All language subtitles for BBQ.USA.S01E03.Risk.It.for.the.Brisket.720p.WEBRip.X264-KOMPOST

[Michael] Ribs, brisket,
pork, chicken, whole hog.

You name it,
there's smoke in it.

The competition is fierce.

It's on today, fellas.

We're gonna win because
the rest of these guys suck.

[laughter]

[Michael] But it's not
just about food or prizes.

It's about finding out if
your team has what it takes

to be a master of the craft

Each weekend, I'm traveling
across the country to a top

barbecue competition to mee
some of the best
pitmasters around.

Some do it for money
while others do it
for the title.

[cheering]

[Michael] But all of
them are doing it for the lo
of barbecue.

Oh, we wanna win for sure.

[Michael] I'm here to show
you some tips and tricks

about the food I love most.

Look how juicy it
still is in the middle.

This is barbecue.

This is America.

This is Barbecue USA.

[Michael] Everything's
bigger in Texas,

but nothing's bigger
than barbecue.

I am here just
north of Austin at Cedar Park.

It is the Cedar Fest
Barbecue Competition.

Things are about to get tasty.

Ribs, chicken, pork butt
and, of course, brisket.

We're here in at Cedar Fest.

This is our 10th
time to do it.

This is our eighth
time to do it with KCBS.

So this is the eighth year
of, of it being a sanctioned
KCBS.

Yes, sir.

[Michael] The Kansas
City Barbecue Society,
or KCBS,

is the sanctioning body
that judges multiple
barbecue contests

across the country
on any given weekend.

We've got a wide range of ov
60 teams competing
at Cedar Fest,

from current grand champion
to newcomers,
from past world champions

to local favorites to hopefu
out-of-towners.

I'm on my way to meet
a few of the top teams

now before the competition
heats up.

-Man, I'm starving.
-[laughing]

And they're already
out of brisket.

Sorry, guys.

[laughter]

What's going on, everybody?

[all] Hey.

How are we feeling?

-We're pretty good.
-Excited.

-We're really good.
-Ready.

So, is there any trash talking
going on right now

or is it all just love,
peace and barbecue?

Well, here's my thing.

You know, if, if you're not
getting hated on,
then you're not,

you're not doing
something right.

You've got people
coming in like Brad,

he's won team of the year,
three time.

Fred's American Royal.

He's won three or four
world championships.

Same with Corey.

Corey's a world champ.

I think they're
all gonna be tough to beat.

So who hears from Texas?

All of us.

[all laughing]

So, I'm from Missouri,
and everybody down here,

we're obviously
in the heart of Texas.

I mean, we're right
outside of Austin.
You know, this is...

this is where all the
barbecue greats are,
the great restaurants.

You think about
barbecue, you think
about this area.

I'm Brad Leighninger
with "Getting' Basted"
from Nixa, Missouri.

I grew up in Missouri
and kind of barbecues
our heritage.

I've been competing
since 2012.

We did eight that first yea
and now we do 30 to 40 a yea

It means a ton to me to come
down here and beat these guys

at their own game,
on their own field.

I'm going to bring
those Missouri flavors
and I'm gonna...

I'm gonna take 'em down.

[Michael] Being that
Cedar Fest is in Austin
and pretty much

the heart of Texas barbecue
it would make sense that the

pitmasters are serious abou
their brisket, but they don'
cook it whole.

It's a little surprising to me
'cause we're in Texas

that no one's doing the whole
brisket and going along cook
and then slice it from there.

[man] I tried that last year.
It didn't work out well.

[Michael] It didn't work.

The brisket cut is located a
the lower breast of the cow

It's a tougher piece
of meat that's best
suited to a low

and slow cooking method,
which makes it perfect
for barbecue.

It is made up of two
muscles that overlap.

The flat is the thinner par
and the point is
the thicker fattier section

Cooking the whole brisket
is frowned on at KCBS.

Most contestants separate
the point and flat meat out

The result is a leaner brisk
and a much faster cook time

But no one would ever just
give them three slices
of fatty

-and say, "It's a risk."
-Right.

You get two bad judges like
you take a risk,

and all it takes is two judges
to wipe you out.

Yep.
I get it.

You're cooking
purely for the judges?

Yes.

All right, have a good one,
everybody.

When I think of Texas
barbecue,
I think brisket is king.

Texas likes their
barbecue tender,

not completely fall off
the bone,

but it's probably gonna
be close.

Texas barbecue for years wa
just salt and pepper,

but the flavors are startin
to change, especially
in competition.

But Texas is usually, for the
most part, a no sauce barbecue
kind of region.

[Michael] As the teams star
setting up their smokers
for a good long cook ahead,

I check in with Brad
from Getting' Basted

to see how he's feeling
about taking
on these Texas heavyweights

You have kind of a I feel
a lot of pressure on you.

Like last year, you were
grand champion of
the whole KCBS.

I did last two years.

-Oh.
-Two... two time
defending champion at KCBS.

Two. No big deal. NBD.

-I got to finish it with that.
-Has that ever happened?

[Brad] Uh,
it has been a long time.

-Been about 20 years.
-[Michael] 20 years.

