Historic New Bern, NC, Begins New BBQ Tradition

New Bern is the home of the newest sanctioned barbecue event in North Carolina.

In the inaugural Bear-B-Q contest, top pitmasters went head-to-head for bragging rights, cash, and awards in the historic city of New Bern, NC. 

The ribs entry of Alpine Smoke Works, which finished as the reserve champion. Photo: Alpine Smoke Works via Facebook.

The contest was held at the city’s scenic riverfront where the Neuse and Trent Rivers come together. Although the day was rainy, the pitmasters and judges were very pleased to have a new event sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. For the contest, 26 teams competed for $20,000 in prize money, and $4,000 was reserved for “backyard” teams who were competing in their first event and needed contest experience to develop their pitmaster skills.

Cooking teams set up along the scenic riverfront of New Bern.

Named for Bern in west-central Switzerland, New Bern has also adopted the bear, displayed on a red-yellow background, as its heraldic symbol. Naming the contest for the bear was an easy choice for the organizers who were raising money for the CarolinaEast Foundation, which supports the healthcare community in the area.

The grand champion team shows off all their awards. Photo: Mcadoo Heights BBQ via Facebook.

The grand champion of the contest was Mcadoo Heights BBQ, which also earned a perfect score (180 points) for its pork entry. It easily outdistanced Alpine Smoke Works, the reserve champion, which finished second in overall points.

The competition trailer of Mcadoo Heights BBQ overlooks the river scene. Photo: Mcadoo Heights BBQ via Facebook.

New Bern is rich in history. It is the second-oldest European-settled colonial town in North Carolina (after Bath) and served as the capital of North Carolina from 1770 to 1792. Now that it is the home for a sanctioned BBQ contest, it joins the rest of eastern North Carolina in celebrating the best of barbecue traditions. As I wind down my judging experiences, I'm glad that I've added New Bern to the places where I've judged.

Image: Kansas City Barbeque Society via Facebook.

Barbecue Competition Returns to Pinehurst, NC, Area

Ribs prepared by Wolf's Revenge are ready for the judges to evaluate. Photo: Wolf's Revenge via Facebook.

Smokin' in the Pines

Smokin’ in the Pines returned to the barbecue scene after taking a year off last year. First held in 2023, the event raises funds for First Tee—Sandhills, a youth development organization that supports kids and teens through the game of golf. The contest also features some of the top cooking teams on the East Coast because it offered $5,000 in prize money.

Wolf's Revenge celebrate their first-place prizes. Photo: Wolf's Revenge via Facebook.

Wolf's Revenge Is Grand Champion

The top team was Wolf’s Revenge, which was crowned as the grand champion. It outpaced the runner-up (known as the reserve champions), Smokin Skullies, by the thinnest of margins—0.0004 points. Wolf’s Revenge placed very high in all four meat categories: chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket.

The Wolf's Revenge team assembles its chicken entry. Photo: Wolf's Revenge via Facebook.

 

Contest Held On Airport Tarmac 

George DeMartz, the contest organizer, told the judges that more than 70 cooking teams had expressed interest in competing in the contest, which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. However, he could only accept 22 because the space at the Moore County Airport, where the event is held, could not accommodate more. About the venue, Wolf’s Revenge commented on Facebook: “Cooking BBQ and serving samples on an airport tarmac with helicopters and private jets whirling around was nothing short of impressive.”

Unperturbed by the airport traffic, BBQ teams set up on the tarmac.

The contest was not held last year because the local area was engaged with the extensive preparations for the U.S. Open, the annual tournament conducted by the U.S. Golf Association, which was held at Pinehurst Country Club just six miles away.

A team member of Wolf's Revenge prepares the pork entry for judging. Photo: Wolf's Revenge via Facebook.

Activities For Local Community

Smokin’ in the Pines was also a festival for the local community. Afternoon activities included live music, kids activities, local vendors, and other entertainment. Of course, the most popular activities were touring the area where the competition teams were cooking and sampling BBQ that the teams had prepared for the People’s Choice contest. It’s a great event, and I hope to return again as a judge.

