Music meats therapy at Meatstock
Friday, 14 February 2025
Meatstock is back at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek this weekend, and men from all over the country are gathering in numbers to celebrate the primal and therapeutic satisfaction in cooking over fire.
Thousands are expected in Hamilton this weekend for what is one of the biggest celebrations of barbecuing in the world.
Event organisers say they are expecting 4,000 on Friday, and 11,000 on Saturday at the Mystery Creek venue, and the numbers are up from last year.
It’s not just for men, but the male dominated barbecue culture is creating an outlet and support network for men who aren’t into rugby, and like to cook.
Low and slow is the motto for barbecue cooking, but it feels anything but in the midday sun as Meatstock vendors grill, roast, and BBQ their meats in preparation for the crowds to arrive.
Men in black shirts and beards sweat in the shade as they prepare meats primarily cooked in the low and slow American style.
Matt Flanagan of Smokin’ Oak in Morrinsville is at the fest, and admits there’s a “little” bit of therapy in barbecuing.
His first introduction was in 2010 through a food show about the Pit Masters on TV. It sparked an interest in barbecuing, that’s become his and his wife’s business.
“I tried to go out and buy one at Mitre 10 and couldn’t find one.”
“Now it’s like half their range.”
Flanagan says he realised he’d found his people when he came to Meatstock for the first time, and was surrounded by people as into barbecuing as he was. Before then, he thought he was “the only one” into it.
“It’s a wicked community”, says Flanagan.
Matt’s wife Heather says it’s a form of support for guys who are not into rugby, or, as Matt add, might be lacking “athletic prowess”.
“Everybody takes care of each other” says Heather.
“It’s creative, but it’s also structured, because me and boredom aren’t friends,” says Matt.
Part of the idea of the festival is to provide inspiration for barbecuers, and the place to be impressed is the Fire Kitchen.
Jared Macdonald has organised the Fire Pit, bringing together ‘pit masters’ from around the world.
The pit masters are world-class, and will be showcasing life fire-cooking methodologies including Argentine-style lamb cooked on a crucifix, Brazilian grill and Texas style.
Macdonald says it’s a taste of what the “refined side” of barbecuing can be.
“It’s high-end blue-collar food,” says Macdonald, that’s earthy, ashy and smokey.
He says the popularity of barbecue culture is down to people wanting to “do something real again”.
“Cooking with fire is genetically inside all of us.”
“So people aren’t getting into it, they’re getting back into it.”
“They’re learning how to cook again.”
Barbecuing is massively popular in the US, with over 500 restaurants dedicated to BBQ in Texas alone, and it’s starting to take off here too.
Meatstock director Jay Beaumont says part of it is that men are getting more into cooking.
“It’s a weird little quirk,” says Beaumont, who is a self-professed “foodie” himself.
He says Meatstock is one of the biggest barbecue festivals in the world, and it attracts “a really weird mix”.
“You’ve got everything from the heavily tattooed, to those here for music, to those here to eat.”
“If you’re passionate about music, BBQ or cars, it’s the place to be.”
Here to celebrate barbecuing culture are experts from around the world, including teams from the Cook Islands and United States who will compete on Saturday.
There’s a mo’ comp, and even a dad bod comp.
“If you want to have a laugh and a good time, go to the dad bod comp,” says Beaumont.