Meat & Music champs remain undefeated

     The returning barbecue champions reign undefeated for the third year in a row, at Buffalo Center’s third annual Meat & Music Spectacular. Tattooed Q BBQ from Nora Springs maintained their dominance by winning first place overall in the barbecue contest last Saturday, while taking second place in both the chicken and ribs categories.

     Second place overall went to Black Dog BBQ, who took first in the chicken category and third in ribs. Third place overall went to 5 Alarm Brewing Co., who won the ribs category and took fourth in chicken. This year’s barbecue contest also featured a bacon category, with first place going to Black Dog BBQ, Tattooed Q taking second, and Christensen Farms taking third.

     This year’s Spectacular also featured a repeat winner in the salsa contest, as Mark and Kim Ostermann once again one the People’s Choice award for their tomato-based canned entry, “O” Salsariffic. The Ostermanns took first place in the tomato-based canned division, and Kim Ostermann also won the novelty category with her zucchini salsa. First place in the tomato-based fresh category went to Krissy Krukow.

     In the cupcake contest, the judges named Ashlyn Engebretson as the first place winner with her lemon lime mojito cupcakes. Second place went to Morgan Hassebroek for her white chocolate raspberry cupcakes, and third place went to Sharla Hassebroek for her “white wedding” cupcakes. Morgan Hassebroek was the People’s Choice winner, and the Presentation Award went to London Baker’s Cookie Monster cupcakes.