World's biggest barbecue contest kicks off

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Where's the beef? Look no further than this weekend's American Royal K.C. Masterpiece Invitational, billed as the world's largest barbecue contest.

About 350 teams from 25 states and Canada fired up grills and smokers Friday outside Kemper Arena for the contest, which marks the beginning of the six-week-long American Royal.

Todd Eisenbeis of the barbecue team "Who Let The Hogs Out" rubbed the rotund black stove in front of him Thursday afternoon as if it were alive.

"We went to a junkyard and found a water tank from a cement truck and welded that to a diesel barrel," Eisenbeis said. Friday, "she'll have 700 pounds of meat loaded into her. It doesn't matter if it gets cold outside. She puts out a lot of heat."

This year's American Royal features all the events of years past, including rodeo competitions, horse shows and a parade.

There are two twists this year: two days of pageantry and colors of a Mexican rodeo and two days set aside for an Oktoberfest.