Stopped by Uncle Kenny’s BBQ vendor station last night at the Bartow Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival and gave their ribs a try. A good product, but what I was very impressed with was their mustard bbq sauce. This stuff is rockin’ good. In fact, there isn’t much I’d not want to put this stuff on!
Kenny Nadeau is a super nice guy, too. A native of Missouri, he started the Winter Garden, FL based Uncle Kenny’s BBQ with Mike Smith – a college buddy of his. Hitting the competitive BBQ circuit in 2005, Uncle Kenny’s participates in BBQ competitions sanctioned under the Florida Barbeque Association (FBA) and Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS).
They’ve accumulated a nice set of awards and prizes, and hope to do well at this weekend’s cook-off in Bartow. Kenny told me that he hopes to get to the Kansas City Royal next year, as it would be nice to compete at this massive event that takes place in his old home territory. I know I’ll be pulling for him to get there.
If you are in the Winter Garden, FL area, you need to get over to Uncle Kenny’s to taste that mustard sauce. I promise you’ll love it.
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Was afforded the pleasure of talking with Chad Ward, Jared Hatcher, and the rest of the Lakeland, Florida Whiskey Bent BBQ team at the Bartow Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival yesterday as they prepared to enter their chicken, brisket, ribs, and pork entries up for judging today.
Whiskey Bent BBQ Steps it Up Big Time
Talking with Chad is, I’m gathering, always an informative, interesting, and insightful experience. I mean, this guy knows ‘cue.
What was even more interesting is that these guys made the unanticipated choice to step things up from the backyard to the Pro division yesterday in order to make sure the competition fielded the requisite 25 pro teams to rate as a Jack Daniel’s qualifier.
Folks, I know a whole lot of folks from the south – but these guys know and have shown with this move – what it means to be true and honorable southerners. Put simply, they saw there was a chance that folks coming in from around the country for this Jack Daniel’s qualifying event may be shut out with a field that failed to “make,” and they threw their hat in the ring for Pro division competition.
And make no mistake – with Rob “Rub” Bagby from Swamp Boys BBQ in the running – this Bartow BBQ Cook-off event ain’t gonna be no cakewalk!
I just talked with Chad, and he said they feel good about what they turned in today. I’ll add their results today to this post as I get them in. So, stay tuned.
The Results from Bartow are In…
Just got the call from Chad Ward, and Whiskey Bent BBQ did pretty well overall today. Their results for the 2009 Bartow Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival – Pro Division today with a total score of 735 were as follows:
- 5th in Chicken
- 6th in Briskey
- 11th in Ribs
- 11th in Pork
- 5th Overall
This last stat is the one I’m most proud of these guys for. They manned up, jumped into the Pro arena, and were one away from walking today.
Nice job guys.
Remember – if you need Award Winning BBQ and Catering in the Lakeland area, give Whiskey Bent BBQ a call. You can reach Chad Ward directly at (863) 660-0618 or Jared Hatcher at (863) 409-2178.
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