What makes us unique!!!
The Fire and Ice Cook-off was born out of necessity by cookers, for cookers, from the cookers point of view. Teams work hard to raise or donate money, set up a booth and then cook all night and day. It's hard work but fun so.... we have organized everything about Fire and Ice to make the cooking team's job easier. No arbitrary rules that seem to have no purpose but to make the cookers life difficult,
easy set up and take down, tons of fun, food, friends and fierce competition; that's Fire and Ice!

When you read the general rules, you will see the first one is to have fun!! Unlike other cook-offs, the booths here are open and welcoming. We all visit each other all weekend (and of course there's always the very real possibility of a conga line weaving it's way through your space)... and no need for security guards or bouncers to guard your entrance. We're all great friends and even if you come here to cook not knowing a soul - you'll very quickly become one of us.

This year we have made some new and exciting changes to our little cook-off and from now on it will be the Fire and Ice Rib Burn-off!!  All of the teams will make their best competition ribs available to the public so that whether or not you know someone on a team, you can taste the incredible barbecue that these teams create. The public, as always, will be invited to join into our Bubba Games and dance the night away with us in the Fire and Ice Hall on Saturday night.

We've had two Fire and Ice weddings so far and we anticipate more.  At every cook's meeting we raise a glass to those who can't be with us and we've shed tears over those who have passed on... The friendship that we feel continues long after the cook-off is over. There has hardly been a year gone by that we haven't held a benefit here at the ranch for one of us who is ill or has fallen on hard times.

Just because we're friends doesn't mean that the competition isn't fierce! The judging for our cook-off is VERY different from most. First of all... there's no monkey business here. If you've ever been to a competition where a cheesecake won first place in the "open" category - you can be sure that will never happen here! We have one dessert category and the sweet stuff is only allowed in that category. We have all the basic categories, but also have some that change each year stretching the skills of the cookers and throwing a wild card in the scoring deck.

Jay was a working chef for many years and his livelihood depended on how he scored in culinary competitions.  When we set up the judging guidelines for the Fire and Ice, we made sure the judging was done the same way it's done for professional chefs. It's a totally blind judging. Each entry is scored on four criteria, taste, texture, appearance and aroma. Those scores are then added together to obtain the score for each entry with 40 as the highest available score. How on earth can you judge an entry by giving it just one number? It is not a complete score. Our judging area is completely open. You are welcome to come in and observe the judges as they taste the entries (although you're not allowed to talk to them). Our judges are a mix of BBQ cooks, regular folks and professional chefs. The chefs have been excited to come and have become well versed in the nuances of BBQ. Chefs have a very educated palate but often don't have much of an opportunity to work with BBQ. Every year now we have chefs call to volunteer to help with the judging...along with all the other folks who help us with the judging. We've even had Houston's only Master Chef here to critique the entries.

Of course the big competition is for brisket, but the open category has become amazing! Because appropriate sauces and garnishes are allowed and we have chefs sitting in on the judging, the quality of the work has gone through the roof! Trophies are given for the top three scores and like a professional chef's competition, all entries scoring 36 or above are awarded a ribbon or medallion. Many of our medallions and trophy tops are hand made by Jay and are therefore only available here at the Fire and Ice. After the awards ceremony, the score sheets are posted so that cookers may see how they scored in all categories.

During the day on Saturday, Jay (who won fourth place in the international ice sculpting competition in Japan) carves ice in performance for a crowd of several hundred who gather to watch.  Afterwards, a huge snowball battle ensues for all the kids (and the young at heart!).  As soon as the judging is over, all the teams gather in front of the outdoor stage for the infamous "Bubba Games".  It would be almost impossible to describe the games...you just have to be here.  I CAN tell you that one involved a jock strap and surgical tubing (which made a huge sling shot) and another was called "The Upside Down Chicken".  Some of the pictures on this site will give you an idea of the craziness that has us all laughing until we cry.  All the winners go home with a Bubba Game shirt that we silk-screen ourselves and that you can ONLY get here. 

When the Bubba Games are finished, the trophies are awarded.  There are trophies for  Congeniality, Showmanship and the coveted Bubba award which always goes to someone who deserves a very special thank-you that year.  In true Fire and Ice tradition, everyone cheers for the winners.

After the awards are over, the Grand Championship winning team does a victory lap around the campground...wearing their Grand Champion yellow bandanas and the whole crowd heads down to the Fire and Ice Hall for the biggest barn dance of the year!

We encourage everyone to party hearty Saturday night and stay over.  After sleeping late on Sunday morning, you can break down and leave for home at your leisure.