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So you you've been working over a hot smoker for years perfecting your barbecue and now you want to hit the competition trail. Easier said than done. Making great barbecue and having all the right recipes is just the beginning. What you will need now is some good, practical advice about how to put together a team, organize your cooking, and equip yourself for the long night and day on the competition ground. This book is a serious step in that direction. What George Hensler has done is taken a lot of advice and his own experiences and put them together in this little book that makes the competition the easy part.
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Once I started it was very hard to put down. It was very easy to relate some of my own experiences with the ones you went through. I often found myself laughing out loud. Some of the silly things are forgotten until your fabulous reminder in print. What it impressed me was it was more than just a great read for competitors but a guide for new teams starting out. Nice job!!
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Starting a BBQ team takes a lot of work, planning, organizing, re-
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“A great resource for anyone wanting to start a barbecue team. Chock full of good ideas and practical tips and advice! Good job, George!”
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“It's one thing to barbecue. It's another to try to be the best at it. "Startin' The Fire: Everything You Need to Know About Starting a Competition BBQ Team" is a guide to the world of competitive barbeque and what newbies need to know to break into this world where people have taken the cooking of meat and poultry on a summer afternoon to a new level of art. With wit and humor, George Hensler encourages anyone with their own recipe and pride to take up fork. "Startin' The Fire" is a must for any hardcore barbecue fanatic.”
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“I finished reading Startin the Fire last week and the first question I had for George was, "Where the hell was this book 5 years ago?" What a great read and a must have for any new teams. There are really some great suggestions and cool stories in this book.”
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“It's an excellent read...it speaks the truth, it's quite apparent that you've "been there, done that." Plus, it’s very personal and funny. I laughed out loud a couple times...I even squirmed a little, too."
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“I have interviewed some of the biggest names in the bbq competition world and aside
from some quick tips I rarely get an in-
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“George has gone where no other has before….he tells you how to compete in barbecue competitions. His book is a great read for anyone thinking of competing and for those already on the circuit. It’s informative and funny!”
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“I’ve cooked on a few teams in my time on the circuit, but we never had this kind of organized approach. Now that I have George’s book, my next team will have a good plan to follow and we won’t be stabbing each other with barbecue forks!”
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“A masterful yet fun journal that will teach avid barbecuers the ins and outs of
competition bbq; a must-
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“……when George sent me his query for this book, I jumped on it like a pig on corn and knew we had to publish it because it is totally unique in the BBQ field. No recipes! No explaining that barbecue is different from grilling! Just all you need to know about forming a competition barbecue team. Being a certified KCBS cookoff judge, I relish BBQ professionalism, and George has it in spades—or grills.”
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"We see and talk to thousands of BBQ fanatics each year. Inevitably, some of these back yard cooks want to try their hand at competition cooking, to see how they stack up against the "pros". Startin the Fire is a great hands on instruction manual to help get them started".
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"This book is like nothing I've ever read. If you want to save thousands of dollars and shave years off of the learning curve, Startin The Fire is a must read. Do yourself a favor, read, no, study, George's insightful look at diving head first into competition barbecue. You won't regret it."
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"This is competition BBQ bootcamp in a book. Anyone who has ever been competition curious will surely find this a good read. I wish we had this when we started a decade ago."
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“Getting into competition barbecue not a trivial pursuit. There is a huge time and money commitment. George goes through the process of planning and organizing the effort so that process doesn't take away from the cooking. He also points out that competition barbecue cooking can be great fun. If you are considering starting a competition barbecue team then this book is required reading.”
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"Just finished reading the book. Awesome read even if you have been cooking for a while. My only complaint is I needed this book 5 years ago when I started. Could of saved me lots of time and money."
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“I must say I wished I would have had this when we 1st started out. It's defiantly geared more for someone who is thinking about going into this crazy life of BBQ Competing that is so addictive. It is truly a very funny easy reading book, with loads of BBQ terms, and excellent sources for the beginner. I say 2 thumbs up for Startin the Fire!!!!!”
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“ I just finished reading Startin' the Fire. a great book by George Hensler from Who Are These Guys? competition BBQ Team from Street, Maryland . It is available here and well worth the money. If you are thinking of entering the world of competition bbq, or have been cooking for a few years already, this book is for you.”
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“I was very impressed by the chapter on Box Building 101, which explains why putting
lettuce in a Styrofoam container is surely one of the most maddening aspects of competing.
George also shares some of the flavor of a real ‘que competition, recounting his
highs, lows and battles with the unpredictable BBQ gremlins. What I loved most was
how he was able to convey his love of the sport and the camaraderie between all the
teams. After reading this book, you’ll understand why he and so many others are completely
hooked on this all-
“It is an introduction to the world of Competition BBQ and some of the pitfalls to avoid. What they don’t tell you is how funny this little book jam packed with valuable information is. I loved reading the stories from George’s point of view. Don’ t miss the psychological impacts of competition chicken overload. I have been there. I really related to these stories. Or even the sage advice offered on crotchel area issues on page 21.
This is not a serious book by any means. However there is some really serious decent advice and it is an easy and fun read. If you are just beginning to contemplate starting a competition BBQ team you really should read this first.”
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