PANAMA CITY BEACH — On Saturday afternoon, Wink Yelverton tried to cool off in his air-conditioned trailer while his wife, Robin, vacuum sealed leftovers from the BBQ Challenge.
Though some competitors also were vendors at
Wink’s sweet and savory brisket and ribs each placed fourth in their categories, while the large chunks of tender pulled pork “with a little kick in the back” came in second. Robin planned to share the barbecue with her co-workers at the ER in
“They love it when I bring this in,” admitted Robin, who brought me a glass of ice water and set out a couple of folding chairs so we could talk under the shade of the trees.
“We are just all like family,” she said. “That’s what we love about the barbecue community. I someone has something extra, they will give what you need.”
For barbecue competitions, where the Yelvertons usually are known for their chicken, they use charcoal wood.
“You can’t use gas or any type of accelerator,” Robin said.
The couple, who attended the
“In our first competition in
Wink is carrying on a 100-year-old Southern family barbecue tradition, which began as a way to feed everyone on the farm.
“They used to do a whole hog every year,” Robin said. “The men in the family would stay up all night. They would put it up on cinder blocks. And they would tie a hog to a rack and stay up all night and check on the fire. In the morning, they would chop it all up, come together and split it up and eat it. Usually, it was done in the fall of the year.”
When temperatures start cooling off — in the evenings and as the season changes, backyard barbecuing popularity really heats up.
A common mistake home cooks make, Robin said, is “cooking it too hot — that makes it dry out. Take the time to cook it.”
Ribs always get a dry rub and glaze.
“Don’t boil the ribs,” Wink said. “Do it slow and low.”
They like pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw.
“I personally like more vinegar-based sauce for my own palate,” Robin said.
Their coleslaw recipe includes a bag of cabbage and Vidalia onion vinaigrette.
“I put a big can of pineapple tidbits in it, not drained,” Wink added.
Broccoli Slaw is one of their staple sides. And when it comes to dessert, even that can be barbecued.
“I make a cheesecake on the smoker,” said Robin, who also has used a Dutch oven with legs and a concave lid for baking a cake in one hour and 30 minutes. “I made an Orange Supreme Cake in a Dutch oven with Orange Supreme Cake mix, miniature marshmallows and I used a Crock Pot liner. I added a little extra vegetable oil so it wasn’t dry. Putting 18 briquette coals underneath and nine on top gives you 350 degrees.”
For the top, she made a cream cheese vanilla icing by whipping a container of vanilla icing with a little cream cheese.
Barbecue competitors aren’t immune to factors home cooks face, such as varying cuts of meat, new smokers and new recipes.
Forrest Dilmore of Forrest’s Fine Foods in Cottondale placed third in brisket during Saturday’s BBQ Challenge.
“I cook everything until it’s done, but every piece of meat won’t finish at the same time. Two briskets won’t cook at the same time,” he said.
Dilmore prefers to smoke his meat with fruit wood.
“A lot of oak is readily available, but oak is strong. A lot of people also use pecan wood. Any nut or fruit tree is really good. I really like the fruit tree, because it is lighter, thinner smoke and has a lot of flavor to it,” he said. “A lot of people think smoked meat has to be covered in it, but if you eat a lot of that, you can get a stomach ache. I really like a smoked steak.”
Dilmore also is a member of the United States Dutch Oven Society.
“In BBQ competitions, it is real secretive,” Dilmore said. “When I cook in Dutch Oven competitions in cast iron with coal on the bottom and on the top, I write down my recipes for the judge when I turn it in. I make copies and other competitors can see it, too.”
He finished reserve grand for his main-dish chicken during the Arkansas Dutch Oven State Championship, sponsored by Tyson, in June in
“I did sun-dried tomato and basil with chopped spinach and feta stuffed breasts wrapped in a bacon weave and glazed with sauce,” Dilmore said. “I have cooked this recipe in Dutch Ovens, on a propane grill, and grilled over charcoal. It turns out well either way. The breasts must be turned if grilling. It can be cooked in the oven by riveting in a shallow pan.”
Broccoli Slaw
16 ounce package of broccoli slaw
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
3 ounce package chicken flavor Ramen noodles
¼ cup vegetable oil
Heat all liquids and seasoning packet from Ramen noodles in microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute to dissolve the sugar.
Drizzle dressing on top of the slaw and toss around. Just before serving, break Ramen noodles up and crunch on top.
Source: Robin Yelverton, Wink’s Barbeque
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Chicken Wrapped in Bacon
4-large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package Laughing Cow sun-dried tomato and basil wedges
1 4-ounce package sun-dried tomato and basil feta cheese crumbles
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
4 ounces roasted bell peppers, chopped
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato and olive bruschetta
1 12-ounce package frozen chopped spinach,squeezed dry
6 12-ounce package sliced bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
Kitchen twine for tying (optional)
Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional)
Cut a “pocket” into the side if each chicken breast, being careful not to it through.
Thoroughly mix the next six ingredients in a medium bowl. Stuff each breast with a generous portion.
Assemble four bacon weaves,keeping the slices as tightly together as possible.
Position one stuffed breast upside down in the center of each weave. Bring sides of weave around and overlap edges. Wrap and tie securely with kitchen twine if desired.
Cook riveted in a 16 inch Dutch Oven with 12 coals on bottom and 22 coals on top for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature of 170 degrees is reached.
Remove twine and brush with BBQ sauce the last 10 minutes if desired.
Rest tented in foil for 10 minutes before serving.
Source: Forrest Dilmore, Forrest’s Fine Foods
World’s Best Pecan Pie
Crust:
24 squares finely crushed graham crackers (or 1½ cups)
½ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Filling:
4 large eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup light corn syrup
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butterscotch chips
½ cup Heath Bits ‘O’ Brickle Baking Pieces
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecan halves
For the crust: Mix the graham crackers, butter and sugar well, then press the mixture firmly against the bottom and side of a 9 by 9 Dutch Oven.
For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first six ingredients until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake with 8-9 coals on bottom and 10 on top for 35-45 minutes, until edges are firm and center is set. Let coil uncovered for one hour before serving.
These measurements are for cooking in a “Woody” Dutch oven, but it can be adjusted for other sizes.
(This recipe also can be baked in a kitchen oven at 350 degrees.)
Source: Forrest Dilmore, Forrest’s Fine Foods
MORE BBQ
Glenwood Community’s BBQ Cook-off and Red Velvet Cake Contest is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 30 at the