The Tenacity of Texas Barbecue: Brian and Ann Neale’s Journey to Championship Glory
As 50 mph winds whipped through the Texas Motor Speedway, Brian and Ann Neale remained undeterred in their quest for barbecue perfection. Dust battered their faces as they toiled for hours against more than 125 of the world’s top “pitmasters” during the Steak Cookoff Association World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas. The atmosphere was charged with competition, camaraderie, and the intense aroma of smoked meats.
After making it to the final round with 39 competitors, Brian Neale, hailing from Cedar Lake, was declared the World Champion in Ribs in mid-March. With a perfect score of 201.3, Neale tied with Craig Sanders from Mississippi, marking the second-tied world championship in SCA history. Ann Neale also excelled, making it to the final round and placing 27th overall.
Overcoming Nature’s Challenges
“It can be unpredictable,” Brian Neale said, reflecting on the weather difficulties they faced. “We’ve cooked in sun-beating-down-on-you, 90-degree weather, where the next day it’ll be 40 degrees and rainy—and the weather challenge was a big one this year. A dust storm rolled in with strong winds, people’s canopies were rolling around like tumbleweeds. The trick is to not get dirt on the meat.”
The Neales’ journey through cooking competitions has taken them across various states—Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and beyond—forcing them to adapt to numerous conditions and obstacles. Ann Neale emphasized, “As you’re cooking, you might have to open the grill or add in seasonings, and when you’re cooking ribs in 50 mph dust, you just have to find ways to work with it. Maybe you need a wind barrier—you need to think of all of these things and how to deal with it in the moment.”
“That’s what competition cooking is about,” Brian Neale explained. “You have variables you have to manage. Whether it’s a world championship, state championship, or a local competition, you have got to have a little luck. These are people at the top of their game; some have won a lot of competitions before. You hope to find five or six judges who thought your product was the best.”
Secrets of Award-Winning Ribs
Key to Brian Neale’s award-winning ribs is his innovative cooking method, which he describes as “hot and fast.” Operating at 300°F using a Hunsaker Vortex Smoker, Neale’s approach significantly contrasts the traditional “low and slow” method, resulting in ribs that are ready in just 2.5 hours. The winning ribs were sourced from Wichita Packing Co. in Chicago and cooked with a blend of sugar maple, cherry, and apple wood for a unique flavor profile.
Brian Neale, a former Chicago Tribune editor, finds parallels between copy editing and barbecuing. “I think there are a lot of intersections,” he remarked. “One of them is attention to detail; as a copy editor, that was what we did—the details matter, the facts matter. It’s really about having command of the details, and to edit, I have to have extreme focus. In competition barbecue, from steak to brisket, from start to end, I have to focus on every little thing I can control.”
He further elaborated, “Just like how reporters look for a good story, I am looking for good marbling. There’s a lot of storytelling in journalism, too. You’re giving people useful information they need to know in a story form. Barbecue itself has a fascinating history. It’s almost like a family tree, you can trace to see who has influenced it, with so many legendary people. So many folks who have come before, so many stories.”
From Neighborhood Cook-Offs to National Championships
The Neales have come a long way since their first neighborhood cook-off in 2015, where they earned a bowling trophy for best barbecue ribs. Today, Brian and Ann Neale are co-founders of Smoke Freaks, with Ann as the head cook and Brian as the pitmaster. Through Smoke Freaks, they teach classes and share secrets of competition cooking.
“With several years of competition experience and winning this championship, we are doing a rib camp in our Cedar Lake headquarters,” Brian Neale shared. “It’s extremely hands-on, where you trim, prep, season, and cook the ribs while we are doing the same with our world championship recipe alongside you. Then we hold a mini competition at the end. We’ve never heard of anything like this in Northwest Indiana. The first classes filled up fast, so we added more.”
The headquarters for Smoke Freaks is described by the Neales as a mecca for barbecuing, grilling, and smoking, boasting 24 different pieces of equipment ranging from a big Texas offset smoker to 55-gallon metal drums. Students also delve into flavor development, studying a seasoning decoder that breaks down 400 different rubs into various flavor profiles.
The Cultural Significance of Barbecue
“When it comes to barbecue, there’s no greater American culinary tradition,” Brian Neale declared. “Ask anyone what their favorite food is, and whatever they name, it has origins from somewhere else. That’s America; it’s a melting pot. But barbecue is ours; it started in the founding of our country. It’s about transforming low cuts of meat and making them great. Those were the lowly cuts that weren’t given to the high class. This is what normal folks cooked. Our forefathers developed low and slow traditions, and that’s a part of barbecue.”
Barbecue has a rich history that can be traced back to Mesoamerican and Caribbean cultures. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Spanish conquistadors observed the indirect-heat cooking technique for meat, which they termed “barbacoa.” This tradition migrated northward and eventually westward into early American settlements, where regional variations began to take shape. For instance, French and German immigrants in South Carolina developed mustard-based sauces, while Memphis became renowned for its sweet barbecue due to the accessibility of molasses. Another Southern technique involves cooking meat in an in-ground pit, likely developed by enslaved African people.
The Community Aspect of Barbecue
Today, barbecue is often associated with communal events and celebrations. “Barbecue has always been about community and gathering,” Brian Neale reflected. “If you’re cooking a whole hog for hours, you want everyone to come over. And once people start coming out and getting to know each other, the neighborhood starts to feel like the same as when you were kids, playing at the neighborhood cookout.”
Ann Neale, a Region native, may not have grown up around traditional barbecue, but she cherishes the culinary traditions of her Greek heritage. “I’m Greek, and we show love with food,” she explained. “We didn’t call it barbecuing, but for special occasions, we would roast a whole lamb in our yard. I remember watching my grandma. For me, cooking for someone is about a continuation of that: Making people happy, making people smile.”
Conclusion
The journey of Brian and Ann Neale exemplifies the spirit of barbecue—an art that marries technique, tradition, and community. Their commitment to mastering the craft and sharing their knowledge through Smoke Freaks ensures that the legacy of barbecue continues to thrive in the hearts and homes of enthusiasts everywhere. Whether through competition or communal gatherings, barbecue remains a cherished part of American culture, inviting everyone to come together, share stories, and savor the rich flavors of this time-honored tradition.
To learn more about their classes and the world of competitive barbecue, visit www.smokefreaks.com.
Anna Ortiz is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
