What started as a bragging rights barbecue contest between a couple of friends has grown into a community-wide celebration for all of Cordell.
Earlier this spring, Bob Henline, Mike Reimer, and Steve McLaughlin were in Mike’s Meats jawing about barbecue and the conversation naturally turned into a discussion about who smokes the best brisket. Remier suggested the idea of a cook-off to answer the question and BBQ Cordell was born.
As the trio started planning the event and the rules, word started spreading around Cordell and more people expressed their interest in participating. After a couple of scheduling hiccups, Saturday, July 13, 2019, was chosen as the big day.
From there, the event has taken on a life of its own. The organizers decided this would be an ideal way to bring the Cordell community together for a positive, family-friendly good time. The group decided to turn the even into a family fun day and community barbecue in Cordell Park, with grilled hot dogs and hamburgers along with an afternoon of music, fun and games, and community-building friendship.
“We want to do something positive in Cordell, something to help bring people together as friends and members of a broader community,” Reimer said. “What better way than to have a big community barbecue in the park?”
The brisket competition is open to anyone who would like to put their pitmaster skills to the test against their Cordell neighbors. Anyone interested in competing can pick up complete rules and pay a $10 entry fee at Mike’s Meats in Cordell. The entries will be blindjudged by a panel of volunteer judges for taste, texture, color, and presentation. Sample plates will also be available for $3.00, which will also allow a vote in the People’s Choice Award. The winner of the Judges’ Choice Award will receive $200, courtesy of Mike’s Meats. The People’s Choice winner will receive a $50 gift card to Mike’s Meats, courtesy of The Cordell Beacon.
In keeping with the idea of a positive, community-oriented event, the organizers decided to invite local businesses and organizations to set up free games and activities during the festivities. Anyone interested in setting up an activity booth can contact The Cordell Beacon office.
All money raised during the event will be donated to the Rocky Senior Citizens Center to help cover the cost of a much-needed new stove.
bob henline can be reached at