Boyne Island couple's sizzling hot Australian BBQ record

Couple lay claim to an Australian barbecue record at Emerald Beer and BBQ Fest.

WINNER WINNER: Cassie Strohmeyer and Grant Bignell from 'Smoke on the Water' won four awards at the recent Beer and BBQ Fest in Emerald. Picture: Contributed

A BOYNE Island couple can lay claim to an Australia barbecue record after smoking their competition at last weekend's Emerald Beer and BBQ Fest.

While it's yet to be made official, judges at the Beer and BBQ Fest believe Cassie Strohmeyer and Grant Bignell's Smoke on the Water team is the first in Australia to clean sweep a barbecue awards.

The couple claimed first place in the Chicken, Beef Ribs, Brisket and Pork categories, and also took out Grand Champion at the September 7-8 event.

They had form heading into the Emerald competition after claiming third place overall out of 46 teams at the Bundaberg BBQ Battle in April.

Cassie and Grant both work full time while running their catering business, also called Smoke on the Water, where they do private functions and various markets and events including BAM and River Glow.

They specialise in American-style low-and-slow barbecuing involving a variety of meat. It's a style they've been perfecting for almost five years.

"It involves a lot of practice and a lot of time and money is invested into it," Cassie said.

"It's about knowing how the protein cooks - learn how to cook your protein first, then work on your flavours."

Barbecue competition judges do blind taste testing, making flavour all that more important.

"If you've got a brisket you're generally injecting it with some form of liquid - our competition flavours are completely different to catering flavours," Cassie said.

"In competitions you're trying to bang as many flavours into one mouthful, because the judges have only one to judge your protein on."