SD BBQ Championships

For Ostrem, BBQ judging is a pleasure: ‘I love barbeque!’

The South Dakota Barbeque Championships are June 6-7, in Huron. The South Dakota Soybean-sponsored event is being judged by four South Dakota soybean farmers, including Tim Ostrem of Centerville.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to correlate the use of soybean meal, the amino acid profile that it provides for the producers of meat, that we can convey that message at this barbeque event,” Ostrem told the South Dakota Soybean Network, at his farm near Centerville.

Ostrem – a South Dakota director on the United Soybean Board – says there’s a good and logical reason the Soybean Checkoff sponsors a barbeque competition.

“We just want to get that message out there that all that meat that we love to eat when we’re barbequing in summertime and spring, it starts out with soybean meal being fed to the livestock,” he said. “Ninety-seven percent of all the soybean meal that we produce is used in livestock feed to produce that protein that we enjoy so much.”

Ostrem is not new to judging competitive barbeque. Prior to judging his first contest in Bozeman, Montana, Ostrem and other judges were trained by a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned judge instructor, who taught them the finer points of placing barbeque entrees. Barbeque judges keep their eyes peeled for proper barbeque etiquette, for meal presentation, and most importantly, for how well each judge likes an entry.

“Ultimately, it’s your own taste, what you like,” said Ostrem. “It doesn’t matter what the guy beside you likes, it doesn’t matter what they think it should be; it’s what you like and then you give it the score that you think it deserves.”

Ostrem will be joined by three other judges; Dawn Scheier of Salem, South Dakota; Mike McCranie of Claremont, South Dakota and Todd Hanten of Goodwin, South Dakota. Among the 48 teams entered, many are from South Dakota and surrounding states, but others are coming from as far away as Texas, Colorado and North Carolina. No matter where the pit masters come from, judging charcoal and wood-fired meat is no chore at all for Ostrem.

“I love barbeque,” he said. “You’re eating the best of the best meat. They’re very particular in what meat that they use for the contest and the presentation is just awesome.”

Barbeque events on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds are this Friday and Saturday.