Butcher Boys BBQ, a grilling team from East Selkirk, is gearing up for their favourite barbeque competition of the year.
James Winnemuller, Bill Baryski, Rob Miller, Jay Winnemuller and Joe Gollus are a group of avid barbequers who team up and compete at varying barbeque competitions around southern Manitoba.
Most recently, the Butcher Boys landed in first place at the Country Rising Festival competition at Blue Cross Park on July 26 for their mouth-watering ribs and chicken thighs.
They also recently received second place for their tasty ribs at the Carman Fair.
The Butcher Boys BBQ has been making their award-winning dishes for over a decade.
James explained that Baryski was the one who got him in front of a grill.
“I built Bill a deck and as a payment, he got me a charcoal barbeque and we’ve been doing it (barbequing) ever since,” said James.
Now, the friends get together every weekend for an evening of fun times and good eats.
Butcher Boys BBQ entered their first competition in 2022 and instantly fell in love with the thrill of the friendly rivalries.
“We had such a good time there, so now we sign up for everyone we can get our hands on,” James added.
James and Baryski agreed that the barbeque competitors are some of the friendliest people you can meet.
“The experienced grillers will take the newbies under their wing and show them the tips and tricks,” said Baryski.
“It is like one big happy family,” he added.
While once the Butcher Boys were the new guys to the competition field, they are now placing in the top spots at several competitions across the province.
It is obvious that the Butcher Boys know how to work the grill, but the magic of their rubs and seasonings helps them create the tastiest bite.
Butcher Boy BBQ uses Grill Wizard seasonings to flavour its meat.. Baryski owns the company and created the spices to accommodate his wife’s food allergies.
“I found there was not a lot of seasonings my wife could have so I figured let’s start Grill Wizard,” explained Baryski.
Grill Wizard uses high-end ingredients, such as dehydrated honey, and it uses much less salt than commercial products.
Grill Wizard is sold at several local grocery stores across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, including Co-op in Selkirk.
“We have placed every time we have used Grill Wizard,” Baryski added.
James noted that most barbeque teams use seasonings from the United States, “We only use our own flavours to place at competitions,” he added.
At their most recent competition on July 26 at Blue Cross Park in Winnipeg, Grill Wizard’s seasonings brought in loads of attendees wanting to take a bite of Butcher Boy’s meat.
“They said they could smell it from the infield,” exclaimed James.
Due to competition rules, competitors can only serve their grilled creations to the judges; otherwise, they could be disqualified from the event.
Baryski added that the judges only take one bite of their meat.
“We need to cram as much flavour as possible to get the perfect bit of rib or chicken,” he said.
Everyone on the Butcher Boys BBQ team has a role to play when on the competition field.
James and Baryski work together, trimming the meat and keeping an eye on the grill.
Miller plates the meat to ensure it is appealing to the eye.
Jay Winnemuller and Gollus help manage the group and ensure everything goes smoothly.
“We are thankful for all of our team members,” uttered James.
Butcher BBQ Boys use two charcoal grills for their prize-worthy chicken and ribs.
They use a Webber Smokey Mountain grill for their chicken and a Webber Summit for their ribs.
They say that the charcoal grill is for the more experienced grillers. “Fire management is a part of the skill,” said Baryski.
“You have to sit there and babysit it by watching its temperature and airflow.”
Both Baryski and James recommend a pellet barbeque if you are new to grilling. It is the easiest to use, and you can turn it on and expect good results.
They explained the difference between pellet and charcoal grills is like driving an automatic to a standard vehicle.
Butcher Boys BBQ is excited to attend the Lux Barbeque Company Weekend Showdown as it is their all-time favourite competition.
James explained that the Showdown features the most teams and gives away the most prizes.
“Lux just makes the competition that much more fun with all the extras that go on there.”
You can see Butcher Boys BBQ in action at the Lux Barbeque Company Weekend Showdown on Sept. 14 at 33 Stapleton St. in Winnipeg. The event is free to public attendees. There will be live barbeque demonstrations, free prizes, live music and amazing barbequed eats.
You can come out and witness Pit Masters take the stage and serve up the best-tasting barbeque dishes.
“We are no Pit master,” said James.
He explained that a Pit Master is someone who can cook on any grill and has been doing it for a long time.
“Maybe when we are 70 years old we will have it down by then, but we are moving in the right direction.”
The Butcher Boys BBQ team loves what they do and plans to continue grilling for as long as they can.
As a reminder, you can, too, create mouth-watering barbequed meals with time, experience, and, of course, Grill Wizard seasonings.
Be sure to pick up some of Grill Wizard’s magical spices at the local Co-op Food Store in Selkirk.
Record Photos by Lana Meier
