By Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Logandale resident and Great Basin Cooking Company owner, Rik Eide, is planning another big barbecue cooking event in the Wally’s parking lot in the next few weeks. And this time, when he does, he can honestly tout his wares as true championship-award-winning barbecue.
In addition to being a preferred vendor at the ‘Smokin’ In Mesquite BBQ Cookoff’ held recently over the Labor Day weekend, Great Basin was also one of the 47 contestants in the big Cookoff. It was the first time that Eide had entered a major championship competition of this magnitude. He was pleased that his cooking placed high enough in some of the categories to bring home prize money from the contest.
“Considering the caliber of people and teams who were there competing, it was pretty exciting to place as high as we did in the big game,” Eide said.
The contest brought some of the best and brightest “barbecue athletes” from around the country. For example the ‘Slap Yo Daddy’ barbecue team from Brea, California who have won numerous grand champion distinctions around the country and have been featured on the BBQ Pitmasters program on TLC television. Also competing was the Texas Rib Rangers team from Denton, Texas which is a two-time world championship team. These, as well as 45 other teams, came to Mesquite to compete for a total of $40,000 in prize money.
As both a contestant and a vendor at the event, Eide had his hands full over the big weekend. “Most of my competition was only cooking contest meat for the weekend,” Eide said. “The winner only cooked about 25 lbs. of brisket over the weekend. I cooked 375 lbs. Most contestants cooked maybe 16 lbs. average of pork. I cooked 300 lbs over the course of the weekend.”
Despite all of this, Great Basin made a big first contest showing. Eide’s pork took seventh place overall in the category which brought in some prize money, he said.
But an unfortunate failed batch of contest ribs ended up hurting Eide in the overall competition. “My contest ribs were definitely not the best,” he said with a smile. “I ended up burning them pretty bad.”
But Eide made up for that on Sunday in the Barbecue Rib Cookoff People’s Choice contest. In this round of the competition, Great Basin went up against the other official event vendors and the Casablanca cooking staff for the distinction of being the crowd favorite. Eide won the top, winner-take-all prize of $1500 in this contest.
Eide now keeps the big ceremonial check presented to him for his prize money in an honored place in his office. “I think I’ll keep this one here close by to remember,” Eide said. “The first prize money I won at a contest. That’s a pretty big deal.”
Eide and his Great Basin Cooking Company team will be set up in the parking lot at Wally’s in Logandale on Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2. In addition to selling his award winning barbecue, Eide will also be taking pre-orders at that time for his renowned Thanksgiving smoked turkeys. Watch the Progress for more information.
