Friday, March 29, 2024
39.0°F

A smokin' good time

by Rick Thomas
| June 17, 2010 9:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - Dad will be in hog heaven this weekend. For the first time, Coeur d'Alene will be the home of the Smokin' the Coeur d'Alenes Inland Northwest Barbecue Championship. "It is a real deal barbecue," said Dave Hart, owner of 1910 Smokin' Wood Company and organizer of the event that will determine the Idaho state champion. "The winner can go to Kansas City for the national competition."

COEUR d'ALENE - Dad will be in hog heaven this weekend.

For the first time, Coeur d'Alene will be the home of the Smokin' the Coeur d'Alenes Inland Northwest Barbecue Championship.

"It is a real deal barbecue," said Dave Hart, owner of 1910 Smokin' Wood Company and organizer of the event that will determine the Idaho state champion. "The winner can go to Kansas City for the national competition."

Sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association, the competition was recognized by proclamation of Gov. Butch Otter as an official state event.

About 30 contestants from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Montana and Canada will be judged by a panel of barbecue experts. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken, with names like Daddy's Butt Rub from Jeff Sheets of Coeur d'Alene; Limp Brizkit by Jay Bremner of Post Falls and Mike's Hillbilly BBQ from Mike Schell of Post Falls, will scent the air at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, but the public will not be served the final product because of health regulations, Hart said.

But about 30 vendors will offer everything from ice cream to, what else, barbecued concoctions. There will also be live music throughout the weekend, with live drawings all day Saturday. On Sunday, a drawing will be held at 3 p.m. for a $1,000 Traeger grill, sure to make some dad happy - but only if he is there at the time.

The grills, along with other barbecue items such as spices, sauces and rubs will also be available for sale. Several cooking demonstrations will be held, with live music and a beer garden open both days. There will also be a kids zone, with inflatable bounce houses. The kids can also slip away to the Shrine Circus, also at the fairgrounds on Saturday with shows at 4 and 7 p.m.

Admission to the barbecue event is $5 for adults, with ages 16 and younger free. A bin at the entrance will collect nonperishable food items for the Community Action Partnership and give the donor a $2 discount on admission.

Gates open at 9 a.m. Saturday, with a Traeger grill demonstration 9:30-10:30 a.m., followed by an hour of barbecue meats offered by Tim's Special Cut Meats, one of the event sponsors.

An hour of cooking with planks follows at 11:30, then a sausage making class from 12:30-1:30. From 1:30 to 2:30 Hart will demonstrate the use of various wood for cooking.

The Quaint Few provide music from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and The DBC Band plays 4-9 p.m., when the show closes.

On Sunday gates open at 9 a.m., and contestants turn in their entries for judging beginning with pork at 11 a.m., brisket at noon, chicken at 1 p.m. and ribs at 2 p.m. The pitmasters awards will be made from 4-4:30 p.m., and the show closes at 5.

Hart expects with Father's Day, Car d'Lane and two days of wood-scented air, Smokin' the Coeur d'Alenes could easily draw 10,000 visitors.