Barbecue contest raises funds for low-income family Christmases

Amber Baranski gives her 9-month-old daughter Ava her first taste of pork Saturday, June 14, 2014, at the Fire in the Hole BBQ contest at the Eagles Lodge, 1803 W. Sixth St. Proceeds from the event benefited Douglas County Toys for Tots and Lawrence Police Blue Santa.

Secrets in the Sauce

One crowd favorite included a smoked, bacon-wrapped meatloaf with a strawberry-jalapeño barbecue glaze, created by team Moonlight Smokers’ Gary Christian and Ann Lowder. Christian and Lowder agreed to share their concoctions with readers:

Strawberry Jalapeño Glaze

  1. Combine four cups of mashed strawberries, 1 cup diced jalapeños with rum (Christian and Lowder used a Special Edition Captain Morgan) to taste.
  2. Place in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over a grill or stovetop, then remove and cool.


Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf

  1. Combine one pound of hamburger, one pound of sausage, one and a half bags of croutons, three tablespoons of minced garlic, a red bell pepper, one cup sharp chedder, 1/3 cup minced onion, two eggs and salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Weave two pounds of bacon into a lattice on top of wax paper.
  3. Roll meat combination into a skinny loaf and place on the outside edge of the lattice.
  4. Use wax paper to wrap bacon around the loaf and secure with twine.
  5. Smoke for about two and a half hours or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees, then baste with the glaze.
  6. Wrap the loaf with tin foil and smoke for about another hour and 30 minutes. Christian said to watch for the bacon to become golden brown, but not blackened.
  7. Remove from smoker and smother with Strawberry Jalapeño glaze.

Ten of the top Kansas City-area barbecue competitors stood in the sun over hot grills Saturday afternoon at the Lawrence Eagles Lodge, 1803 W. 6th St., vying for the coveted first place award at the fourth-annual “Fire in the Hole BBQ” event, which raises money for the Lawrence Police Blue Santa and Toys for Tots programs.

From pulled pork to smoked meatloaf, macaroni and cheese to pickled green beans, attendees’ tastebuds tingled with foods familiar and out of the ordinary.

Though many of the participating vendors compete at national competitions like the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, volunteer Janna Traver said the event, sponsored by the Lawrence Eagles Lodge, was more about charity than rivalry.

“It’s not about the contest; it’s about good times and giving back,” Traver said. “We do it all to help make sure all kids in the community have a good Christmas.”

The Lawrence Police Blue Santa and Toys for Tots programs aid low-income families in providing gifts and holiday fun for local children during Christmastime.

Traver said the Eagles Club has helped raised more than $20,000 for the holiday programs over the past three years’ events.