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Jus-Fer-Fun wins Boss Hog
The retired school teacher from McDonough teamed up with her husband Sam Grogan to steal Waynesboro's Boss Hog Cook-off and the state title that came with it. "I can't believe we finally did it," she says after hugging her partner and wiping away tears. "We've worked so hard at this for four years." "Jus-Fer-Fun" captured the grand championship Saturday afternoon after turning in first place ribs and beef brisket in the Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned cook-off. The Grogans had their doubts right up until the final moment. After second place wins in Newnan and Barnesville, a repeat performance in Waynesboro was looking like a strong possibility. "We were both thinking, 'we're going to win reserve again,'" Dianne says with a sigh. "I was just holding my breath." The Grogans had been burning their five Big Green Egg grills since midnight Friday. Their brisket and pork went on first and were tended every hour until mid-morning. "I did the grilling and Dianne prepped," Sam says, noting that he's now changed her nickname from the Brisket Queen to The Boss. "She told me what I was supposed to do and when to do it." The soft-spoken teacher with the killer brisket said she'd never even barbecued until five years ago when she tagged along to her husband's barbecue cooking class. Now they're both certified judges as well as serious competitors. "But in any contest, there's always a luck factor," Dianne points out. Whether it was luck, skill or both, the Grogans outscored 29 teams and will be put in the draw for the Jack Daniel's World Championship in October. Just behind Jus-Fer-Fun, was the Pickin' Porkers - a husband, wife and son team from Clemmons, N.C., who took second in brisket and made the top- 10 in everything else. The Smokin' Butts, a pair of neighbors who drove nine hours from Lakeland, Fla., and cooked on wood pellets, took a close third. The pros had plenty of local competition, including Waynesboro native Jimmy Lovett (Smokin' and Lovett) who competed against his twin brother and finished seventh overall. Senator J.B. Powell also camped out for the night, sporting sauce smeared jeans and turning in his signature grilled chicken. Three Burke County teams earned top-10 finishes including Mobley's Cafeteria (fifth place, pork), Big J and Bubba (eighth place, pork) and Cheeks Choice Ribs (ninth place, ribs). "Waynesboro should not only be proud of hosting a grand event, but also for raising the level of competition among a group of serious BBQ cooks," KCBS representative Harvey Hamrick said after handing out trophies. "Several local teams fared quite well against some seasoned KCBS cooks. As a result, your community can expect notoriety along the barbecue trail, and I'm sure Boss Hog will become more popular in the future." But for some locals, like the guys on Big J and Bubba, next year's Boss Hog is too far away. Team leader Charles Marshall and his cousin James Banks were so taken by their first sanctioned competition they plan to take their show on the road. "We were really happy with how we finished, and we want to try again," Marshall says on his hunt for the next nearby KCBS event. "We had so much fun camping out and talking with the other teams. They're just good people." The teams from afar agree. They've been flooding barbecue forums all week with praise for Waynesboro and the local grillers who held their feet to the fire ... then offered them cold drinks.
"We absolutely love Waynesboro," Dianne says as her husband breaks down their equipment back in McDonough. "And we would have loved it even if we hadn't won." For photos and top-15 results, go to www.thetruecitizen.com. |
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