Brisket smoked by Wolf's Revenge is ready for slicing. Photo: Wolf's Revenge via Facebook.

Rutherford College, NC, Creates Barbecue Cookoff Tradition

Pork ribs prepared by the reserve champion, One-Eyed Pig BBQ Team. Photo: One-Eyed Pig BBQ Team via Facebook.

A small town in the foothills of western North Carolina is developing a positive reputation for hosting an important barbecue cookoff. It is Rutherford College, NC, which carries the name of the college that had been located in the community and was closed in 1933. Its population is fewer than 1,500 residents.

Trophies are ready to be awarded to the winning teams.

BBQ Contest In Rutherford College

Although Rutherford College is small, its annual contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society is huge for judges and cooking teams. Known as the Pigmasters BBQ Challenge, it attracted 33 cooking teams this year that wanted to showcase their talents for cooking chicken, pork ribs, pork butt, and beef brisket. 

 Caption: Smokin’ Skullies BBQ took top honors. Photo: Pigmasters BBQ Challenge via Facebook.

Smokin' Skullies BBQ Wins

The winning team was Smokin’ Skullies BBQ, which took home a check for $2,000 as the grand champion. The runner-up was One-Eyed Pig BBQ Team, which missed first place by just 1.1316 points. A total of $9,580 was available in prize money plus trophies. 

Chicken by One-Eyed Pig BBQ Team usually scores very high. Photo: One-Eyed Pig PPQ Team via Facebook.

Pigmasters BBQ Challenge Attracts Top Teams

Begun in 2020, Pigmasters BBQ Challenge has survived the social isolation challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and continues as a major event in the fall for teams looking to boost their resumes. The cookoff will continue to attract top cooking teams to a small town in the foothills of western North Carolina.

Cookoff in Apex, NC, Features Top Barbecue Teams Again

Finishing third overall was Blue & Gray BBQ, which placed first in the ribs category. Photo: Blue & Gray BBQ via Facebook.

Peak City Pig Fest continues to earn accolades for featuring some of the best barbecue cooking teams that compete in contests sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. In addition to being a fun event each year for the town of Apex, NC, the Pig Fest has a long history of supporting its community. 

The chicken entry by Swine ‘N’ Roses looks wonderful; however, the team managed just an eleventh-place finish in that meat category. Photo: Swine 'N' Roses via Facebook.

Organized by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Apex, the Pig Fest has contributed more than $500,000 to local charities; the primary one this year is Western Wake Crisis Ministries. 

Smokin Skullies BBQ won first place in the brisket category with a perfect score of 180

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At the start of the judges’ meeting, organizer Graham Wilson announced that 25 teams were competing — a few new ones but most were elite teams that had been competitors before. They were vying for the $10,800 in prize money.

The judges get organized before their meeting begins.

To judge the entries of all the cooking teams, four tables of judges with a table captain were needed. The table where I was assigned included judges with a wide range of experiences, including one who was participating in just his third cookoff.

In addition to the barbecue cookoff, the Pig Fest includes a two-day street scene with live entertainment, food trucks, beer garden, sponsor displays, and vendors.

Before the contest began, the favorite team to win was Mcadoo Heights, which had been the grand champion in the previous two years. However, this year they slipped to 10th place overall, although they did win first place in the pork category.

Mcadoo Heights won first prize in the brisket category. Photo: Mcadoo Heights via Facebook.

The winning team was Optimus Swine from Williamsburg, Va. Although they did not win in any meat category, they placed second in both ribs and chicken. Their lowest finish was fifth place in brisket, and overall they accumulated more points than any other team. 

Optimus Swine went home with the top cash prize, trophies as Grand Champion and winner of the People's Choice contest, and awards for three meat categories.

Apex has always been one of my favorite contest sites. Now that I live just 15 minutes away, it’s even more enjoyable to be a judge at the Pig Fest. I hope to be able to continue to participate in this event. It’s a worthwhile event for the local community.

Cooking teams set up in off-street locations in downtown Apex.

Inaugural Barbecue Competition in Pinehurst, NC

Historic hangars were part of the scenery for the event.