[Michael] So, everyone's kin
shooting for you
a little bit?

[Brad] That's right.
Yeah.

I've got a target on my back.
Been the king of the mountain.

And you gotta
come down here.

One thing I haven't
done, though, is win in Texas.

[both laughing]

You see him right there?
That brisket.

I wanna take that brisket
half from Freddy Robles
over there.

[Michael]
Fred's a champion of Texas.

You've got the world of
competition barbecue,
and then you've got Texas.

I've got the entire planet.

Mr. Fred Robles has Texas.

So, I'm coming down here
and take what Fred's got.

Here's a question for you.

You're in Texas.

Chances are the judges
are from Texas.

Are you changing your
seasoning or your
technique or like

your... your fuel?

I am not.

I'm not. I'm running,
we're running Missouri
hardwood coals.

We're gonna run
some pecan wood.

I'm gonna run a Missouri
Ozark style brisket.

And so I'm gonna give
him good barbecue.

You know, you act like you've
won this thing two years
in a row.

-Yeah, yeah, I mean.
-[laughing]

[Michael] I head next door t
visit Texas champs Fred
and Yadi at team Rio Valley

Feel a little barbecue
magic this weekend?

-[whooping]
-It's fun.

-You're in your home state.
-Yeah.

Nothing like Texas, baby.

We're Rio Valley Meat
barbecue from Weslaco, Texas

What got you
guys into barbecue?

Man, we own a couple of
butcher shops back home.

Uh, it was a nice transition
into competition barbecue.

We did it as a way to really
just promote business
at our shop.

Owning a meat market and
coming in to barbecue is,
is, you know,

pretty well interconnected.

We sell a lot of barbecue
cuts at our shop.

-We supply to a lot of
competitors as well.
-Yeah.

So, butcher turned
pitmaster kind of?

Yeah.

I've traveled around the USA
just, you know, competing al
over the place.

Have had a lot of success.

I do enjoy winning,
you know, winning...

As I always say,
"winning never gets old."

You know, collecting trophies
and collecting checks
never gets old.

I like the hat.

-Brisket, baby.
-Yeah.

We're in Texas.
That's what it's about.

It's just something
about being in Texas
and having that big

old hunk of meat that you
just got to tender up
and just make delicious.

Texas barbecue is right here.

That's.
It's in my heart.

It's in my blood
and it's in my roots.

You can probably
smell it in my beard, too.

-You can.
-[both laughing]

Smell his beard.

[both laughing]

-Have you lost your mind?
-It smells like brisket.

You think that smells like
the greatest brisket
in the world.

It does.

I ain't gettin'
on that field.

-You smell his beard.
-It does.

Saw that brisket
au jus that I put.

I was over with Brad,
and he was kind of boasting.

He's won his,
he's grand champion two
years in a row

and like,
who's going to get him?

But he hasn't won a brisket
competition in Texas.

And he ain't gonna win it
this weekend either.

[laughter]

[Michael] As Rio Valley
and Gettin' Basted
brisket battle heats up,

I stopped by a father and
son team that has been
remaking their name.

-Hey.
-Hi, guys.

-How are you?
-Good.

All right. Tell me about
family's barbecue?

-I actually competed
for 20 years.
-Okay.

Uh, he actually
started competing
before I was even born.

One day he comes up,
says, "Dad, let's do
barbecue cookoff."

And are you. Are you
guys always together now?

-Always together.
-Yeah.

-Always together.
-Yeah.

[both]
We're Fat Boys Barbecue.

[Corey] My dad actually
started cooking competition
barbecue since the '80s.

And when I started cooking
about ten years ago,
I inherited the name.

And, you know,
at first I wanted to do
my own thing,

but why run from something
that I should embrace.

He's pretty humble about it,
but he's kind of my advisor.

And my advisor just so happens
to be a three time world
champion. So...

-You're born and
raised in Texas.
-Hmm.

So I'm assuming brisket
your, your comfort zone.

Is that your favorite meat?

He told me if you can't
win the contest,
at least win brisket.

You know,
so that's the goal.

But at the end of
the day, it's... I'm...

I'm comfortable
with all four categories.

Our team came here to win.

I mean, you know,
I'mma root
for my friends,

but I'm also gonna try to win.

Competitions are won
by challenge.

[Michael] 100%.

You've got to impress
the judge with one bite.

You want it to hit
that bottom note.

-When it gets here,
it explodes.
-Yeah.

-It's got to be a little more
aggressive.
-Yeah, aggression.

[Michael] Next, I head
over to visit with team
Chicken Fried Barbecue.

We're a little chicken
fried barbecue situation.

-That's right.
-That's it, brother.

We're Chicken Fried Barbecue
from Magnolia, Texas.

We won this competition
last year and we wanna
win it again.

When COVID hit, obviously
a lot of industry,
a lot of sectors got hit.

Mine included.

At the same time, I happen
to be doing really well
in competition barbecue,

and it started gaining
traction.

He's done really great.

We've been really blessed,
and here we are.

So you got out of
the oil business?

Yes. Yep.

-And this is all you do now?
-Yeah.

Every weekend in Texas,
there's a competition.

I can actually come
home with some prize.

