Photo courtesy of Highway 61 Roadhouse
This weekend, 47 teams from around the Midwest will compete at Highway 61 Roadhouse (34 S. Old Orchard) in the seventh annual Freeze-Que barbecue competition.
The battle, hosted by the St. Louis BBQ Society, will run from Saturday, January 28 until Sunday, January 29. It's the first event of the Budweiser BBQ series and a qualifying event for the American Royal World Series of Barbecue in Kansas City.
Bill Kunz, owner of Highway 61 Roadhouse, says Freeze-Que began as a way to fill the football void of the weekend between the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl.
"We needed something 'macho' to do, so what's more 'macho' than standing out in the freezing cold and barbecuing like a bunch of goofballs?" Kunz says. "The typical barbecue season ends in November, so these guys have been sitting around, itching to get out and practice."
Photo courtesy of Highway 61 Roadhouse
Teams competing this weekend hail from states such as Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. Kunz adds that more teams are competing this year, compared to previous years, which has made the event more competitive. This year, teams are battling for $4,500 in payouts.
"The bigger-time teams come and want to be involved," he says, "The more this event grows, the better its reputation gets."
Freeze-Que will have four categories mandatory to quality for the American Royal: pork butt, ribs, brisket, and chicken. Judging will be performed by trained and certified St. Louis BBQ Society judges.
Photo courtesy of Highway 61 Roadhouse
Attendees can purchase rib tip samples from the restaurant to try teams' sauces, and then vote for their favorite sauce in the People's Choice category. Proceeds will benefit the Carney's Kids Foundation, which provides support for nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of children. Kunz says this is the second year the Freeze-Que will support the foundation, and they raised around $7,000 last year.
Guests can also enjoy raffles and live blues music from 2 Hoosiers & A Hatchet on Saturday from 1–5 p.m. and from Kent Erhardt & The Bluemoon Blues Band on Sunday from 1–4 p.m. Sampling will take place Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Awards will be presented at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
