Where do the nation’s best pitmasters and biggest names in BBQ go for camaraderie, competition, and a little friendly fire? Texas, of course. More specifically, the event of the year for BBQ content creators, BBQ experts, and BBQ lovers – Texas Open Fire Meat Up.
Team Big Green Egg traveled to Hondo, Texas, to take part in the epic 4th annual all-you-can-eat BBQ competition event and – spoiler alert – came away from the event beaming with pride after being honored with an award. But more on that later because it was more than just a BBQ competition. It was a community-focused gathering driving live-fire chefs and enthusiasts together to use a feast to give back.
“Open fire is more than just a skill; it’s a lifestyle. It brings people together, it brings many cultures together.” Ally Baca
What is Open Fire Meat Up?
Created by Al Frugoni, a global authority in open-fire cooking, Open Fire Meat Up takes place annually in Hondo, Texas, a community just outside San Antonio. It is the largest and most popular BBQ event for social media and BBQ influencers. In fact, BBQ enthusiasts fly in from all over the world to gather around the open flame. Twenty-one countries were represented in this year’s competition, and more than 120 BBQ influencers and pitmasters were in attendance.
Not only does the event give BBQ professionals a chance to mingle among meats, but BBQ lovers, too, get the opportunity to feast on some of the best open-fire meals they’ll experience in their lifetime. For just $25 per person, attendees can pig out to their hearts’ content – and for an amazing cause. Open Fire Meat Up proudly supports and raises funds for Medina County First Responders and first responders (and their families) are invited to attend the event and enjoy the feast for free!
The Competition
During the event, attendees enjoy the all-you-can-eat BBQ experience, sampling delicious dishes from more than 15 professional teams of pitmasters, chefs, and recipe experts. Each team competes for two different accolades: the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice awards.
The Judges’ Choice is voted by a panel of celebrity judges and BBQ legends, including Tuffy Stone and Jess Pryles of Hardcore Carnivore.
Event attendees are encouraged to try every dish and vote for their favorite by dropping a token at the tent of their choice. The tokens are tallied, and the dish with the most tokens is awarded the People’s Choice.
Team Big Green Egg
This year, Team Big Green Egg brought the heat. The team was comprised of:
- Mel Chmilar – Team Captain and Team Green Member
- Ron Dimpflmaier – Team Green Member
And on the menu? A spectacular spread of Flame Grilled Blue Cheese Crusted Strip Loin: tender, juicy, and perfectly seared. Plus, Iguana and Chicken Pozole made with iguanas (yes, you read that right) and roasted on the Big Green Egg.
“The Big Green Eggs are open fire as well – it's a neat thing where they have the charcoal and wood inside and you can still use that primitive technique...” - Mel Chmilar, Jr.
Once the shock of iguana meat wears off, you may be wondering how one grill can be responsible for making both a strip loin steak and a soup. That’s the magic of the Big Green Egg. Whether you have one XL Egg or multiple Eggs of different sizes, the possibilities for an entire spread are at your fingertips. Steak? Easy. Soup? Easy! And both at one event? No worries. The Big Green Egg can handle all of your cooking needs and with the extra flair of live-fire flavor; anything you can cook in a kitchen can be cooked on a Big Green Egg.
The Awards
When all was said and done and the last flames were extinguished, it was time to honor the top three dishes chosen by the judges and the guests. And, boy, were we happy to hear Team Big Green Egg’s name called.
Our Flame Grilled Blue Cheese Crusted Strip Loin won third place in the People’s Choice competition! Recognition from famed judges and experts is one thing, but being voted a favorite by the people takes on a whole new meaning! We made so many friends that day, and the honor was ours to be recognized by so many of them.
Team Tagwood and Argentine Beef's Argentine Empanadas won first place in both the Judges’ and People’s Choice awards, marking the first time in the competition that the same dish won both awards! We can attest that they were standouts and deserve every bit of recognition.
Attendees could taste the difference in food cooked on the Big Green Egg for many reasons, most notably because of the modern ceramic technology, which enhances cooking precision. Eager to see for yourself? Visit us at one of our upcoming events to see our Eggs in action! We’re cooking up all kinds of recipes, from Italian strombolis to kabobs, quesadillas to loaves of bread, at food festivals and partner retailers nationwide.
