On Wednesday, August 27th, at Salem Harbor Power Station in Salem, Ma, 12 contestants assembled to face off in the 1st Annual Hot Wing Challenge. How did this happen?
It all started with a phone call from the foreman to Fred S. ( a long time member of The Hot Sauce Blog and Hot Sauce Collector) about a week before the BBQ. He was putting together a BBQ for the plant and asked if Fred would do a Hot Wing Contest at his BBQ. There was not very much time before the BBQ was going to take place so Fred called on a few people to help out. A committee was quickly put together by Charlie M. and the pieces quickly began to fall into place. For the contest it was decided to use the Defcon Contest Rules, why reinvent the wheel? Thank you to the Creator! Posters went out. T shirts were ordered. A sign-up sheet was posted and 12 contestants stepped forward. Three judges were needed, no problem. Something was still missing. We needed an independant consultant to make the sauce HOT so a phone call was made to Ed, ChiliHeadEd that is, owner of the RedRum Hot Sauce Company. Was he available to help ? The answer was YES.

On Wednesday the 27th of August preparations began early in the morning for the big day, the tables were set up, wings were pre cooked by Fred using his special recipe on the grill and the contest sauce was prepared. The Salem Power Plant has a Proprietary BBQ Sauce - FITZ’nfred’s Powerhouse (Habanero) BBQ Sauce. Fitz and Fred Both Have Big Gardens and Grow a lot of Habaneros for their sauce. It was taken up to Contest level with the addition of Mad Dog 357 5 million scoville extract, CaJohn’s Black Mamba and RedRum Special Reserve with 16 Million Crystals! Let’s just say it was Hot, Damn Hot, F…in Hot, Blow your face off Hot!….yet it still tasted good!

The contest was scheduled for High Noon…I think I just heard some Clint Eastwoodesque whistling….
The 12 Contestants line up behind the tables and 10 wings drenched in explosively hot sauce are placed in front of each contestant, “Evacuation Receptacles” as The Defcon Creator would so succinctly refer to them are judiciously placed around the perimeter. The judges speak to the contestants, preparing them for the pain to follow, warning any with medical issues to beware, reviewing the rules etc. over 75 fellow Salem Harbor Plant workers gather around to witness the carnage and Charlie M, the timekeeper says GO!

And and we are off. The sauce is going everywhere. Faces covered. Leanne P. drops out and 11 press on. The company doctor has entered as a contestant and he has tears in his eyes and his nose is running uncontrollably! Darcy has it in her hair! Everyone is wearing sauce all over their faces, what a sight! Amazingly, at 2 minutes, 15 seconds, we have the first contestant finish, Rick G has finished all 10 pieces. At a little over 3 minutes, Dan S. is done, and right behind him, Peter T. Everyone is still at the table, suffering along as the spectators cheer. Time is almost up, 30 seconds to go, Fred has one last wing and finishes just as time was up and now 5 minutes with hands on the table starts. 11 finished and all got white t shirts that say “I survived the Salem Harbor Hot Wing Challenge” except for the winner, Rick G. He got the coveted Red t shirt that says “I WON the Salem Harbor Hot Wing Challenge”. Rick is now referred to as the Salem Harbor “Junk Yard Dog”. He was an animal and impressive to watch. Awards were given out for 1st,2nd,3rd place and Leanne P. got the “Tabasco Award” as first to drop out.

A good time was had by all and this is sure to be an annual tradition at The Salem Harbor Plant!

Congratulations Rick “Junk Yard Dog” G.!