The inaugural BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark, held on July 15 at Principal Park in Des Moines, generated over $20,000 worth of ground pork, which will be distributed to Iowa food banks and pantries, says a recent release by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The event was a collaborative effort between the IPPA, the Iowa Cubs and the nonprofit organization Cactus Cares.
The Food Bank of Iowa and the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) will each receive ground pork valued at $5,000, while the remaining funds will be used to supply ground pork to food pantries throughout the state, the release notes.
A total of 29 teams from various locations across Iowa participated in the Backyard BBQ Competition. The grand champion and first place winner in the Best Pork Butt category was Matty Mack’s BBQ from Cedar Rapids. Additionally, Matty Mack’s BBQ received the People’s Champion award for raising the highest amount of money for charity, earning a total of $4,000 at the event.
Matty Fisher, the team’s representative, shared his excitement, stating, “It’s absolutely overwhelming. This is my first time ever winning a barbecue competition. We’ve been at this for a little over three years. I call it my passion project.” The victory was made even more special as Fisher’s son was playing in a youth baseball tournament in Des Moines on the same day, and his daughter assisted with the cooking.
Get Sauced from Madrid claimed the second-place position overall, securing the Reserve Champion award and a $1,000 prize. In the individual categories, 6 Pack and a Rack from Marshalltown won first place for Best Pork Belly, while T.O.'S Infamous BBQ from Altoona earned the top spot for Best Pork Ribs. Each of these teams received $1,000 in prize money. Cash prizes were also awarded to the top five finishers in the Best Pork Butt, Pork Ribs and Pork Belly categories.
Iowa Pork Producers Association President Trish Cook expressed gratitude to all the competitors and attendees, stating, “Our first BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark was a huge success! We send thanks to all the competitors from across Iowa that competed and everyone who came out to enjoy some delicious Iowa pork. We raised a lot of funds to help the food insecure in our communities. This was a total team effort working with some great organizations.”
The Backyard BBQ Competition was made possible through the generous donation of pork by Berkwood Farms and other resources by Fareway Stores. Planning is already underway for next year’s BBQ and Brew at the Ballpark. For more information on how Iowa pig farmers contribute to the community, visit IowaPork.org.
