BBQ Brawl is back with another competition-filled episode as season 2 reaches its halfway point. BBQ Brawl has been full of twists and turns from the start as fans anxiously watch our favorite "barbecuties" compete in nerve-wracking BBQ showdowns. BBQ Brawl Season 2 Episode 5 "Competition 'Cue" was no exception, and it ended with one of the biggest personalities of the group being sent home.
Videos by Wide Open Country
BBQ Brawl Season 2
In BBQ Brawl: Flay vs Symon Season 2, BBQ connoisseurs Bobby Flay, Michael Symon and Eddie Jackson lead teams of the best all-star pitmasters in the country in a series of BBQ competitions. The first four episodes, "Introduce Your 'Cue," "Hometown Favorites," "BBQ Hacks," and "Game Day BBQ" have set the stage for a fierce competition.
Full episodes of this Food Network show can be watched on Discovery Plus or Amazon prime video, with a showtime of Monday at 8 pm. With similar themes to Big Bad BBQ Brawl with Shannon Ambrosio, this TV show is the ultimate BBQ cooking show to watch on the edge of your seat.
Low and Slow BBQ
The last episode "Game Day BBQ" ended with Bobby Flay's team losing Brendan Lamb, so Flay is in the position to choose the competition of the day. Flay chooses "low and slow BBQ;" in a change of pace from the competitions so far, this one will give the contenders the chance to make slow-cooking barbecue over a long period of time.
BBQ Brawl Season 2 Episode 5 already starts out differently, as the teams go right into the team brawl, with no mini competition beforehand- this will come later. Flay's BBQ challenge is to make your own version of barbecue competition, featuring the four classic American styles- Texas brisket, Carolina pork, Kansas City chicken and Memphis style BBQ.
The contestants have 7 hours to deliver a platter of each classic style, plus two sides. For the first time all season, everyone is making the same protein. From the beginning, some of the team drama from previous episodes is present, most notably between Terry and Taylor on team Bobby. Viewers can only hope they can stay focused on the task at hand!
Return of the Mac
In the middle of the competition, the smaller "advantage challenge" occurs as well. To the contestants' relief, it will be held between the team captains, so the aspiring pitmasters can continue making their competition BBQ as their leaders battle it out. Flay chooses this competition as well, and his choice is "return of the mac," in which the captains have 20 minutes to make mac n cheese.
Although this is an unthinkably small amount of time, the three captains get to it, each making a delicious-looking mac n cheese dish. Bobby Flay makes chorizo mac n cheese with crispy okra crust, Eddie Jackson goes for green chili mac n cheese, and Michael Symon creatively prepares mac n cheese with homemade spaetzle.
Symon and his spaetzle win the competition, so team Symon earns the advantage, which is a brutal one for the other teams. This episode, the advantage is that team Symon can steal a captain from another team at any point and make him cook for them for 30 minutes.
Throughout the 7 hours of grilling, each team does their best to make competition-style BBQ. Team Eddie has some struggles as Chris Prieto and Eddie Jackson have differing opinions over the menu, and then make a failed attempt at baked beans. Team Symon uses their advantage to steal Bobby Flay for 30 minutes, forcing him to grate cheese continuously.
Competition 'Cue- The Moment of Truth
The most nerve-wracking moment of BBQ Brawl: Flay vs Symon S2 E5 was upon us in no time. Team Michael had a classic approach to Competition 'Cue. Brittany made Kansas City chicken with BBQ sauce and collard greens, Ara made Texas style brisket, David made Carolina pulled pork and mac n cheese, and Brittany and David worked together on Memphis style ribs. The judges had mixed feelings about the meal and gave decent reviews, but they weren't overly impressed.
Team Bobby made "trip around the BBQ belt" barbecue for their meal. Terry made open-faced Carolina pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, Erica did Texas-style brisket with Cuban black beans, Taylor made Kansas City chicken, Memphis style ribs and banana pudding. This meal earned a less-than-stellar reception as well, with a few dishes falling flat.
As for team Eddie, they made "competition ready" barbecue. Lu went for Kansas City chicken pillows, Chris made Carolina pulled pork, Memphis-style ribs and Texas-style brisket, and Eddie made collard greens and baked beans. The judges loved each dish, and it appears that the comeback kids aren't slowing down!
Team Bobby Once Again
The first safe team named was team Eddie, and then team Michael. This left team Bobby on the chopping block for the second week in a row. The judges named each contestant's mistake, saying that Taylor's fig sauce was rubbery, Erica's brisket was dry, and Terry's pulled pork sandwich missed the mark on flavor.
In the end, the judges chose Terry as the one to go home and forever lose the opportunity to become Master of 'Cue. Terry took the blow in stride, joking that he's the "number one non-competition chef" on the show. Team Eddie needs to step up their game to stay in it, so let's hope they're ready! Tune in next week to see who will stand the competition and who will be sent home.
