Lake Placid BBQ Family Crowned Grand Champions

The Hillis family of Lake Placid has come a long way since they finished 20th place at their first barbecue competition almost two years ago during the 24 Hours of BBQ in Sebring.

After placing an improved 12th at the Sebring event last year, Dana "Big Papa" and Janet Hillis have spent 24, three- and-four-day weekends on the road, competing as Big Papa's Country Kitchen BBQ.

Recently, the Hillis family out cooked 91 other teams to be crowned the grand champions during an invitation-only event, the "Best of the Best," in Douglas, Ga. They picked up $7,000 in cash plus prizes.

"We thought we knew how to barbecue," said Dana Hillis, about his early competition. "But we were up against some of the best teams from the State of Florida and we got a humbling education."

Hillis tips the scales at almost 300 pounds. As part of the learning process, he watched and studied everyone else competing, ate some barbecue and asked a lot of questions.

"I used to sample, it's fun to do," said Hillis, 49. "But I don't do it anymore. "You can take a taste of theirs and think it's better than yours.

"Depression hits if you don't win. It's better if your don't know what's out there."

The family purchased a pair of $3,000 Fast Eddy's cookers or FEC100s that burn pellets rather than wood, and are computer controlled, so offer better temperature regulation.

"It's a science," said Hillis. "Everybody's got it down to the minute."

Hillis said that cooking barbecued chicken doesn't take long, but rather it's the preparation time that can take up to five hours.

"We clean and take off the fat, trim the skin, and try to get a bunch of pieces that look identical," said Hillis.

The chef said keys to great barbecue lie in top secret rubs or mixtures in the seasoning, which can include any of 1,000 or more spices. The barbecue sauce and seasoning injections are also important.

Janet Hillis enjoys the travel and what she said is a hobby with some income, which is important since business is slow for her husband as a general contractor.

She described the family secret sauce as "sweet, but not too sweet, with a very little tang at the end."

Janet Hillis enjoys watching others enjoy the food she and her husband prepare.

"We're making new friends," said Janet Hillis. "Like one big happy family."

"During competition, other teams congratulate and are excited for you. It's a good family atmosphere."

The couple's school-aged son, Cadin, regularly travels in a Toy Hauler. The 30-foot-long vehicle has a kitchen, shower and sleeping quarters. It was designed to transport motorcycles or four wheelers.

Dana Hillis wants to barbecue fulltime. The family and Bib Papa's Country Kitchen BBQ caters events and is licensed to sell in public.

The family's recipe of secret bottled sauce is a good seller.

For information, call 863-633-8069 of email bigpapabbq@gmail.com