Just wanted to stop in and update everyone on what's been going on.......

We used up the last of the Berkshire pork on some English banger style sausages that Big Dog tells me were not up to the raves they were receiving on the Sausagemaking forum.  A little salty and a little fatty for his tastes (and this is the guy that made a sausage out of just oatmeal and fat??!).

The last couple weeks have been spent re-energizing after that big run of curing and brining up 200 lbs worth of Berkshire hog and also Big Dog, as an ex-Revenue Canada guy, is up to the rafters in tax preparation work.  

That doesn't mean that we haven't been doing any cooking.  Or perhaps, I should say, preparation for cooking.......

The Black Pig BBQ Team makes its debut on the competition stage in mid-April down in Maryland at the Pork in the Park competition, which currently boasts a line-up of 73 teams and that number is still growing!  In addition to the four main meat categories (chicken, ribs, pork shoulder and beef brisket), there are two additional side categories, one being an Anything Butt entry where you can cook and submit any meat/dish other than the main 4 and then a special Perdue chicken category, as the Perdue chicken empire is based out of Salisbury, MD, the town where the event is held.

Right now we're working on some ideas for the side categories and hope to have a get-together at my place this weekend to come up with a 'winner'.

Look for us to get together and post an entry about our attempts, successes, and also-rans as we work through everyone's suggestions for entries.