Are you having more fun
in the barbecue business
or the oil business?

Man, I'm having a blast.

I love competing. You know,
I played high school footbal

The fact that you can do all
that and still compete

and you don't have to be
in like tip-top shape.

It's a win.

Four categories obviously,
there's the chicken,
the brisket,

the pork butt and ribs.

Is there anybody
that you're sweating?

I beat them all
and they beat me.

Everyone knows each other.

-You know each other's tricks.
-Yes, yes.

-So, you just gotta hit?
-We don't win.

We want our friends to win.

They all say that every one
of these guys says that.

-I don't believe it.
-[laughter]

Like I'm just telling
you right now,
everybody that we talk to,

we cheer for everybody.

We want them all to win.

Oh, wait, we want to win.

-For sure.
-Oh, for sure. For sure.

For sure, yeah.

[Michael] While the teams se
to be playing nice
as the sun sets,

the competition is fierce.

And as friends turn
into competitors,
one thing's for sure,

tomorrow, everyone's
barbecue will do the talking

Barbecue competitions tend t
start very early,

like before the crack of daw

Because it is slow cook time
competitors need to get a he
start on prep.

Dusting their meats with the
secret rub seasonings,
and of course,

getting the fire stoked.

Even though brisket is king
here in Texas, there are fou

main categories at Cedar Fes
including chicken,
ribs and pork.

So, these competitors
will have
a lot on their plates

and their smokers.

Starting in the early hours
of the morning the teams
will light their smokers

and then follow
a strict timeline.

Smoking their meats
through the morning
until they are ready

to be turned in
for the judges.

First stop on my early morni
check-ins is Chicken
Fried Barbecue.

Houston
oilman turned Pitmaster
Bill Pervis is up early,

tending to the smokers.

How are things happening
at Chicken Fried?

I put brisket on
and pork on it at 6:00.

The brisket, we'll just
cook in probably
for three hours

and then we'll wrap it.

This stuff I keep warm.

Duck fat?
Wait a second.

I've never seen duck fat
in like a spray duck fat.

-Oh, yeah.
-A duck fat in a can?

Oh, I love it
a lot of times, man.

-I'll coat it.
-Glaze 'em.

I will coat it
and it'll make it all shine.

And the judges can't...
I mean, it's tasteless.

I'll give it. I'll let
you take a look at it.

So, there's the brisket.

And we'll give it
a little spray.

Is everybody using the duck
fat or is this a you thing?

[Bill] The ones that
don't use it are making fun
of me for using it.

[Michael] It adds moisture.
It adds fat. It adds flavor.

I am never going to make fun
of you for spraying anything
with duck fat.

I'm...
I'm stealing that move.

When they're judging the
brisket, you don't feel that

they're judging on like
a traditional bark.

They want that soft exterior.

They want it soft.

The bark refers to
the outermost layer
of the meat, the part

kissed by fire, which often
has a bit of crunch or chew

I think if it gets too
crunchy,
it could hurt you.

That's interesting.

-So, as much as I like
a crunchy bark--
-Because I think

when people think of Texas
barbecue, they think
of that crunchy bark.

Judges can only go in once.

They can't go
back into the box.

So, if they pull out just
a piece of hard,
crunchy bark...

Yeah.

...you're not scored
well on tenderness.

And it can hurt you
more than it can help you.

Things that you may be looking
at if you're going to
a barbecue restaurant

isn't necessarily what
the judges are looking
at in competition.

They really want
that tenderness.

So you get that
appearance of a bark.

But it's important to him that
the meat is tender

all the way through without
any texture on the outside.

Time to check in on Brad,
last year's KCBS champ.

All right, my man.

Are you Gettin' Basted?

Oh, man, give me
a barbecue fist bump.

Got the brisket on.
Getting...

-See that thing hopping?
-Oh, yeah.

Feels like baking
Fran on there.

-That's where
we get our flavor.
-Yeah.

[Brad] I would describe
my brisket.
I mean, it's a flavor bomb.

We're trying to pack as muc
of that beefy flavor in ther

And, you know, that salt to
carry a little bit of sweet,
you know, not too much.

You don't want too much sweet
in that brisket,
but a little bit of sweet

will help it carry
a little more salt
for the judges.

I feel like.

Like, uh, you really want
to show in brisket today.

Yeah, I got...
I got to back up the talk.

You know, there's some
drama over here with Brad.

I think he's really stressing
out about cooking brisket down
here in Texas.

You know, hopefully,
hopefully we're in his head
a little bit.

You know, let him sweat
it out over there.

Can't let him beat us.

[Michael] With the deadline
looming, teams now must tur

their attention to chicken,
the first category
to be turned in.

And I meet up
with a father and son
team who are up

and coming on the pro circui

-What's up guys?
Hey, how's it going?
-How you doing?

I learned everything that
I know from my dad here.

As growing up this was kind of
our father and son bonding
time over the grill.

So, how long have you
been doing your thing?

1980.

My grandfather brought me in,
and he taught me the ropes

and I'm gonna pass
it along to my son.

And he's going to
pass it along to his son.

And we're going to
continue this tradition.

[Dominique] You cooked
the chicken and butter.

