said. "There are no actors in this family."