The Country Boyz team, captained by Rory Marsh - barbequed white wing bird wrapped in bacon and cooked on a sugar cane skewer. It was served with home-made chutney, made with the pulp of ripe coffee beans.

Last Sunday afternoon, Craig Powell and Anushca-Mae Walton successfully pulled off the Jack Daniel's All Jamaica Grill Off. This debut competition, held at the American International School, will hopefully continue for years.

Each of the 10 teams was given six chickens, 15 pounds beef rib eye roll and 15 pounds pork ribs, that's 60 chickens (assuming each weighed four pounds - 240 pounds chicken), 150 pounds beef and 150 pounds pork ... a whopping 540 pounds of meat. That does not include freshly smoked maple syrup and soy salmon, and sausages, by Chris Nakash and Chris Hamilton of Porky's Revenge. Nor have I counted the bitter white wings wrapped in bacon on sugar cane skewers (which caramelised into the birds), served with ripe coffee pulp chutney by Rory Marsh and John O. Minott of The Country Boyz. Fall short on quantity? You think?

So full, I never even sampled Tubby's Grrr-ill's offerings. Andrew Grahame's team won Reserve Champion, placing third and first in the chicken and beef categories respectively! Actually I must have eaten their beef because I judged that grouping. However, as we had no idea whose was whose, I couldn't say which team's was the best. A few were fairly decent, while others were so overcooked I wondered whether the chefs had vendettas against the cows!

I managed to squeeze in every other edible thing on the field!

I'd like to have seen Martine Webster of Grizzly Grillers use more cilantro on their tamarind chicken. I got a hint, but the sticky sweet tamarind sauce could have carried additional sprigs.

Creative appliances

Hogs N Such team's chicken and ribs cooking in their Hot Box, designed by Julian Nelson. - photos by Emma Sharp/Contributor

The captain of Hogs 'N Such, Julian Nelson, came up with an ingenuous grill/outdoor oven - The Hot Box. An upright drum divided into three sections, the bottom and top filled with burning coals, cooking the meat in the middle chamber and on the grill top. Clever tools are not all one needs! The ribs were sweet and spicy, but a little chewy, and the chicken was tasteless and dry. A good chef stems from the quality of ingredients, the 'mechanics' of your appliances, but most importantly the knowledge of food's chemistry and its combinations.

I was impressed with the efforts made with cooking appliances. David Bucknor, accompanied by Joni Mckenzie, in the duo Sheriff Competition BBQ team, made his from an old pressure water tank, halved down the middle and assembled as a pan chicken drum, only cleaner and fancier! And Nakash built his Slow and Low Smoker (out of rolled and welded steel plate), whereby no flame ever touched the meat. The fire burns, passes heat and smoke through to the chamber in which things are cooked, and then out through the chimney.

Although Richard Khouri's Grilla Unit meats were tender, his chicken was inundated with thick gravy-like Jack Daniel's sauce. Might have gone well with handfuls of sticky rice or coco bread!

The smartest looking was Marsha Burrell's team Restauration Divine, clad in chef jackets. Landing Ramson's sponsorship to use all McCormick's products, they served herb, garlic and wine chicken hot and succulent off the grill. A simple formula produces the best result.

It was disappointing for Carnivore Grill, headed by Sean Garbutt, not to win anything. Thinking outside the larder, they produced juicy tandoori chicken, which could have housed more dry spice, and cayenne and paprika pork ribs with zingy mustard mop sauce.

Venue change

David Bucknor and Joni Mckenzie of The Sheriff Competition BBQ team, with their black drum barbecue oven made by Bucknor from an old pressure water tank.

Late arrivals, Rumpanions, due to a mix up with venue change, were on to a good thing except the salt, or soy sauce? Or maybe using both was the problem?

I must make special mention of Porky's Revenge Zein Nakash picked up first prize for her smooth, syrupy and smoky Jack Daniel's Sauce, and the team came second for their luscious mesquite and honey chicken, I don't hesitate to point out that the overall quality of Hamilton's and Nakash's products were truly outstanding. Not surprising, as they professionally monitored their meats with thermometers to ensure safe and moist results. In fact, it was here that I not only ate my ribs out, but ate them out of ribs as well!

Grizzly Grillers team, captained by Martine Webster, made these - tamarind barbecue chicken with cilantro and barbecue rib eye roll with Stone's Ginger Wine, oyster sauce and garlic.