COEUR d'ALENE - They call them weekend warriors, cooks that have mastered the art of barbecue in their backyard, but have never competed in a sanctioned competition.

The Coeur d'Alene area is full of them, and Greg Prado, board member of the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association, wants to smoke them out with a new competition in Coeur d'Alene on June 29.

The event, Bikes, Brews and BBQs, is designed to create a cheaper and less intimidating atmosphere for weekend warriors to transition into full-scale competition.

"We created this one-day competition to get these guys off the fence," Prado said. "That is why I am on the board, I really want to grow the culture of barbecue in this area."

A normal sanctioned BBQ competition is a two-day event with teams cooking pork butt, ribs, brisket and chicken. Teams load in on the first day, set up their smokers and start cooking the larger cuts of meat for turn-ins the next day.

In this case, Prado said the one-day competition will require cooks to prepare ribs, chicken and tri-tip, plus there is an optional sausage category. The sausage must be homemade.

"It's an honor system on the sausage," he said. "You can make it at home and bring it with you, but we don't want people to think they can go buy a sausage to compete with."

Competitors will load in at the fairgrounds at 6 a.m., and should be cooking by 8 a.m. They will turn in sausage first at noon, then one hour later they will turn in chicken. Tri-tip is due by 2 p.m. and ribs are to be turned by 3 p.m.

Certified judges will tabulate their scores and start awarding a total of $5,000 in prize money. Cost to enter is $75, but the odds of winning a cash prize are pretty good.

Prado said the top eight entries in each meat category will win a cash prize starting at $25 for eighth place and up to $225 for first-place entries.

Grand Champion will be awarded to the team with the highest combined scores, and there will also be a Reserve Grand Champion award. They pay out $500, and $400 respectively. In total, there will be 34 checks awarded.

That caught the attention of Jay Bremner, owner of the Limp Brisket BBQ team in Post Falls. He is planning to sign up for the event.

"That is a pretty good payout considering there may only be 15 teams that turn out for this one," Bremner said. "The odds are everyone will win at least two prizes."

Bremner went from backyard cook to the competition circuit about three years ago. He has won several awards along the way. Last year was his best year, winning two awards in Stevensville, Mont., and one 6th place award for his ribs in Yakima, Wash., against 66 other teams. He also won a Reserve Grand Championship at the Tim's Rib King event in 2011.

"This should be a good event, especially for the beginners, because it isn't a state qualifier," he said. "It probably won't draw a lot of the big boys."

Prado said he is also setting up an informal ice-breaker for new teams who want to learn the basics of competition barbecue before the big event. He is planning to give a basic overview on how to present a turn-in box, and answer any questions that beginning competitors may have.

"We really want to encourage these backyard folks to try this," he said. "We want to make it as easy as possible."

Prado said anyone who is interested in the ice-breaker event can contact him by email at gprado@pnwba.com, or look him up on Facebook under the Bike, Brews and BBQ page.

Sign up today

n You can sign up for the Bikes, Brews and BBQs competition at http://PNWBA.com/events/2013/2013.comp.id.coeurdalene.BBB.pdf

Bikes, Brews & BBQs seeks vendors

COEUR d'ALENE - Staff at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds are ramping up for the new Bikes, Brews and BBQs event this summer, and they are seeking sponsors and vendors.

Kristi Blaver, marketing and public relations manager, said the fairgrounds held a successful beer festival last summer and wanted to build on that momentum this year by making it a community oriented weekend event.

In order to do that, they are incorporating a professional BBQ competition and an arena motocross show, she said.

The event will be held on June 29 and will include a variety of community entertainment.

"We just signed a new carnival company, and they will be there with rides for the kids," she said, adding there will be cowpie bingo and local celebrity dunk tanks as well.

"If you know of any volunteers for the dunk tank, call us," Blaver said. "There is always someone out there that you want to dunk."

She said they are seeking food truck vendors for their Food Truck Rodeo, and they hope to secure bicycle motor cross vendors too.

Anyone interested in vending can or sponsoring the event can find details at www.kcfairgrounds.com, or call 765-4969.