Finally, a barbecue contest about ten minutes from my home! For years, I have been traveling several hundred miles for the enjoyment of judging at events sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Less than a third have been within a few hours of my home in North Carolina. Most have required overnight stays near the location of the contest, particularly when I have judged at events in Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, and New York.

Judges met in a conference room at the airport.

Smokin' in the Pines

Traveling to events is fun and often takes me to places that I wouldn’t ordinarily visit. I never thought that judging in my hometown would be possible and was surprised when KCBS announced plans for the inaugural Smokin’ in the Pines in Pinehurst, NC. The contest site at the county airport is less than seven miles from my home. 

Cooking teams set up on the airport tarmac near parked aircraft.

I immediately applied to judge. Because Bob Johanns, the contest organizer, confirmed early that I would participate, I was able to look forward to this contest several weeks in advance. In the event, 24 teams competed for the $15,000 in prize money, a sizeable sum for an inaugural event. One Eyed Pig BBQ from South Carolina was the grand champion. Placing in second and capturing reserve grand champions honors was Redneck Scientific.

Bob Johanns, contest organizer, with Doug Reid and Alan Rockroth, KCBS representatives. Photo: Smokin' in the Pines via Facebook.

First Tee—Sandhills

Typical for many KCBS contests, this event raised funds for a charity relevant to the local community. Pinehurst is known for its golf culture, and proceeds from the contest benefited First Tee—Sandhills, a youth development organization that empowers kids and teens through the game of golf. It creates learning experiences that build their inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience through its junior golf programs. 

Joe Frye and his band entertain the crowd.

A large crowd enjoyed the music, other entertainment, and being part of the scene with barbecue as its main focus. Because this year’s Smokin’ in the Pines was so successful, the organizers should bring it back again next year, and I hope can participate. The easy drive was just what I needed.

Prizes before being presented to the winners at the award ceremony. Photo: Smokin' in the Pines via Facebook.

Grand champion was the One Eyed Pig BBQ Team. Photo: Smokin' in the Pines via Facebook.

Judging Hash in South Carolina

One of 11 heads used in traditional Lowcountry hogshead hash being made in Camp Branch, SC. Image: Carolina Hash / Folkstreams.

A special experience in barbecue judging is the opportunity to judge a youth contest or an ancillary dish. Sometimes young, aspiring pitmasters compete in “Kids Que” contests. In “Anything Butt” (or “Anything Goes”) and deserts-only contests, family favorites compete for special recognition and prizes. Barbecue cookoffs often have contests for side dishes like the one for hash at the BBQ and Blues Festival of Discovery in Greenwood, SC. You might ask, What is hash?

 

The Festival of Discovery features BBQ & Blues — and hash.

What Is South Carolina Hash? 

Hash is a traditional stew in South Carolina that dates back to the early 1800s, according to barbecue writer and historian Robert Moss. When hogs were slaughtered for barbecuing, parts such as the head, liver, and other organ meats that didn’t make it onto the pit were used to make hash and to make sure during a rural hog-killin’ that every last scrap of a hog wasn’t wasted. 

These items were cooked in a pot with water over an open fire for many hours until they had broken down and become a thick, gravy-like substance. Items such as red pepper, potatoes, and onions were often added, but the hash depends on the slowly cooked meat items for its hearty flavor.

 

Hash being made in The Hash House in Greenwood, SC. Image: Carolina Hash / Folkstreams.

  

Moss describes hash as a cross between a thick gravy and a stew. It’s typically a side dish that accompanies barbecue and not a meal by itself. Outside of South Carolina, nothing resembles this dish. Hash recipes have also been included in issues of food magazines such as Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and The Local Palate. The name may come from “haslet,” an Old English word for the entrails of a butchered animal but other accounts also attribute the name to the French Huguenot population in early Charleston. 

When barbecue moved “indoors” as restaurants opened, hash was a standard side dish with the stew ladled over a bed of cooked white rice (or bread). When restaurants shifted from cooking whole hog to just shoulders and hams, many began making hash from the barbecue left over from the previous day, and about half of the S.C. barbecue restaurants surveyed by the (Charleston) Post & Courier no longer today include liver in their hash. 

