Springfield, MO Day 4, Pappy's Place September 17, 2018

Pappy's Place BBQ was recommended to me by my hosts at the B&B so before I left town I stopped by to see if the fuss had any merit.

Pappy's is a tiny little bar that sells BBQ. It's apparently well known for it's pulled pork sandwich, so I ordered that from a man behind the bar that turned out to be friendly despite his initial look up and down of me. (I'm pretty sure in his mind he was asking what the heck I was doing there and why the hell I needed any more food since I've gained about 50# since being in Missouri. Shut up.)


Food came out fast. Lightening fast. So fast it made me think their microwave must have already been loaded. While sitting at the bar, I opened the wrapper to find a pale pulled pork sandwich that was already sporting a soggy bun.  No way this was gonna make it into my belly.  I took a few finger pinches of it to taste and just as I imagined, it wasn't all that great.

I'm not sure what meat this is...could be coon. 

I paid the man, grabbed a jar of BBQ sauce to go (just in case), and headed to my car...where I ate some more of my Buckingham's BBQ.  I'm normally a "small, out of the way, dive joint" kinda gal, but this place should be reserved for drinking mixed drinks from a dirty glass when you've just been dumped by the love of your life or when your dog gets ran over by the UPS man. It happens.

Not a fan.

Springfield, MO Day 4: Buckingham BBQ September 17, 2018

Why, yes, that is my finger in the shot. 

After leaving the non-haunted Bed and Breakfast, I couldn't really figure out what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. It's the downfall of not having an anal retentive friend traveling with me. Normally, when Jen is with me, we have a huge spreadsheet with places, addresses, tips, and times the places are open. When I travel alone, I have a general idea of the direction I want to go...and I go. In this case, that was an issue.  But, my redneck roots took over and I thought, as long as I was in the national headquarters of Bass Pro Shops, I may a well visit them. So shopping I went.

After I spent money on crap I didn't need but that looked cool, I was in the parking lot trying to figure out what next when I looked up and saw the most beautiful site. Across the street was a BBQ joint! It was like the heavens opened up and the clouds parted...and I knew, just knew, it was fate. From where I was, I couldn't really tel much about the place...I wasn't too fond of the huge digital sign in front that grabbed my attention away from the important things...but luckily my brain was able to focus on the big BAR-B-Q words and I headed that direction. Turns out, it was the best move I'd made thus far in Missouri.

I had found Buckingham Smokehouse BBQ. Buckingham's in Springfield, MO is a branch of 5 BBQ restaurants in Springfield, Nixa, and Ozarks, MO. I'm a pretty flexible BBQ eater, so typically when I'm trying out a new place, I'll walk in and just ask them to serve me something they are famous for. In this case, I was greeted by a tall dude with such a peppy attitude, I seriously wanted to just hang out all day. I didn't get his name...but when he asked me where I was from (no idea how he knew I wasn't from MO), I told him I was from Oregon. His response was "We get people from all over but never as far as Oregon!" and he handed me a plate of burnt ends to try with some mustard BBQ sauce and some horseradish BBQ sauce. I have to admit, I've never been a fan of mustard or horsey sauce, but this stuff had me almost licking the plate.

Burnt ends and that special sauce...yummy 

We got to chatting and I told him I was in town to judge the American Royal...and he started telling the cooks and everyone that I was a BBQ judge and then the dude brings me a free rib, too! It was the nicest anyone has ever been to me.  Maybe I need to get out more, but seriously, this fellow was awesome. And the rib was perfection, just as the burn ends were. I went ahead and ordered burnt ends and two sides...despite the fact that I was planning on stopping for more BBQ soon...and I have no regrets whatsoever. The baked beans were so good...and the corn was perfection as well. In Oregon, we don't put cheese on our corn, so at first, I was a little hesitant but guess what? Cheese DOES make everything better.


Turns out, Buckingham BBQ did a stint on the Travel Channel for a show back in 2015, and it's still the talk of the place and on their billboard outside..but they have reason to be proud. This BBQ is top notch. Its so good I'm taking some burnt ends home to Oregon so I can enjoy Buckingham BBQ again...to my pals at home, good luck prying any of this out of my fingers.


While at Buckingham, I ended up chatting briefly with some other people who were visiting the place for the first time.  Our conversation basically included the phrases, "This is so good," "OMG, this is awesome" and "First time here too?" They were gracious enough to let me take their photo and post it here. I told them it was for my blog, I neglected to mention I'm not a famous blogger.

Happy Customers

Remember I told you about the very friendly, enthusiastic, awesome dude at the counter? He posed for me too!  He's totally smiling, can you see it???

The nicest person in ANY BBQ joint I've been to thus far! 

If you're around Springfield, MO, or any of the other locations, do yourself a huge favor and stop by. Everyone in this state is thrilled with burnt ends...it's ALL about the burnt ends...and this place did them the very best.

