Page 14 - OCT 2020 Barbecue News Magazine

for a gift for that backyard, BBQ or steak cook and can’t de- cide, convenient gift cards are available too. The cost is a one-time fee – not a monthly subscription and your access never expires.
No games, no extra fees. You simply pick the cook you want to learn from, se- lect the protein(s) and start cooking like a champion. The access is instant and the videos are available 24x7. Pretty amazing! While there are other on- line cooking shows and products, BBQ Champs Academy is currently the premier product on the market in my opinion.
As I mentioned, buying our
first video was like a pre-
mier of a blockbuster
movie. I made our purchase
of Matt’s video shortly after its release planning to watch it in earnest the next day. I couldn’t wait, so at 3am, with my tablet in hand, I started watching each segment of his en- tire video. Gretchen waited for the sun to be up before she started watching. I mention segment because the video is divided into similar content sections such as steak selec-
tion (it is critical you get off on the right foot and this is key), trimming, seasoning, cooking and boxing. That makes it very easy to go back and review something you want to see again. Since access is unlimited and available
on all your devices, you can quickly call up the video while at a competition to make sure you are on the right track. Brand names are clearly identified and you are even given sources for any product used or mentioned.
I thought about how Matt could, as engaging as he is, keep my attention for over an hour and also will he re- ally “tell all”. Here is where Mike showcased his talent as the moderator and in- quisitor. He asked more questions than I could even think to ask and he gets to
the “why” as well. Yes, it is a tell all and Mike sees to that. There is a natural chemistry between Mike and the featured grillmaster/BBQ cook. You feel the genuine nature of the information being shared. The filming technique used is to keep all three cameras rolling maintaining the energy and spontaneity of the shoot. There are no pre-prepared swap- outs or edits – you see exactly what is happening. That in- cludes Matt finishing his cook while it was raining. Talk about a real contest situation. How did Matt’s steak turn out? The cameramen gave it an “amazing” and it sure looked like a 10 to me. It was abundantly clear why Matt earned the 2019 SCA Points Champion ring. I asked Matt why he did a tell all video and his answer was honest and straightforward. He had accomplished his goal of winning the SCA Points Championship and now gets satisfaction out of teaching and helping others learn, grow in the sport and ultimately earn that elusive call.
Bottom line, did we learn anything? Absolutely YES! More importantly, what was presented could apply to a home/backyard cook working on being the BBQ king/queen of their cul-de-sac or for someone trying their hand at competing. We were on the right track with our seasoning choices after we gave up on our own creation “Smidge”. As a matter of fact, we were using the same ones Matt does for seasoning our steak, but we were using them incorrectly. Properly seasoned meat balances sweet, heat, tang and sa- vory while not overpowering the actual taste of the meat. Matt explained how to properly season the steak and get it ready for the grill. The next step is a true “pro” tip that he reveals on the video. There were several other head slap- ping tips that will up our game at our next contest and well worth the investment of the cost of a single comp. We will be applying what we learned at the upcoming SCA double
Matt Ouversen and Mike Steele appreciating a perfectly cooked competition ribeye
BarbecueNews.com - 14
OCTOBER 2020