Kings of Barbecue Deliver Finger Lickin’ Meal to Deployed Troops

John Markus, Pitmaster and Executive Producer, TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, is leading Myron Mixon, Johnny Trigg, Jaime Geer, Nicole Davenport and George “Tuffy” Stone, award-winning pitmasters featured on TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, on their first USO tour. The Kings of BBQ brought with them more than 2,000 pounds of beef brisket and barbecue sauce, 4,500 pounds of chicken leg quarters and 210 gallons of barbecue sauce and all the fixin’s to feed more than 3,000 deployed troops during two events.

Details:

• John Markus, Myron Mixon, Johnny Trigg, Jaime Geer, Nicole Davenport and George “Tuffy” Stone, pitmasters featured on TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, a reality television show that give a first-hand look into the world of competitive barbecue.

• In addition to barbecue brisket and chicken, troops feasted on coleslaw, beans and potato salad.

• The 210 gallons of barbecue sauces and 100 pounds of rub used during this tour were provided by Head Country Barbecue, an Oklahoma-based company that has been producing superior quality, award-winning barbecue sauces since 1947.

• Ole Hickory Pits, a Missouri-based manufacturer and seller of state-of-the-art wood burning smoker ovens, is providing the barbecue pits.

• Emmy Award-winning writer John Markus began his career writing a revival of the animated “Mighty Mouse.” Accepted into Paramount’s apprentice program, he was a staff writer on Working Stiffs, a sitcom starring Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi. After an assignment on Paramount's Taxi, Markus joined the original writing staff of The Cosby Show, becoming the supervising producer for the series after six episodes and was promoted to co-executive producer for the second season. Markus co-created the critically-acclaimed Lateline with Al Franken. He was consulting producer on The Larry Sanders Show, and co-created the Cosby spin-off A Different World, which ran for six seasons on NBC. Markus also directed “Raised Right: The Making of a BBQ Man”, a documentary film portrait of three generations of a legendary BBQ restaurant. In the course of his culinary journey, he apprenticed under world champion Pitmasters Paul Kirk of Kansas City, aka The Baron of Barbecue, and Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson. Markus’ own competition team, Central Pork West, cooks regularly on the New England BBQ circuit and has garnered many awards in the categories of chicken, ribs, and brisket. The Kansas City Barbecue Society awarded him a PhB, an honorary status bestowed upon only a handful of Pitmasters.

• Barbecue legend Myron Mixon is one of the most awarded men in competitive barbecuing. As chief cook at Jack’s Old South Competition Team, his team has won more than 180 grand championships, resulting in more than 1,700 trophies, 30 state championships, being named Team of the Year 8 times and 11 national championships. Mixon has developed a line of Jack’s Old South Grills and Smokers, and is an instructor at the Bar-B-Que Cooking School.

• Johnny Trigg, of the “Smokin’ Triggers” barbecuing team, is best known for his award winning ribs. Residing in Texas, Trigg believes the secret to good barbecue is good quality meat.

• Jaime Geer has won more than $20,000 in competitive barbecuing. He is also known as one of the best BBQ pit smoker builders in the business. His “Jambo Pitts” are regarded as some of the best smokers money can buy.

• A fourth-generation Texas ranching daughter, Nicole Davenport just won her first Grand Championship at the World Wagyu Brisket and Steak Cook-off. Nicole began cooking barbecue with her father at age five on his homemade barbecue pit. Based in Sheffield, Texas, her company, Cowgirl Caterin', utilizes the farm-to-table philosophy of fresh food she grew up on at events on both coasts. She believes barbecue is an art requiring patience and good judgment to use smoke and fire.

• George “Tuffy” Stone began his cooking career in 1987 as a cooking apprentice to French chef Alain Quincey. His experience and hard work have paid off, earning approximately $125,000 in competitive barbecuing with his pit, “Grillvette.” Stone and his wife currently own Q Restaurants, a chain of Virginia-based restaurants, and Sharper Palate Catering Company, an award-winning premiere caterer in Richmond, Va.

Quotes:
Attributed to Myron Mixon:
“This trip got started by John Markus, and he’d been planning and wanting to do this for years. As he got more involved in television and the world of barbecue, he wanted to do something for the troops, and there’s nothing more American than that! With the help of the John Markus and the USO, we are here. The troops couldn’t be more great. Some of them have seen the show and know us. They have concerts and entertainers come through to see them, but what we’re doing is getting’ their bellies full and puttin’ them to sleep!”

Attributed to Johnny Trigg:
“This is probably the greatest experience of my entire life. Never did I think that this retired soldier would be able to cook world-class barbecue for these great troops. The real joy is going to be feeding these men and women and seeing the expressions on their faces. When I was in the service nothing like this ever happened. I can’t wait!”

Attributed to Jaime Geer:
“Coming over her and doing this for the troops is an experience of a lifetime, and it’ll be something that I will always cherish and remember.”

Attributed to Nicole Davenport:
“I'm honored to put on my chef's coat and cook BBQ for the men and women in uniform fighting for freedom every day over here. I'm really grateful for their hard work, and hope the home cooking is comforting for them.”

Attributed to George “Tuffy” Stone:
“Having the opportunity to come to Kuwait and cook for the troops is such a tremendous experience for me. As a former Marine, there’s nothing more I would have enjoyed more than some American barbecue. The smell of barbecue in the air seems to be quite the attraction over here, brining smiles to troops that we haven’t even fed yet.”

Attributed to John Markus, Pitmaster and Executive Producer, TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters:
“A trip to the Middle East to feed our troops barbecue has been a dream of mine for more than five years. To actually be here, under a full moon cooking brisket ad chicken all night, is a dream come true. We are thrilled to have a chance to give back o the men and women who have served, and we hope to do this again with the USO.”

Attributed to Paul Schatte, Head Country Barbecue:
“It is truly an honor for Head Country to provide barbecue sauce and seasoning for our troops and the Kings of BBQ USO tour. This is just one way we can say thank you to the men and women in the United States military. Enjoy!”