You don't do this
in backyard style.

That's a unique thing
about competition barbecue.

What I will say is that, one,
cooking it in these type of
pans,

normally you just put
it on the rack and smoke it.

But cooking in these pans
keeps the chicken like
shaped square.

And on top of that,
the butter keeps it like

extremely moist and it
sort of comes out juicy

and looking... looking
really, really good.

[Bill] We're wrapping chicken,
so then we'll just run little
probes

inside my chicken
and I'll cook them
to a little over 200 degrees.

I like cooking KCBS I like the
challenge of four meats and
they're 30-minute windows.

So, you're moving fast.

It's almost like a little
marathon when,
when chicken starts,

you've gotta be moving
really quick.

So, chicken takes
about two hours, an hour
and 45 to 2 hours.

I prepare well.

I do the things that I need
to do to ensure that I have
a chance at winning.

Probably anybody in
the competition space
will tell you,

the chicken
is the hardest one.

-Chicken's tough.
-Yeah.

And it's not so much
of a flavor.

It's the presentation of it.

And on top of that,
trying to make sure that
the skin doesn't slide...

-Yeah.
-...because you have to tak
the skin off,

scrape off the fat,
reapply it.

And then try and cook it in
a way, like, it basically hu

-the, the thigh again, so..
-Right.

I mean, it's a,
it's a quicker cook.

So, it doesn't give you quite
as much time to develop

some of that flavors of, say,
like a brisket.

Boy, those are expertly
trimmed, my friend.

One last little...

[Brad] Yeah.

I'm cooking chicken legs
this weekend, which might be

different
what everybody's doing.

I'ma roll legs.

Why not?

Meat on a stick.

-You're doing thighs.
-I'm doing chicken thighs.

Thighs? Okay.

-Yeah.
-A couple of thighs,
some legs.

I almost ran legs,
but I personally think a...

thigh just chews
better than a leg.

Just getting everything ready
'cause the intensity will
start picking up.

You'll start seeing everyone
else running around like
the hairs on fire.

The chicken's looking okay.

The skin needs to crisp up
a little bit because
it was sitting in the butter.

But now that
we have it on the grill,

grill's starting to
get cranked up.

It's gonna come out...
come out just right.

[Brad]
Chicken's looking good.

I'm just putting the final
touches on it,
putting a little sauce

on there,
and then I'm gonna...

throw it back on the grill
just for, like, a minute.

Oh, don't you pull.

Uh-oh, I gotta fix 'em.

[Michael] With all the team
racing to finish
their chicken,

some of them run into issues

[Dominique] I had a little...
little issue going
on over here.

Man, trying to get these
chicken thighs right.

They're already sticking
to the grill on me.

You want skin tight around it
so that if I bit through
the side,

it wouldn't tear because
it's basically like tucked
in there.

So with these ones,
tried to sear and it started
sticking to the grill.

It's killing me.

Try to hurry up
and get it off.

I've never had the opportunity
to compete in the Texas
competition.

This is my first one.

I am learning.

We're over here
sweating, so...

It's a learning process.

I'm extremely nervous.

[Michael] With chicken
turn-ins just minutes away.

The teams plate the best
of the best from their cook

Every detail is pored over.

Over the next two hours,
they will have to
turn in all four

of their meats
they've been working on.

And everything
has to look perfect.

[Brad] These two
are gonna be my...

my heroes up front

and we're gonna go...

[woman]
That one in the middle.

[Michael] The goal is to sor
through the best of the bes

and present the judges
with the perfect bites.

[woman] That one is
in the middle?

No, that one.

-[Brad] This guy?
-[woman] Mmm.

-How you feeling, Brad?
-Man, I think
it looks pretty good.

[Michael] With all this
amazing looking chicken.

I have to try one to see
what all this fuss is about

-I like that.
-Yeah.

Ooh.

-Good seasoning?
-Yeah, really good seasoning.

You got a little bit of,
kind of, like the sweet,

-the heat on the lips.
-Yeah.

[Michael] And then it finish
with a little bit of that
acidity on the back end.

I think it looks great.

We'll close this guy up.

Ooh.

She's gotta hand carry the box
so she can go ahead and go.

All righty.

I will see you
back here shortly.

[Michael] Each team has a
ten-minute window to drop of
their chicken.

[indistinct conversations]

[Michael] All the chicken i
enroute to the judges

and we'll see
how the first round goes.

Should I tackle you?

-[laughing] Please don't.
-Trip you?

[Brad] I'm pretty happy
with the chicken.

That's usually not a good
sign if you're happy.

You kind of want
to hate your turn-ins.

Barbecue superstition is,
if you don't like it,

usually you'll do better
than expected.

When you love it,
that's usually a bad sign.

[Michael] Now,
it's in the hands of
the KCBS judges

who will meticulously
assess and score.

I meet up with Emily,
CEO of KCBS to find
out more about the process.

The Kansas City
Barbecue Society,
we are a global

barbecue sanctioning body.

We train and certify barbecu
judges all over the world.

Every cook is going for what
they think those judges

are going to like from an
appearance, taste,
and tenderness perspective.

