KELSO -- Grilling enthusiasts will have the chance to show off their barbecue skills and compete for prizes and bragging rights during the Second Annual Knights of Columbus BBQ Cook-off.
Set for Aug. 2-3, the event is open to all teams with at least one Knights of Columbus member in good standing. The barbecue competition will take place on the grounds of KC Council 6420's hall, which is located just off Highway 61 in Scott City limits.
Brian Ziegler of Kelso, who is a member of Council 6420, said the idea for the cook-off stemmed from a discussion he and some friends had after watching the reality show, "BBQ Pitmasters."
"We decided one of the team members had to be a KC member in good standing, and we just wanted everyone to have a good time," recalled Ziegler, who is also the Missouri Knights of Columbus district deputy for Region 46.
Last year 16 teams -- mostly from Scott, Cape and Stoddard Counties -- competed in the Council's first-ever event.
"We were hoping to have at least 10 teams so we were happy to almost double that," Ziegler said.
Ennis Hinkebein of Jackson, who serves as the athletic chairman for the Missouri Knights of Columbus, helped establish the KC's cook-off last year. He's also run the barbecue cook-off in Jackson over the past several years.
"The atmosphere was perfect," Hinkebein said of last year's first-time event. His team, Pine Hills Barbecue, even earned a first place win in the brisket category.
This year, the Council hopes the event expands even more with participation from the surrounding area.
So far about five teams have registered, but between 17 and 20 teams have expressed interest in competing in the event, Ziegler said.
The competition will heat up with teams competing in four categories: chicken, pork ribs, pork butt and brisket.
For the complete story, see an upcoming Standard Democrat.