JUNE 2010 COOKER OF THE MONTH

SIN CITY SMOKERS

COOKERS OF THE MONTH JUNE 2010

SWEET PEPPERS - NEW MEXICO

JIM BALLOG

ADRIAN SAMBERSON

Enter content here

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT THIS WHOLE WEBSITE INTERVIEW FOR THE COOKER OF THE MONTH THING IS THAT I REALLY GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE COOLEST PEOPLE. THIS MONTH I HAVE PICKED TWO OF THE BEST. ANY OF YOU WHO KNOW THESE GUYS , A LITTLE TWO MAN TEAM OF JIM BALLOG AND ADRIAN SAMBERSON AKA. "SWEET PEPPERS" WILL ATTEST THAT THESE GUYS ARE COOL AND THEN SOME.

Enter content here

SO HERE'S THE STORY AS IT GOES....ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO A FRIEND NAMED BEN MOSIER WAS COMMERCIALLY PRODUCING THIS BARBECUE SAUCE CALLED "SWEET PEPPERS SAUCE" SO JIM AND ADRIAN STARTED TO USE IT AS A TRIAL/FAVOR THING AND REALLY LIKED IT. AFTER COMING IN NEXT TO LAST PLACE AT THE FAMED RIO RANCHO COOK OFF IN 2003 THEY DECIDED TO GET SERIOUS.

IN THIER SECOND YEAR THEY CUSTOM BUILT A SMOKER, A HUGE ONE, A TRAILER MOUNTED 7 FT BOILER TANK WITH FIVE RACKS,THINGS STARTED TO GO MUCH BETTER SO THEY CONTINUED ON.

AFTER FINALLY HITTING THEIR FIRST "GRAND CHAMPION" IN GRAND JUNCTION THEN THE TRUE HUNGER STARTED.

SOON AFTER FOR ECONOMIC REASONS THEY DECIDED TO DOWNSIZE AND NOW ROAM FROM COOK TO COOK IN A MINI-VAN- WHICH THEY TREAT LIKE A CUSTOM ROCK STAR COACH BUS! COOKING NOW ON TWO 18" WSM AND A 22" MODEL AND A WEBER KETTLE FOR CHICKEN, NO ELECTRONICS HOOKED UP BUT "WE MADE A FEW SMALL MODIFICATIONS"

COOKING ABOUT 20 TIMES A YEAR THESE GUYS HAVE BECOME GOODWILL AMBASSADORS FOR NEW MEXICO AND ALL OF THE SOUTHWEST AREA AS THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES AS BEING A MENTORING TEAM, WILLING TO HELP, TEACH AND TAKE ALONG WILLING COMPADRES TO COOKS AND HELP THEM GET ACCLIMATED AS IT WERE TO OUR CRAZY, COOKY AND WILD AND FUN SPORT WE LOVE. "HELPING PEOPLE IS WHAT ITS ABOUT FOR US"

NOW LETS TALK TECHNICAL- FIRST JIM SAYS"ADRIAN IS "MY STICKMAN" CAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT HIM".WE MAKE FOUR DIFFERENT RUBS EACH ONE SPECIALIZED FOR EACH DIFFERENT MEAT. OUR SAUCE WE USE BROUGHT US A 6TH PLACE FINISH AT "THE JACK" AND WE ALSO USE SOME GARLIC PEPPER AND SOME NEW MEXICO RED CHILE POWDER BUT WERE NOT TELLIN WHERE WE USE IT! THEIR ADVICE TO NEW TEAMS IS "FIND YOUR NICHE AND GO WITH IT","WE REALLY ENJOY LIVING LIFE AND TRY TO DISPLAY THAT IN EVERYTHING WE DO." THATS HOW THE "WINE AND CHEESE RITUAL" STARTED FROM THEIR PASSION FOR JUST GETTING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR GOOD TIMES.

I ASKED JIM HOW THEY BECAME MOTIVATED AND INVOLVED WITH " CANCER SUCKS" JIM 'S WIFE IS A 10 YEAR SURVIVOR OF CANCER AND WHEN HE MET JAY AND MONICA BENEDICT AND HHAVING WATCHED THEM FIGHT THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLES,NEVER GIVING UP, AND KEEPING SMILES ON THEIR FACES IN GOOD TIMES AND HARD TIMES HE SAID THAT HE WAS TOUCHED IN A WAY THAT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN. MONICA NEVER COMPLAINED. "MY LIFE IS MORE COMPLETE BY HAVING MET HER AND I CONSIDER IT A PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO GIVE ALL THAT WE CAN TO THIS CAUSE -BECAUSE CANCER SUCKS!" JIM AND ADRIAN START AUCTIONS AND DONATIONS RALLIES AT SEVERAL OF THE COOK OFFS THEY ATTEND EVERY YEAR AND HAVE HELPED RAISE THOUSANDS IN SUPPORT. GOD BLESS YOU BOYS!

SPONSORED BY MIKE AT BARBECUE ISLAND, AND KINGSFORD CHARCOAL - WHO HOOKED EM UP WITH COMPETITION BRIQUETTES AT "THE ROYALE" THEY COOK ON IN PURSUIT OF CHAMPIONSHIPS AND GOOD TIMES LIKE AT "THE JACK" IN 2009 WHERE THEY EARNED A 7TH IN BRISKET AND 22ND OVERALL. THEY LISTED DILLON COLORADO AS A FAVORITE COOK OFF AS "IT'S LIKE A MINI-JACK FEATURING THE WHO'S WHO AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME EACH YEAR,AND RIO RANCHO AS OUR HOME COOK" WHEN THEY ARE NOT COOKING COMPETETIVE BARBECUE THEY ARE CELEBRATING LIFE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SOMETIMES COOKIN MEXICAN FOODS, FISH TACOS AND BEEF BURRITOS ARE OFTEN ON THE MENU WITH THAT FAMOUS NEW MEXICO GREEN CHILE. DON'T HATE EM CAUSE THEY ARE STEELERS FANS AS THEY ARE ORIGINALLY FROM PITTSBURG BUT DO STOP BY AND MEET EM NEXT TIME YOU GET THE CHANCE , THESE GUYS ARE SOME OF THE GOOD ONES AND EVEN THOUGH "YOU NEVER MEET A BAD SOUL AT A BARBECUE COOK OFF" SOME TIMES YOU GET TO MEET SOME OF THE REALLY GOOD ONES! SEE YOU ON THE BARBEUCE TRAIL GUYS!

Enter supporting content here