American Royal - KC, MO - Day 2 . September 15, 2018

The American Royal World Series of BBQ is a yearly event held in Kansas City, currently located at the Kansas City Speedway. The Royal is in it's 39th year and is an official Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) sanctioned event. As a KCBS judge, I get the honor of paying my airfare and other expenses to KC but get to taste all the bbq my stomach can stand during the competition when we are judging.

I'll give more details about how to become a judge in another blog...but until then, I'll keep rattling on about the American Royal.

The American Royal is the biggest bbq event in the world (according to their website)...and I can promise you the event was HUGE.

A Pano shot from the stands at KC Speedway..the event took up the entire infield.

There were so many people on the infield, it was like walking around the biggest bbq store in the world. The vast array of bbq's that contestants were cooking on was amazing. Every brand you can think of was represented. I took some photos of a few to show you the realm of possibilities.

I guess on Friday nights there is some stuff going on...cooking starts...and from what I hear, there's a wee bit of drinking that may go on...(I'm hoping to confirm this next year, wink wink). On Saturday there is an Invitational competition, and only the best of the best participate in that event. Those teams are ones who have won a Grand Championship..and they not only participate in the invitational but also in the Open Meats competition on Sunday.  There is also a "Sides" competition that includes beans, veggies, potatoes, and desserts. Lucky is the judge who gets to evaluate ALL the events!

I was chosen to judge the Open Meats and Sides competition. I arrived early so I could walk around and check out the entire festival which includes music, food and bbq sauces for purchase, and a lot of free samples of bbq and sides. Guess what? It was hotter than Georgia asphalt so getting there early was a bad idea. By the time I walked from my air conditioned car, to the speedway entrance, down the bleachers, across the speedway, then across the grass and to the infield, I was sweating and in need of some seriously cold water and a chair. People everywhere were dripping sweat and taking it all in like champions...while I whimpered and begged for shade.  I'm sorry, but Oregon doesn't get that hot or humid. I'm a delicate flower. I found shade (right before I passed out)..straight from Salem, Oregon!

Best Damn BBQ sauce from Salem, OR.

I met up with Mike White and his wife who had a booth..and they kindly invited me to stand in the shade for a spell.  If you are in search of some awesome sauce, check out their website: Best Damn BBQ Sauce you won't be sorry. I found these guys at the Salem Wednesday market earlier this year and brought samples of their sauce back to my office...it was a hit. Their Sweet Lady Love and Hot Damn That's Hot sauces are perfection in a bottle. Buy some.  Buy a lot!  They are champions. Literally.  Their Sweet Lady Love sauce took 1st place at the Royal once... That's impressive stuff.

Saturday's judging was for sides and desserts. The sides our table tried included a really bizarre mushroom sandwich thing (not my fav, I hate mushrooms); a "veggie" open faced sandwich with cheese, bacon, zucchini, and other veggies; cream cheese stuff jalapeños; and a green pepper stuffed with corn and zucchini.  In the sides competition, there is no real rule other than there can't be more than 7% meat in the dish. Obviously, that's pretty subjective.

After the first course, we tasted about six different type of baked beans followed by a round of potatoes...which included a lot of mashed potatoes and one potato salad..which was a rather disturbing color. I think sides would be a very difficult thing to make since not everyone likes all sides...and trying to be original can be difficult when there are over 200 entries.

Once we got to the dessert section our table was filled with anticipation for the judging to start...except one judge who declared he did not like cheesecake...what a fool.  (I kid, he was actually pretty cool and his wife liked cheesecake so it's all good).

I'm a cheesecake fanatic...so imagine my shock and awe when we got to judge a peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake, a raspberry one, and a pumpkin one!  I was all giddy like a fat girl ijudging BBQ (Oh wait...snap. Must stop eating.).  Anyway, we also tasted some pumpkin shake/smoothie, some cake balls, and an adorable lemon/whip creamy thing that would have been fantastic if I liked lemon even a little bit.

Sad but true story here:  we are NOT allowed to take any photos while judging. In fact, our phones have to be tucked away completely...but we are allowed to take home what we don't eat...so the picture here is a fantastic piece of chocolate peanut butter cheesecake  and raspberry cheesecake after they've been smashed into a ziploc bag, pushed into an ice chest, thrown into the back of a car, and then driven 20 miles in 90 degree heat with what felt like a wall of humidity.  I'd say it still looks delish given what it's been through.



After all that food, I drove myself back to the hotel, carried my smashed cheesecake to my room, flopped on my bed and didn't move for 12 hours (except to reach over and take another bite of cheesecake).

It's a totally rough volunteer gig.  It really is.  

American Royal 2018 - Kansas City, MO: Day 1 - Arriving to Volunteer

Volunteering IS a rewarding thing. And to volunteer does make the world a better place. But, once you discover the type of volunteer work I did this weekend, you stop and consider whether I'm a saint or a sinner.