[Michael]
With over 16,000 in
prize money,

the teams gather points,
cash, and bragging rights
at Cedar Fest.

Each win at a different
competition means
one step closer

to that elusive
KCBS team of the year.

First thing the judges do
is grade the overall
appearance

based on even coloring,
neatness, and consistency.

Then judges taste
with one bite.

Grading for overall taste,
but also texture
and tenderness.

The total you can get is
a 180 for each category.

When you combine all of tha
for a master series contest

they can get over 700 points

So, chicken goes in.

Next category is ribs.

They only have 30 minutes
to get the ribs up.

So, this is where time
really starts to pick up.

Chicken, ribs, pork butt.

Then, of course,
we finish with brisket.

Oh, yeah, that's good.

Yeah, that looks
pretty good, actually.

[Brad] Ribs are one
of the most difficult
meats to cook

in a competition because
there's such a fine
line between mistake

and not mistake.

Gettin' there.

For me, in barbecue contest,
the key to winning
is tenderness.

You can't do fall
off the bone ribs, right?

So, you've got to take it
right up to the point

where everything's rendered
everything's flavored.

These are set.

Those are looking gorgeous.

Everything's perfect without
getting mushy or overcooked.

And so that's what
wins the day.

Nice little barbecue
sauce on it.

Nice little lipstick on a pig.

Start layering flavors
on there with our friend.

They don't know it
yet, but they love
maple syrup in Texas.

They're getting
ready to figure it out.

So, we're gonna brush
that in there.

I got my first box
in, got chicken in,
feeling really good,

uh, but there's three
more to go.

Then we're gotta come in here
with a little bit of heat.

This is a raspberry
chipotle sauce.

You just give it a little
squeeze and that's got
a good finish,

a good... good bite.

We're always putting layers
in there and, uh, little spice
on ribs is a good thing.

It's kind of like speed
barbecue with KCBS.

You're moving pretty good
between the two turn-ins.

We got chicken turned in,
and in a blink of an eye,
ribs are coming at us.

We want our ribs
to look pretty.

We want them to be warm.

Hot food scores
better than cold food.

So, we're just giving them a
quick glaze again

and we're taking them back
out to the smoker.

And then we're gonna try to
cut these, you know,

and see it's not
a straight bone but
we're gonna try to give them

a straight as a cut
as we possibly can.

And so we've got four
good ribs off that one.

Looks pretty juicy,
doesn't it? Yeah.

That's a really good bite.

I'm in the ball game
with ribs.

I'm gonna continue to slice
these other two racks,

but I know I got what I need.

[Danny] Great rib.

Rib is moist.

Great bite.

We're always looking
for the bite.

And it was perfect
all the way to the bone.

And juice running out
the corners of your mouth.

So, it's what we wanted.

Freddy, you obviously,
you smoked them
the whole time.

Then you hit them
with the glaze.

Then you went
on the charcoal.

-We want a little bit
of that sizzle.
-See?

See that little sizzle on
there. Little bit of char.

-Just a little
caramelization.
-[Michael] Yeah.

So the sugar in the sauce
right now is caramelizing up,

which gives you a little that,
you know, backyard flavor.

And we're gonna let them go
probably ten minutes,

about as long as we can.

That's where the getting
behind on the
chicken hurts because

I can't get my ribs
as long as I need to.

[Corey] You know,
may not win the
taste contest,

-but at least gonna win
the beauty contest.
-[Danny laughing]

[Danny]
Tastes pretty solid to me.

[Corey] Let's see
what those judges think.

Oh, look at those ribs.

Good Lord.

Wow!

-I may have to--
-You like them?
You hate them?

I think they'll fly, baby.

All in all,
they have great flavor,

so I'm hoping the judges

find them great too.

We're going to put some sauce
all the way around.

I'm not gonna add them
back to the grill.

I think they're fine
as they are.

[Michael] Some teams are hap
with the results,

but other teams may have
run into a problem.

[Fred grunts] Let's check
this guy a little closer.

Yeah, those guys are done.

Uh, I just checked
my last rack ribs that
was still on the pit.

You could see the bones.

Should have meat
on top of the bones.
This one didn't.

[Yadi] Hmm.

[Fred] I don't like them.

This is the one that...

-You see that bone?
-[Yadi] Yeah,
maybe not that one.

Needless to say,
our rack is ruined.

We're not gonna be
able to use that one.

Um, so hopefully,
our other two are good.

We only need
enough for six judges,

so really we only need to
put six bones in there.

Hopefully, we have enough
to put in the box.
We'll see how it goes.

-How much time we got?
-12:23.

-Twenty-three?
-Yeah.

[Yadi] You're just gonna need
to get 'em off and plate 'em.

Don't screw it up.

[Fred]
I had one rack with the fat
rendered out too much.

And, you know, the bone show
through in the middle of
the rack on top.

Thankfully, I kept cooking it,
finished it off,

uh, and it actually
turned out
being our best rack.

Wow, it's got...
a good bite.

So something that I thought
was going to be bad ended up
being pretty good.

Well, I'm glad that
I didn't give up on that rack.

Probably the best one.

[Corey] You got four
and a half minutes.

-Before it opens?
-No, before it closes.

