Chef Michael Symon and pitmaster Chris Lilly headlining 12th Annual Hangout Oyster Cookoff Craft Spirit & Beer Weekend

Staff Report
Posted 10/30/19

The 12th Annual Hangout Oyster Cook-Off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend serves 100,000 oysters in one day to guests from all over the country, and it is bigger and better than ever for 2019.

Nov. 1 …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Chef Michael Symon and pitmaster Chris Lilly headlining 12th Annual Hangout Oyster Cookoff Craft Spirit & Beer Weekend

Posted

The 12th Annual Hangout Oyster Cook-Off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend serves 100,000 oysters in one day to guests from all over the country, and it is bigger and better than ever for 2019.

Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, over 10,000 people will arrive at the beach in Gulf Shores for an unforgettable weekend. Walk the beach, drink rare spirits and craft beers, listen to live music, and meet some of the most celebrated chefs in the country.

Headlining the weekend is chef Michael Symon and world-champion barbecue pitmaster, Chris Lilly. Chef Symon is a star on the Food Network. His shows include Iron chef America, barbecue Brawl, Burgers Brew & ‘Que and is perhaps best known for his hit Emmy Award winning show, ABC’s The Chew.

Chef Chris Lilly is a six-time barbecue world champion, including four wins at the prestigious Memphis in May Grand Championships. He is the head chef at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and heads their competition cooking team. Chef Lilly also serves as a judge on Food Network’s barbecue Brawl.

Oysters are the highlight of this magnificent event, with more than 100,000 oysters prepared in the Raw, Cajun and Rockefeller categories. In addition to featuring thousands of Alabama oysters, there will be oysters from all over the continent in the North American Raw Oyster Showcase. New for 2019, restaurants will feature a specialty dish to represent their culinary flair. These dishes will be available for all Hangout Cook-Off attendees!

Come dance, sing along, and hear the stories behind the music when the Jimmy Hall and the Muscle Shoals All-Stars come to Gulf Shores to celebrate 60 years of #1 hit records. Fronted by Mobile native Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie and Jeff Beck fame, the lineup of legends includes David Hood, of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section- also known as the “Swampers” and keyboard player Spooner Oldham who have helped create some of the most popular songs in American music history. Songs like “Mustang Sally,” “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Sweet Soul Music,” “Slip Away,” “Free Bird,” R-E-S-P-E-C-T, “Tell Mama,” “Brown Sugar,” “I’ll Take You There,” and “When a Man Loves a Woman” are only a few of the hundreds of No. 1 hits recorded at FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios over the decades. The Muscle Shoals All-Stars also includes Clayton Ivey of the Fame Gang, Will McFarlane, Kelvin Holly, Carla Russell, The Shoals Sisters, and the Muscle Shoals Horns with arrangements by Charles Rose.

As Alabama’s 200th birthday celebration concludes, there could be no more fitting way to celebrate Alabama’s beautiful beaches, Alabama oysters, and Alabama hospitality than with the Alabama music and musicians who have helped create the soundtrack to so many lives.

Caroline Jones, currently touring with Jimmy Buffet, will perform Saturday on the main stage. Her hit record “Gulf Coast Girl” written with Buffet, Kenny Chesney, and Mac McAnally went viral this summer with millions of views. Crawford & Power will kick off the party Friday night followed by folk pop band Boy Named Banjo and others.

Friday’s Kick-Off party is back and bigger than ever. Sample some of the rarest spirits to reach the Gulf Coast. Bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle will be paired with high-end barbecue, prepared by some of the hottest pitmasters in the U.S. (Fox Bros barbecue, Jess Pryles, Pig Beach NYC Shane McBride, and Sam Jones barbecue). Rums like Matusalem will be paired with Caribbean cuisine, and Mexican food will be paired with boutique tequilas including Avion 44. The craft beer village features All-American gourmet grilled food with the best burgers and hotdogs on the beach.

Celebrity chef Lineup includes:

● Hosted by Alabama’s own Food Network star, Martie Duncan

● Michael Symon (Iron chef, The Chew, barbecue Brawl and many others)

● Chris Lilly (5x Memphis in May winner, Food Network, barbecue Brawl)

● Aarón Sánchez

● Aarti Sequeira (Guy’s Grocery Games, Season 6 Winner of Food Network Star)

● Justin Warner (Food Network Star)

● Panini Pete Blohme (Guy’s Grocery Games)

● James Briscione (Food Network, Chopped)

● Michele Ragussis (Food Network, Beat Bobby Flay)

● Jim Smith (Top chef)

● Irv Miller (Cookbook Author)

● Wes True (Bravo’s Top chef)

● Linkie Marais (Food Network Star and Big Green Egg chef)

Now in its twelfth year, the Hangout Oyster Cook-Off has become a regional staple, shining a spotlight on Alabama Gulf Seafood and Southern oyster recipes from Rockefeller to Cajun. In addition to the culinary creativity of this event, it is a great weekend getaway for families and couples. There are a multitude of fun, interactive activities including cooking demos, live music and more.

Workshops, Food Demonstrations and Activities

● The Publix Hands-on Demo Stage

● Celebrity Stage presented by Big Green Egg®

● Food Stars Book Signings

● North American Raw Oyster Showcase

● Bloody mary Invitational presented by Ketel One Vodka & Whiskey Willy’s bloody mary Mix

● Shucking Competition

Children 12 and under are admitted for free Nov. 2. Nov. 1 is a 21 and up, adults only event. General Admission and VIP tickets for the 2019 Hangout Oyster Cook-Off Craft Spirits & Beer Weekend are on sale now at www.hangoutcookoff.com.