`Totally Texas' barbecue cookoff starts Friday

By TOM BEHRENS
Deer Park's fifth annual Totally Texas BBQ Cook-Off kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday with the Cook's Choice" competition, and concludes Saturday.
The event, which is at the Jimmy Burke Activity Center, 500 W. 13th St., is free and open to the public.
In `Cook's Choice,' the teams can cook anything they want, prepare it however they want," said Jeff Li'l Bear" Hebert, head cook and organizer of the cook-off.
Other categories include chicken, ribs and brisket.
Big Momma's Cooking Team, last year's winning entry for brisket, will be back again defending their crown," Hebert said.
More than 30 teams are expected to compete, he said. The entry fee for each team is $100.
The event will also include a live auction, which begins at 6 p.m. Saturday. Among the auction items is a custom-built poker table, propane bottle and 30 pounds of shrimp.
Proceeds raised help provide scholarships for Deer Park High School students.
Last year, we handed out a $2,500 scholarship to a senior at Deer Park High School," Hebert said. This year, we are going to give out more money, but we are going to spread it just a little thinner and help more kids out."
Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded this year, he said.
Live music is on tap from 8 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, the rock n' roll band Overdrive will perform. On Saturday, the country western singer David Glenn will take to the stage.
For information, e-mail texdj65@yahoo.com.