[Danny] Oh, I'm gone.

[Corey] You walk slow.

Okay?

Thank you, baby.
Good luck to y'all.

[Yadi] I don't send them of
to cook off just to have fun

Don't embarrass us.
Go do well.

-Yeah, so...
-Don't come
back without winning.

Next category is pork.

They only have 30 minutes
to get the pork up.

I just wanna...

I wanna keep this stuff as
hot as possible,

so I'm just, kind of,

reglazing my money
muscles here
with a little sauce.

[Michael] The money muscle
is a small part
of the pork shoulder

that sits at one
end of the cut.

It's highly revered among
barbecue pitmasters

and is often
thought of as the best
part of the meat.

Hence the name money muscle

I've got four money
muscles here.

I'm gonna cut
each one of them,
taste each one of them,

kind of, rank them in my head.

And if there's one or two
that are substantially better,
those will go into the box.

It's not my favorite.

[Corey] I'm doing more of,
like, a traditional
pork shoulder

that I put
on a little earlier.

We're getting close.

Not quite there.

It feels really good, though.

Hey, what do you call
that feel, Corey?

[Corey] Call that feel butter.

Call it money, baby.

Money.

[Brad] I don't know
how I'm feeling about
my porch steaks yet,

but I'm gonna cook them,
and if they're good,

I'm gonna turn them in.

KCBS just recently changed the
rules where you used to have

to cook a pork butt,
but now you don't have to.

And I'm gonna run some pork
steaks and put something new

I've never done that before

I don't know how many
people have done that before

[Michael] Pork shoulder is
what all teams are using to

create their pulled pork
turn in for the competition

The pork steak is a cut fro
the pork shoulder,
but it's prepared differently,

which makes it a riskier
choice if the judges
aren't expecting it.

So, I think there's big risk,
but there's also a big reward

to shake up and go
outside of the box.

[Corey] All right.

In pork, there's so
many different
preparations you can do,

something that's
pretty popular is

to sliced money muscle,
medallion.

Tenderness is dead on.

It's awesome.

Flavor's dead on.

-Definitely, Texas Tender,
-[Corey] Texas tender.

We like stuff
tender here, so...

...I'm trying to play to
please the home crowd.

This is my favorite.

I've kind of decided which
ones I'm gonna put in the box.

Sink or swim here.

Look at that.

How can they...

How can they not like that?

I mean,
how can they miss that?

There are some really,
really good judges out there.

But if you guys
missed this, I...

I don't know what
to say for you.

I cooked four pork butts.

I was really only happy
with one of them.

Tried to just put the best
meat in the box, so we'll see.

But out of all the categories,
pork was probably
my least favorite.

So, it's just gonna
be money muscle
with a little pulled.

[Brad] All right,
so we got pork steaks
that look pretty good.

So, I'm gonna, kind of,
try to find ones that I like.

How do you feel about it?

I don't know, it's a risk,
but I...

-I think I can come in here
and get me some good chunks.
-Mm-hmm.

It's leaving.
It's on its way.

All right.

[Michael] Teams race to get
their pork turned in,
but it's not over yet.

The final category brisket
is the key to a Texas victor

Pork's done,
it's final category,
King of Texas Brisket.

[Fred] Brisket's our last
turn-in of the day.

And then it's up to the judges
and we'll go to awards,

hoping for the best,
not knowing how the heck
we did all day,

uh, if all our
work was in vain,

or if we're gonna
be rewarded for it.

This is the late of
late that's here today.

You know, they're just,
you're amongst several worl
champions right here.

They could beat
anybody any time.

[Brad] Man. I'm telling you
how I feel, pretty good.

They both look all right.

Brisket is king.

You know, you don't ever
know on a brisket until you
slice it and you taste it.

But we are gonna
give it a little bit of last.

You can hear that pop.

You guys hear that?

That pop's what you want.

That's that fat hitting
he coals just a little bit.

Then we're gonna give it that
last little bit of sizzle.

I'm not gonna get crazy
with sauce today
being in Texas.

Uh... But you know what?

A little bit of sweet on the
brisket helps it carry
the salt,

helps it carry
some of the beefy flavors.

This is like a salt,
pepper, garlic rub.

We're just gonna
give 'em a little hit.

Hopefully it's nice soft,

tender in the middle,
you know, good, beefy flavor.

Then you've got that outside
that's got all that
flavor that,

you know, that umami
that we're looking
for in our brisket.

He's come up from Missouri
and beat me many times.

I gotta get down
here and get one.

This contest sets
up perfect for you.

Well, I'm the underdog.

No, you're not.

-No. Mate, no.
-[laughing]

I love the fact that I can
ruin somebody's day just

by pulling into
the parking lot.

Dude, you're the two time...

[Brad] Underdog.

...KCBS team of the year.

The competition already knows.
Just go around and ask them.

Ask them who the favorite is.
When I ask you who it is.

You should come down
here and whoop on us, Texas.

And they're gonna have to
bring their A game to beat me.

They beat me,
then they've earned it.

Look at his brisket.
Look at that thing.

Let me go look at it.

Good Lord.

Hey, Brad,

I'm gonna give it to Corey.
Look at that brisket, man.

