Starting a Whole Hog Tradition in Knightdale, NC

When Boy Scout Troop 365 of Knightdale, NC, considered ideas for a community event that would also be a fundraiser for its projects, it thought that a whole hog cookout with a car show would be a winner. They were right. It was.

Cooking teams set up in the spacious Knightdale Station Park.

Held on Father’s Day at Knightdale Station Park, the inaugural Knightdale Classic Car Show and BBQ Cookoff attracted skilled pitmasters, classic cars, and an appreciative public, and it was a huge success. The park—a new community gathering space with trails, athletic fields, playground area, and dog park—was the perfect location. Cooking teams and exhibitors at the car show had more than adequate space.

Classic cars arrive early for their show (cooking teams are in the background).

Ten teams competed in the cookoff, which was sanctioned by the N.C. Pork Council and is an event in the series to determine the Pitmaster of the Year as well as the Whole Hog Barbecue Champion at the end of the year. The level of competition was very high because the participating pitmasters included past state champions, and seven had already been winners at regional events this year.

The pig at Chris Fineran's site is in shambles after the judges have finished their evaluations.

For at least two pitmasters, this event was their third whole hog cookoff in four days, an unusually demanding schedule that only the brave (and talented) would even try. Before they arrived in Knightdale to be ready for judging on Saturday, they had been in Burgaw (the event was N.C. Blueberry Festival BBQ Cookoff) for judging on Thursday and Louisburg (BBQ in the ‘Burg) on Friday. Surprisingly, no one showed signs of tiredness.

Teams await the result as their scores are tallied.

My fellow judges—Lubin Prevatt, Don Carlough, and Tim Croon—and I were impressed how well the pitmasters did. Kevin Peterson (state champion in 2017) placed in first, a few points ahead of Chris Fineran (the reigning state champion) and Roy Parker (state champion in 2006). All three qualify to compete in the cookoff this fall to determine the 2019 state champion. The pigs, supplied by Brewer Meat Products of Wilson, NC, were all within three pounds of 125 pounds, an amazing consistency that many contest organizers (and pitmasters) dream about.

A site after the judges' visit tells a story: the judges are very thorough in their evaluations.

Neil Barnhill, the event organizer, is a regular on the BBQ circuits as the pitmaster of Black Iron Cookin’, a team that competes in events sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. The day before the event in Knightdale, Barnhill had competed in nearby Apex, NC, where 38 teams had entered the cookoff of the Peak City Pigfest.

Neil Barnhill, who competed in an event on the previous day in Apex, is the pitmaster of the Black Iron Cookin' team.

When the event ended, Barnhill had a lot of reasons to be proud. His son, a competing pitmaster, did very well in his first contest. Next, the cookoff attracted top talent, unusual for an inaugural event. Also, the weather cooperated; the weekend was beautiful. Oh, the barbecue was excellent.

After the judging was completed, the barbecue was prepared for sale to the public: $10 for a pound and $6 for a sandwich plate. All proceeds went to the Scouts to provide funds for a future bus, camps and trips, equipment replacements, and other activities.

A sense of nervous calm permeates the cooking area before the judging activities begin.

In only its first year, the Knightdale Classic Car Show and BBQ Cookoff has created a solid foundation for a great annual tradition, once again proving an old saying: If you want something done well, give it to the Scouts.