"Blowin' the Doors Off" feeds over 1,150 despite rain

OCONTO – Despite two rain showers, the 2023 edition of Oconto’s famous “Blowin’ the Doors Off BBQ” had a staggering attendance of 1,180 people, which was up from 1,115 the previous year.

The band, Borderline, had to be moved inside due to the storm, but that didn’t stop the majority of the crowd from sticking around until the midnight curfew.

Eight masters of the craft spent days preparing over 70 racks of ribs and countless pounds of pork to impress the palates of 13 judges and satisfy the appetites of over 1,000 hungry mouths.

Judges for the contest included Broken Bow Grocery Kart’s Andrew McKenzie, Hunter Thomas of Thomas Livestock, Cory Clay of Custer County Emergency Management, and Mills Hardware’s Andrew Tickle.

KRVN’s Adam Smith served as emcee for the night, announcing door prize and BBQ winners, and Jim Eberle auctioned off over $2,500 of one-of-a-kind, custom-made knives, and a single, beautiful rifle.

Lexington BBQ masters Limp Brisket took home the overall first-place title, as well as first in the Specialty category with a smoked armadillo. The team also landed first place in beans, pulled pork, and ribs.

Alligator and armadillo were only 2 of the specialties served up by grill masters. Photo credit: Brett Eggleston.

Palisade’s 10-4 BBQ savored a first-place finish with their sauce, and Kearney’s Buk-N-Pig earned best beef brisket honors.

A full list of winners and judges is below.

SPECIALTY
1st: Limp Brisket: Smoked Armadillo
2nd: Nelson BBQ: Bacon Brownies
3rd: Buk-N-Pig: Apple Cheesecake

PULLED PORK
1st: Limp Brisket Slow Poke BBQ
2nd: Buk-N-Pig Double D’s BBQ
3rd: Double D’s

BEANS
1st: Limp Brisket
2nd: Double D’s
3rd: Buk-N-Pig

PORK RIBS
1st: Limp Brisket
2nd: Buk-N-Pig
3rd: Busch Wacked

SAUCE
1st: 10-4 BBQ
2nd: Buk-N-Pig
3rd: Limp Brisket

BEEF BRISKET
1st: Buk-N-Pig
2nd: 10-4 BBQ
3rd: Double D’s

OVERALL
1st: Limp Brisket
2nd: Buk-N-Pig
3rd: Double D’s

Nelson BBQ’s smoked bacon brownies earned 2nd place in the specialty category.

JUDGES
Dave Schroeder – KRVN Radio Lexington
Adam Smith – KRVN Radio Lexington
Morgan Smith
Brit Williams
Andrew McKenzie – Grocery Kart Broken Bow
Tim Reith – NTV
Shawn Jacobs – NWS North Platte
Mike Wendorff
Hunter Thomas – Thomas Livestock
Cory Clay – Custer County Emergency Management
Steve Fowler – Grocery Kart
Brandon Benitz
Andrew Tickle – Mills Hardware

PARTICIPANTS
10-4 BBQ – Palisade, NE
Buk-N-Pig – Kearney, NE
Nelson BBQ – Oconto, NE & Colorado
Limp Brisket – Lexington, NE
Ribzilla – Cambridge, NE
Slow Poke BBQ – Oconto, NE
Double D’s BBQ – North Platte, NE
Busch Wacked – Oconto, NE