[Brad] I know.
It's the best I've ever seen.

The best I've ever seen, too.

Golly.

Look at that thing, gorgeous.

I don't want to say I focused
on brisket,

but there was a little bit of
a rivalry going on along
with Brad and Fred.

And I had to make sure
that they knew that

Fat Boys was here
this weekend.

It's blinded me, Corey.

Whoo!

That's a nice looking brisket.

Yeah, but I think
it's like a third place.

It probably just--
Not really first.

It probably just
looks good, right?

-It looks good.
-[laughing]

[Fred] In competition,
I'm there to win.

I'm your best friend
if you need me to be.

But I'm here to beat you.

Yo, when I pull up my briske
I'm looking
for the right texture.

That's the biggest thing.

It's got to have
very little resistance.

If it's got some resistance,
that means I need to take it

a little further to tender
it up some more.

Uh, last thing you wanna
do is turn in a tight brisket.

-Coming in hot, Michael.
-Yes, sir.

Usually what I'll hit
with a little bit of this
and see what that gives it.

-And that's just the rub.
-Some sea salt, some rub.

From what I've tasted like
competition versus...

Yeah.

...non-competition like that
feels like a pretty perfect

competition piece
of brisket to me.

-Yeah. Yeah.
-Like it's juicy.

It's...
It has some structure to it.

-You taste the smoke,
you taste all the flavors.
-Right.

Very beefy.

Explain to me
what the perfect brisket is

[Bill] To me, it's a velvet
buttery mouthfeel.

-[Michael] Okay.
-[Bill] When we bite into it

[Michael] You gotta be
happy with that.

I'm not disappointed.
I've cooked a lot worse
and done better, so...

[both laughing]

-[Michael] Okay.
-You know, we doctor it up
throw a little.

I got some sauce mixed
into that au jus,
just to sauce it up

and hopefully showed shine
whenever they open that box.

Barbecue lingo.

The less they like it,
the more they like.

-That's right. It's terrible.
-[laughter]

You know?

Chicken Fried, I think
they're feeling good about it.

They're kind of keeping it
on the down low, but I think

they're feeling really good.

I'mma go ahead
and slice one up here.

I'm happy with what I did.

It plumped up really nice.

One of the things we look
for. Had a good color on it.

Brisket last category, man,
just a little bit
behind on time.

Looking pretty dang good.

Maybe I didn't crash
coming around.

We'll have to come
in and cut that fat off.

We don't necessarily,
for KCBS, want the
judges to get that.

Ain't no way Freddy's
beating that today, man.
He ain't got it in him.

Fred can't do this.

I need him to hurry up
so I can make sure to turn

it in on time, so...

Right now the stress level is,
is maxed right now,

at least in my end.
[chuckling]

[Michael] With minutes left
before the end of the briske
turn in,

all the teams are racing
to finish strong.

Last turn in.

Goodbye, brisket.
[chuckling]

There you go, brother.

[Michael]
Brad from Gettin' Basted
is the last to turn in

with seconds to spare.

[Brad] Heading to awards,
I feel good.

I really do. I did what
I wanted to do.

I came down here
and I executed.

It's in the judges' hands.

Nothing I can do about that

But what I can control, I put
in good food,

I turned in what
I wanted to turn in.

And I gave Texas
the best I got.

[Michael] All right, guys,
this is what it all
comes down to.

Judgment time.
We are at Cedar Fest.

All the meat is turned in
and it has all been judged.

Now we are gonna find out
who takes home the prize.

Who won chicken?

Who won ribs?

Who won pork?

And most importantly,
who won brisket?

First up is chicken.

In 10th place,
Roland Smoak Barbecue, Texas.

[Michael] With over 60 team
at Cedar Fest,
many of them elite,

the competition is stiff.

And spots ten through five
for chicken go to some
very worthy teams.

[Brad] You know, there's som
great cooks out here.

And so you want to hear your
name, but you want to hear it
at the right time.

Little bit nervous,
little bit apprehensive
about it.

In fourth place,
chicken, Gettin' Basted.

[applauding]

Gettin' Basted, coming in,
coming in fourth.

In third place, chicken,
Rio Valley Meat.

[applauding]

You're welcome.
You're welcome.

Rio Valley came third,
I wasn't even paying
attention.

Fred just beat Brad.

I mean,
how devastating is that?

See fourth, third.

Oh, you hate me,
that's, that's got--

I mean... I felt good.

I was really happy
and then Fred beats me.

Don't cry.
Keep it together.

He was happy about fourth till
he heard you guys were third.

-Of course.
Of course.
-[laughing]

[Michael] Crossed
Rifles gets second.

We're sitting at awards,
You don't hear your name.

You don't hear your name.

First place chicken.

And the longer you go,
as long as you hear
your name last,

that's a great thing.

Chicken Fried BBQ.

[all cheering]

-Oh.
-[Yadi] What's that?

Okay, you guys,
our little corner was
pretty hot,

so we had three
out of the top four.

Yeah.

[Bill] We were lucky enough
to take first place chicken

which any time you get first
place in anything is
always special.

[Michael] All right,
right off the rip,
you got one.

