Teams Compete for Kosher Barbecue Title

The Merrick Mob may have won the battle but it wasn't for lack of effort on the part of other teams.

The Mob--Mavens of Barbecue--won the kosher barbecue competition Sunday at Westbury's Temple Beth Torah. The team from Temple Ohav Sholom was competing for the first time.

Seventeen teams cooked their way into a spot in a national kosher competition. Teams and participants came from around Long Island, including Plainview, Farmingdale, Syosset and Manhasset, as well as from out of state.

Teams were judged in best brisket, best ribs, best beans, most original team name and best booth decoration. The Mob placed in one of the top six positions in every category, finishing first in the beans competition.

"It took teamwork and a lot of meetings," Kenny Duftler said of the MOB's win. "We were testing the recipes and kept a positive attitude. We did it to have fun."

Doing his part for the team, though it didn't count toward the final score, was Eli Greenberg who won first the kids' speed pickle-eating contest and then the youngsters' hotdog contest.

"I'm a huge pickle fan," he said. "My whole family are pickle fans."

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Part of proceeds from the first Long Island Kosher Barbecue Championship will go to such hunger relief charities as Long Island Cares, the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network), Hatzilu, Rock Can Roll and M’yad l’yad.

Temple Beth Torah member Joseph Lorintz said temple members had worked on the event for more than a year.

The teams' overall finish:

The Mob

Smokin for Life

Macher Meats

The Bubbeque

Grillintefillin

Grilled to Meat Jew

Magillah Grillers

Holy Smoke

Fleishfest

Burning Bush BBQ

i Que

BarB Jew

Smoking Chutzpah

Los Mensches de Miami

Four Moyels and Bris-ket

Fleishcedics

Grill INNG