'Bama Grill Master' ready to spice things up at Buckmasters Expo this weekend
“Aight guys!” — and gals — you can help a fellow hunter this weekend at the Buckmasters Expo 2023.
Pitmaster and social media chef extraordinaire Tim Van Doren — known by the world as the “Bama Grill Master” — was raised in a hunting atmosphere.
“My parents had 200-something acres,” he said. “We just grew up hunting on our own land.”
These days, he could use a few tips on new hunting grounds.
“I didn’t hunt that much last year,” Doren said. He said that’s because the hunting club he was a part of didn’t prep its fields enough.
“I’d go sit in the shoot house, and there’s no grass,” he said. “They didn’t even plant half the field. I’m out of it this year, and looking for a place, actually.”
After this weekend at the largest hunting and outdoors event in the Southeast, Doren should have no shortage of suggestions. He’s one of the special guests at Buckmasters Expo, happening in the downtown Montgomery Convention Center at the Renaissance.
This expo is open from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is free with a canned food donation or guests can donate $1 to benefit the Friendship Mission and the Salvation Army.
“If you know anybody (with good hunting lands), let me know,” said Doren, who competes on a world stage in the Steak Cookoff Association. He also reaches millions of viewers on social media with his video recipes.
Buckmasters will have other special guests this weekend:
Seek One, an urban hunting community
Robert Arrington from “Deer Meat For Dinner"
Alyssa Hall of “Aly from Alabama”
There will be lots of critters besides deer involved in the expo:
For the second year, Buckmasters is bringing Bulls & Buckmasters. Presented by Mountain Dew, it’s a free bull riding event downtown Montgomery, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights.
The high flying DockDogs are back to show their skills.
Inside the Convention Center, the expo:
Will feature more than 300 booths with all kinds of deals on hunting gear and other outdoor supplies.
Is bringing back the Top Bow Archery Competition
Is also offering free antler scoring and deer displays. On Saturday and Sunday, guests can see Deer of the Year winner, Darin Williams’s trophy record 244 5/8-inch whitetail from Kansas.
Out at nearby Riverfront Park, free Alabama River cruises on the Harriott II Riverboat will be offered on Saturday and Sunday.
As usual, both lanes of Tallapoosa Street and one lane of Molton around Renaissance Montgomery will be closed to traffic during Buckmasters.
More on food and seasonings with Doren
Doren, a native of Mississippi, has been in Alabama for about 18 years. He lives a little south of Birmingham in Alabaster. Along with hunting, the man who took fifth place in the World Food Steak Championships said he’s from a family of foodies.
“I remember my dad was always grilling,” Doren said. “My mom was big on casseroles and desserts. We’d be one of those to sit down to eat breakfast, and we’re talking about what’s for lunch and dinner.”
In partnership with Ryan Lane of Lane’s BBQ, Doren will be at Buckmasters Expo to sell a bunch of rubs, sauces and seasonings — including his two brand new rubs:
“Absolutely Freakin’ Killer AP Rub” with butter powder, garlic and rosemary is something different than anything else on the market, Doren said. For the Buckmasters crowd, he said this goes great with deer.
Doren said “Bama’s Smokey Sweet Rub” is good on everything — all kinds of meat and veggies.
“The combination of the two together is absolutely fantastic,” Doren said. “We are extremely pleased with them.”
They’re currently available at The Cajun Cleaver in Hoover and Lasters in Springville, plus online at bamagrillmaster.com, lanesbbq.com and bamabbqsupply.com.
Along with Buckmasters Expo, the new rubs will soon be available for purchase at Academy Sports and Outdoors, which has locations in Montgomery and Prattville.
“Hopefully, before long we’re going to be in Australia as well,” Doren said.
So what’s the Bama Grill Master’s favorite way to cook deer meat?
“One of mine is tenderized deer steak,” Doren said. “Fried with some gravy and homemade biscuits. Of course, we do a lot of tenderloin, too. We’ll grill up a tenderloin, and do tacos and stuff like that. There’s a lot of different ways you can use it.”
Doren said it’s been years since the last time he was at a Buckmasters Expo.
“Come on out,” Doren said. “I’m anxious to get my rubs in y’all’s hands. I’m excited about the opportunity to see everybody and meet everybody. It ought to be a fantastic event.”
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 'Bama Grill Master' is getting spicy at Buckmasters Expo this weekend