-Yeah.
-Feeling pretty good
about that?

I'm feeling great.

Um, so in chicken,
we ended up 16th.

[Danny] He didn't listen
to me at all.

Now, if he'd listened
me on chicken,
we wouldn't have been 16th.

We may have been 15th.
[laughing]

Next category, pork ribs.

[Michael] Tenth through six
goes to other barbecue teams

And then a familiar name.

Fifth place, pork ribs,
Rio Valley Meat.

[Michael] All right,
Rio Valley now has
a third and a fifth,

so they're building
some momentum.

Fourth place, pork ribs,
Gettin' Basted.

[Michael] Oh, little flip.

So, now Gettin' Basted
and finish one above.

These two love to give
each other the business,

which I kind of love.

One ahead of Fred.

I got to get
my points where I can.

It's all about the brisket.

I'm waiting for brisket.

Third place, pork ribs,
Fat Boys BBQ.

[applauding]

Come on, young buck.

Got to feel
pretty good, huh?

Dad, you happy?

All right.

And to finish out ribs,
two strong competitors
take the top two spots.

Next category,
we've got pork.

10th place for pork,

Fat Boys BBQ.

They're back up there.

Didn't even have
to sit down.

[Michael] Eighth through fif
place go to teams we didn't
even get a chance to meet.

Fourth place, pork,

Chicken Fried BBQ.

[all cheering]

[Michael] So, Chicken Fried
has a first in chicken,
now a fourth in pork.

I don't think
they placed in ribs,

but that's pretty high
in two categories.

Third place, pork.

[Michael] And rounding out t
top three for pork are some
very strong teams.

Next category is brisket.

[Michael] So scoring big here
is gonna be important
if they wanna get the grand.

10th place brisket.

CA BBQ company.

[Michael] Slice tenth throug
seventh all go to different
barbecue teams.

Sixth place brisket,

Chicken Fried BBQ.

[Michael] Okay, Chicken Fried
coming in sixth place
for barbecue.

So, now they have
placed in three categories.

So not a bad day
for Chicken Fried.

In fifth place,
brisket Chingon BBQ.

Fourth place brisket.

The Pit Father BBQ.

They have
not called Brad or Fred's name
or Fat Boys.

So, we will see.

There was a lot of risk
of trash talking.

So far,
there's only three left.

A lot of teams left, though.

Third place brisket,

Texas Chrome Heroes
Foundation.

[Michael]
Only two spots left.

Will Rio Valley,
Getting' Basted,
or Fat Boy's Place.

Someone's going home
without a walk-in brisket.

Two left.

Second place brisket...

Fat Boys BBQ.

Oh, Fat Boys with a second.

That is some good work.

I think they've place
in three categories now.

Nicely done, guys.
Nicely done.

It was a beauty brisket.

First place brisket...

Quality N Smoke.

All right.

So, Fred or Brad didn't place
in the top ten of brisket, but

Fat Boys took second.

[Danny]
Any time we can compete
with Fred and Brisket,

we're tickled to death
'cause he is the brisket
king in Texas.

If Brad wants to come back
next year and compete
with us again,

we'll battle for that.

All right.
And now the overall results.

[Michael]
Blues Hog takes tenth.

Texas Oil Dust,
takes nineth.

Crossed Rifles BBQ,
takes eight.

Crawford's BBQ takes seventh

Overall fifth place,
Chicken Fried BBQ.

For us any time we hit
the top ten, we're happy.

It's just a matter
of weeks before it's our
turn to win the big one.

Overall fourth place,
Rio Valley Meat.

[Yadi] I thought everything
looked great,

uh, but I'm just glad
that that we got
a couple of walks.

Of course, we always
wanna come here and win.

We'll take a fourth
overall this weekend.

We'll be back at it next yea
and swinging for the
fences, baby.

Overall, third place
for Cedar Fest,

Fat Boys Barbecue.

We didn't end up
with Grand Champion
or Reserve.

But being third overall.

Hard to be upset about that

You know,
the field of 61 teams.

Nice.
Congrats.

Well, we're not gonna talk
about each category

as it's very middle of
the road.

But just, just know that there
was 61 teams and basically

we were around the 50th
percentile for all of them.

Hey, this is our second
year at Cedar Fest.

You don't got worry,
Smokin Cole's,
we'll be back.

We're learning more
and we're gonna come back
and do better next time.

[Michael] Texas Chrome Heroe
Foundation is the
reserve champion.

And Chingon
BBQ is overall champion.

[Brad]
I finished 18th overall.

Not what I was looking
for today, but, you know,
pork got me.

What can I say?
I knew his potential
and he got me.

But I learned some stuff
and I'm gonna come out,

refine those pork steaks,
get him in next week
even stronger.

There's something really
funny that happened today.

-Oh.
-You're gonna...
you're gonna...

It's actually gonna
make you laugh.

-You, Fred...
-Okay.

...all had 170.268
for brisket.

Oh, you're kidding me.
So we tied.

-You tied.
-What?

You guys tied.

Oh, my goodness.

The exact
same brisket score.

He doesn't get to brag
and I don't get to brag.

No!
There's no bragging.