Burger Battle
Note: All WP Saskatchewan Transcripts are edited for flow and readability.
(Rob) The barbecue culture that’s growing in Saskatchewan is phenomenal.
(Nathan) Yeah, it is growing. There’s a lot of good teams here.
(MC) So yeah, we had six entries total. Very, very delicious.
(Narrator) Ahh, there’s the staple smell of a Saskatchewan summer. Smoke, spice and sharp cheese.
(Josh) You can’t go wrong with liquid cheese, and cheese and Cheetos. I think that’s a winning combination.
(Spectator) Oh my God. It was very good. Ten out of ten.
(Narrator) Master of the grill is on the line here at Lumsden’s Barbecue Showdown.
(Chris) It’s honestly just salt and pepper. I don’t like to do too much crazy on it. I like, I want the beef flavor to come through. I don’t want to take away from that beef.
(Narrator) It’s going down, right here in the Qu’Appelle Valley. Top notch Saskatchewan beef, meets vibrant prairie produce, sauces and toppings. May the best burger win.
(Scott) We’ve got peppered bacon right here from Jerky Boys. It’s got heirloom tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and grilled onions. The beef comes from a rancher out near Assiniboia. Nothing says Saskatchewan more than this. So, I hope you enjoy it.
(Janice) Yes, this is my first burger competition. There’s always stress, for sure. But, my husband and I, we compete on the barbecue circuit, so stress is part of the game. Our team “SmellaQue” competes all across North America. And in all truth, I don’t cook burgers at home. I mean, who doesn’t love a good burger anyways? Right? So, the slicer is actually, it’s a food peeler. And, that was a preventative measure from having to slice open or to do thin slices with a knife. You have to think about that before you go to competition so that, you will basically ensure that you’re not going to hurt yourself. We’ve got pickled carrots, fresh cucumber. Um, not everyone likes cilantro, so I have some on the side if you want to add it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.
(Narrator) In this burgeoning culinary scene, amateur cooks and simple business owners, are joining the competitive side of the barbecue party. This is resulting in some pretty creative flavors.
(JP) So today’s burger is my version of a “Banh Mi” style burger. So a Banh Mi Vietnamese sub, sandwich kind of a thing. So I got ground pork with my seasonings in it, a little bit of allspice, cinnamon, bit of cumin, a touch of salt and paprika. And then I got a little bit of Japanese mayo, French bread, there’s a little bit of arugula and a little bit of cilantro. I pickled some carrot. There’s some crispy cucumber and raw onion in there. And then I made this Kabayaki glaze. It’s just like a corn syrup, brown sugar, bit of soy, ginger and garlic strained off, and finishes off. And I also glazed the burger right before it finished. Right on.
(Nathan) There’s a lot of good cooks here man. Best burgers I’ve ever had, really. I definitely fasted this morning. I like a traditional cheese, and you know, traditional taste. There was some complex flavors in those burgers today. They’re really good. (Story continues below photos)
This WP Saskatchewan story was filmed at the 2023 “Smoke ‘N The Valley” barbecue competition in Lumsden, Saskatchewan. Featured are Pitmasters Scott Chomos – Arrowhead North BBQ; Janice Smella – SmellaQue; JP Vives – Free Bird; Josh Miller – Bearded Prairie Chef; Chris Torjusen – Lakeview Fine Foods; Mike Arnold – Smokin Outlaws BBQ; Rob Reinhardt – Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ; and Judge Nathan Richter.
WP (Work & Play) Saskatchewan is a fund-raising production of the registered non-profit charitable Saskatchewan Safety Council (Charitable Registration Number: 11914-0382-RR). It serves the strategic priorities of the organization by creating community connections and provides a new platform upon which injury prevention messaging can be communicated.