I DID donate a lot of time...two days!  And I DID fly over 1,800 miles on my OWN dime to volunteer. And I did volunteer for a non-profit. I DO sound like a saint, right?  Would it change your mind if I said I was volunteering as a bbq judge at the 2018 American Royal World Series of BBQ? Probably, right? Oh well, after my last volunteer gig with the 40 3rd and 4th graders, I think I deserved this one.

I hopped on a plane in Portland, OR (after 3 delays and 2 hours of additional wait time, I'm really nearing sainthood) and landed in Kansas City, MO on Friday night. Here's a fun fact: if you're more than two hours late to pick up your rental car, Budget cancels your reservation.  Did you know that?  It makes for an entertaining wait in line. And it gives one cheeky chick (namely me), a chance to almost get beat up while reserving a car.

It went like this:

While I was waiting in line for my car, I heard the counter dude explain that a lady had come in earlier and was all ticked off about the Jeep she rented having some fingerprints on the dash. The counter guy (who I'm gonna call Earl) said the lady basically ripped his head off and spit down his neck...which I found very entertaining and sad at the same time.

Being a shy, polite, and boring gal, I walk up to the counter as two new customers step into my place in line. The customers are a man and wife duo, and its pretty clear the woman is in charge...she's bossing the man around like he's a two year old and he's tipping his head and jumping at every word.
Keep in mind, this duo have not heard Earl tell his story....

I get to the counter and look at Earl and in the nicest possible voice say,
         "I hope I get a car because if I don't, I'm gonna have to rip your head off and spit down your                  neck."
Earl starts to respond when all the sudden Macho woman behind me says,
        "WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?!!!!"
Earl says, "She said she was gonna rip my head off and spit down my neck." And he laughs a bit.
And I laugh.  Because it's REALLY funny that this lady is now bouncing up and down and moving her weight from foot to foot like a boxer ready to lunge.
Then Earl tells me that it was a sad moment...and he's talking about the other lady saying that to him...but Macho Lady doesn't know that...and she starts asking again,
        "WHAT DID SHE SAY!??"
And I laugh again, cause now she's really worked up...
Finally Earl says to me, "You should have seen her (Macho Lady's) eyes bulge!
And I turn around and Macho lady is asking again, "What did you say to him?"
Although at this point I should stop goofing around, I say, "Yeah, I said I was gonna rip his head off and spit down his neck."  And I pause for effect...then Earl jumps in and tells the poor lady about the other customer...and she looks at me...and I look at her and smile my biggest shinny smile...
and she says to me, "I was about ready to come over there and give you a beating!"

I looked her up and down and said, "Oh don't do that!" with as much of a shake in my voice I could muster without cracking up while the little devil on my shoulder was saying, "You could take her!" 

I drove straight to McDonalds, waited in the drive-through for a good 30 minutes for a quarter pounder with cheese and unsweetened tea, and wondered if I told the teenager at the drive-thru I was going to rip her head off and spit down her neck I'd get my food faster. Probably not.

As I climbed into my hotel bed...the one that came with full time freeway noise as if the fast lane was at my headboard, laughed one more time about Macho Lady...and I prayed for her husband.































...and the rewards are endless...but for some reason, I don't necessarily feel as though I've given much of myself...because my
I don't necessarily think that's true of the type of volunteering I participated in this weekend.  2018 American Royal World Series of BBQ competition

BBQ: First smoke of the season: BBQ Failure.

Last weekend I cleaned out the smoker and spent nearly $100 on fresh meat.  Specifically, brisket and ribs.  My two favorite food groups:  Pork and Beef.  After trudging to the corner gas station to fill two propane tanks I've been avoiding for months, I was ready to start the smoker and already dreaming of the deliciousness that would send my taste buds into bliss later that night.   

My smoker of choice for the last few years has been the Smoke Hollow.  It is wide enough to fit a full rack of ribs without cutting them in half and has about five shelves.  It's perfect for smoking chicken, ribs, and attempting to cook brisket.  I'll admit I'm still in the attempting stage as far as brisket goes.  And probably will ALWAYS be in that stage.  But I digress...

It was cold outside, but shouldn't have been cold enough it disrupted the smoker's abilities.  But it did.  It took forever for the temperature to get up to even 150 degrees.  I put the brisket on around 3 a.m. and for many agonizing hours, viewed the temperature gage hovering around 200.  Nothing worked to get it up.  Eventually, I gave up the fight and moved the meat to the oven.  

As you can imagine, both the ribs and the brisket were not even in the category of "good."  Bummer.

Instead of troubleshooting, I decided I'd gotten all the love out of the Smoke Hollow I'd purchased years previously and went through the agonizing decision making process of replacing it.  

Having four BBQ's on my back patio made me hesitant to rush into anything.   I didn't need a duplicate of what I had...and if per chance I got the Smoke Hollow working, I didn't need two of the same brand.   How do you decide what to buy?  That's the million-dollar question.

I'll run you through that process in my next post.  

(Nothing like a blog teaser, eah?)  

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