‘We know how to cook it right’: Pitmasters talk technique at Q BBQ Fest
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Q Fest at Arrowhead Stadium kicked off on Friday for a weekend full of live music, drinks, and of course, a whole lot of barbecue.
“It’s about enjoying what you like and about the regionality,” said Weber head grill master Dustin Green.
“That’s the beautiful thing about barbecue.”
Local restaurants like Meat Mitch and Arthur Bryant’s were serving up some samples for all the guests, and some pitmasters were giving demonstrations on how to make the best barbecue at home.
“We’re doing some beautiful skirt steak we’re going to do some tacos,” said Green.
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He said that skirt steaks can be easy to make on the grill, but to look out for a few things.
“When you look at it you want to look for the sizzle, I’m looking for a nice grill mark which is what we have,” he said pointing to the grill.
He said not to overcook the steaks so you can keep some of their tenderness and flavor.
One of the pitmasters knows a thing or two about making the best barbecue possible. He’s 7-time barbecue world champion Mark Lambert. For him, barbecue is a form of artistic expression.
“It’s kind of an artistic thing, how you portray food,” said Lambert.
“Everyone’s got their own twist on protein and the sides and what they do, and everyone’s got a reason for cooking what they cook and how they cook it.”
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He’s teamed up with local pitmaster Chris Carter from Aces Wild BBQ to show barbecue fans how versatile and delicious turkey can be.
“On the grill, smoker, it’s not just for throwing in the oven or deep fryer,” said Carter.
“We know how to cook it right,” said Lambert.
“We’re going to cook your turkey, we made a loaded mashed potato, and homemade gravy to go on top so we made comfort in a cup. It’s Thanksgiving in June there’s just no place to lay down!”
We asked Lambert for his best advice when making turkey at home.
“When you pull it off and let it rest, you allow time to finish cooking,” he said.”
“So we’re going to pull it off at 140 degrees, and put it in some warm butter and put it in a box and it will slowly bring its way up to 165 degrees. But when it does, it’s moist, but when you pull it at 165, it’s going to 185.”
For him, the festival is about changing people’s minds about barbecue turkey.
“It’s cool to see someone try it and the turkey’s not dry, and it’s got the right mouthfeel and the moisture and the gravy, and they see turkey and mashed potatoes, their head tilts and they taste it, and they go HMMMM,” said Lambert. “
That’s the best compliment you can get.”
Tickets are still available for Q-Fest for Saturday. Use promo code “WEBER10” for 10% off tickets.
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