The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Gees Louise, can you believe that this is already the fifth annual Church of God Brisket Cook Off!

It is at the Church of God in Big Sandy on Sunday, October 2, 2016 and it starts at 1pm.

Brisket Cook Off organizer and Sky Pilot for the Big Sandy Church of God Erik Sietsema said that last year there were ten entries for the Brisket Cook Off and he feels that there will be more this year.

“I want to say that if you are interested in cooking a brisket for the barbeque, you need to get hold of me very soon,” said Sietsema. I need to get you the meat to cook and I need to do that soon.”

The meat is either donated or substantially discounted by Big Sandy Meats.

And best of all, all the brisket and all the deserts and all the sides make for a giant free barbeque for the community that afternoon.

Sietsema said that there will be two first places for the brisket. One is by the judges and the other is by people there voting on a “People’s Choice” award.

Asked if Big Sandy brisket differed from say the brisket throw down at the Chouteau County Fair, Sietsema said, “It does vary greatly. In Big Sandy it seems like people like more of a beef brisket taste and not as much sauce and sugar. But at the fair the brisket with lots of sugar and sauce seemed to be the most popular.

Sietsema went on to say that brisket should never be falling off the bone. Matter of fact that is a demerit. Brisket should be tender but it should be able to be sliced off piece by piece.

Sietsema went on to say that they need judges because there are two other contests other than the brisket, the best side dish and the best dessert. If interested in being a judge contact Erik Sietsema at 399-3803.

A side dish contest was Steve Arnold’s idea in the first place and it is a very popular contest. Sietsema said that he has entered smoked macaroni and cheese and never won but he thinks he has perfected his side dish and could win this year. He went on to say that for that contest there are lots of old time Big Sandy recipes and at least one pot of baked beans that is to die for.

As to the dessert contest, Sietsema said that each year his wife enters her buttermilk pie but has yet to win anything. It seems with the desserts the more outrageous it is and the more layers of pure sugar richness it has, the more popular it is. The winner of that contest will probably have a concoction that is positively sinful.

Even though the entire Church of God Brisket Contest sort of started off as a joke between Sietsema and Brock Anderson over who got to wear a silly apron, it has grown into one of the most popular and well attended events of the year.

And it is all free!

Don’t you miss it!