Metro Detroiters earn big wins at Grill on the Hill barbecue throw-down in Gaylord

Beef brisket with a nicely spiced rub and well-seasoned bark. Dozens upon dozens of slabs of seasoned pork ribs. Pulled pork shredded by the mounds.

On a sun-filled and warm Saturday, the sweet and smoky scents of barbecue filled the air as more than a dozen teams fired up grills and smokers for a friendly barbecue competition in northern Michigan. Barbecue and grilling enthusiasts from all over Michigan, including teams from metro Detroit, gathered Friday at Treetops Resort in Gaylord for the start of the two-day, sixth annual Grill on the Hill barbecue thrown-down.

During the competition, teams showcased their skills and technique, barbecuing more than a quarter ton of meat, supplied by northern Michigan's Ebels General Store, a fifth-generation family-run operation.

Most teams arrived and set up on Friday, with cars and trucks loaded with barbecue equipment, charcoal, specialty woods for smokers, temperature probes (many with BlueTooth setup), secret sauces and seasonings.

They also arrived with barbecue grills and smokers, the massive drum-like smokers that use big hunks of wood and/or charcoal to fuel.

After an official "lighting of the grills" ceremony on Friday, teams got to work. Most teams cooked all night, monitored and logged the temperature of the meat they were barbecuing, adjusted and added wood or charcoal, and figured out the cooking and resting times of the meat.

On competition day, teams greeted the crowd sporting hats and uniforms with their team names and had setups that included signage with team logos. Many served their barbecue specialties with plenty of sides.

Winner's circle

Teams competed in categories for best ribs, best brisket, best pulled pork, and best overall barbecue. (Full disclosure: I was a guest judge.)

Dennis Kwiecinski, of Shelby Township, a retired UPS driver, and his Black Sheep BBQ team took home the prize for Best Overall Barbecue and Best Ribs. Using St. Louis Style ribs, Kwiecinski's method focuses on ribs seasoned with a rub. He finishes the ribs with a sprinkling of brown sugar which, Kwiecinski told judges, provides caramelization. No strangers to the competition, Kwiecinski's team took home the prize for best overall ribs in 2019. That year, the People’s Choice award for best ribs also went to Kwiecinski, earning him a large Big Green Egg and Masterbuilt stand-up electric smoker.

In the brisket category, team "Can't Handle This Smoke" from St. Clair Shores, with Ryan LaRose helming the smoker, took top honors. LaRose's brisket impressed judges with its nicely seasoned bark (a hallmark of good barbecue that builds during barbecuing from spices and smoke from the smoker) and tender meat paired with a sweet sauce and a hint of spice.

Sporting a huge new smoker, Big Dog BBQ, led by Jeff Patrick, of Novi and Josh Dutton, of Waterford, won for its best pulled pork. The team impressed judges with its "Georgia Peach Butt" pulled pork. Dutton explained and presented the tender "money muscle" cut from the pork, which was spot on in tenderness, and featured a highly sought-after smoke ring in competition barbecue. When done right in a competition barbecue event, the money muscle cut can put you in the winner’s circle.

Event grows

The event has grown from its beginnings as a Big Green Eggfest. Treetops Resort general manager Barry Owens said every year the event seems to double in size.

"Our advance ticket sales for this year are more than those that attended last year," he said.

The number of barbecue enthusiasts competing also nearly doubled. At this year's event, 15 teams competed.

"There are people that are really serious and there are some that are novices," said Owens. "It's great because the novices get helped out by other people. If somebody forgets something, somebody helps them out. It's great camaraderie."

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Metro Detroiters win honors at Grill on the Hill barbecue competition