Legendary in its time, The Hash House in Greenwood, SC, has closed. Image: Stan Woodward / Folkstreams.

The S.C. Office of Tourism describes hash as “a stewlike concoction of ground meats flavored with vegetables, condiments, and spices.” Most people are ready to sample it until they learn more about the history of hash and realize that many recipes rely on liver and other organ meats for the pungent flavor of hash. 

What Makes Hash Popular? 

Hash remains popular in South Carolina because it’s rooted in the state’s barbecue traditions. It is a typical side dish that usually accompanies a barbecue order. Definitely comfort food, it also commemorates the humble lifestyles of the past, and many people have developed a fondness for it because of family traditions. At one time “hash houses” were located throughout South Carolina with the largest concentration in the Upstate region, although many such as this one in Troy that closed in 2014 are no longer open. 

The Hash House in Troy, S.C., closed more than a decade ago. Photo: Hash House / Facebook.

The city of Greenwood was one of the most active hash-making places in the state, according to the folklife documentary Carolina Hash on the history of South Carolina hash. (Learn more by watching the documentary.) Today many barbecue restaurants have hash on their menus as the map below illustrates. 

At least 160 S.C. barbecue restaurants serve hash. Image: Southern Living.

How Do You Judge Hash? 

For events such as judging hash, there are no national standards or guidelines like for contests sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Sometimes a contest specifies only turn-in times; however, several guidelines were announced for the Greenwood event. 

This entry has a dominant tomato flavor.

For this contest, hash can consist of potatoes, onions, spices, and other seasonings with shredded pork or beef, or both. Because contest rules prohibited the presentation of the hash with side dishes or with any else such as rice or bread, each entry was simply the hash. (At KCBS events, barbecue is typically presented with a garnish.) 

Diced potatoes are the main component in this hash.

Each entry was judged on appearance, taste, and tenderness (the three criteria of a KCBS contest) and could have earned a maximum of 180 points. The winning team was Chicka-Piga-Moo that outdistanced K&E’s Little Smokers, which finished second, by only three points. Incidentally, Chicka-Piga-Moo is a top competitor in the S.C. Barbecue Association and routinely places high in barbecue contests. 

Mustard could be clearly detected in this hash.

How Different Were the Entries? 

Nineteen teams competed, and every entry had its own distinguishing characteristics, although the ingredients and presentation were limited. The entries varied in color, consistency, taste (some were pungent; some were sweet), texture (from stringy to clumpy), ingredients (from meat items only to all permitted ingredients), and moisture content (some were soupy, some had little moisture). One surprise of the judging activity happened when an entry being shown to a judge was tipped too low and about half a cup of hash “liquid” spilled onto the scoresheet and pants of the judge. How he scored this entry wasn't disclosed!

This hash seemed to have all permitted ingredients.

What Were the Rewards? 

The hash contest had a total of $1,200 in prizes that was divided among the top three places: $500 for first place, $400 for second, and $300 for third. However, more important than the money are the bragging rights for placing among the top three, particularly for the first-place winner. Imagine claiming that you are the state champion for South Carolina, which is known for its barbecue and hash traditions. 

Chicka-Piga-Moo took home $500 for placing first in the hash contest. Photo: Festival of Discovery / Facebook.

What Were the Other Side Contests? 

At the Festival of Discovery, contests were also held for Anything Goes with 29 entries and Desserts with 26 entries. Two Kids Que contests were held; one for kids 10 and under (with five participants) and another for ages 11 and older (three participants). 

The festival conducted two Kids Que contests. Photo: Festival of Discovery / Facebook.

Because teams competing in the hash contest were also permitted to sell their hash to the public during the festival, appreciation for the hash wasn’t limited to only the judges. 

Wrap Up 

The next time you are in South Carolina, find a barbecue restaurant with hash on its menu. See if you don’t agree with the state’s traditions that it belongs on a plate with barbecue.

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Finally, the following video shows hash being made:

Stem, NC: A Barbecue Scene Suitable for a Wedding

All judging activities for the cookoff took place in the party barn.

A wedding venue makes a great choice as the site for a barbecue cookoff. The scenery is typically extraordinary, a large hall with extra side spaces is often available, and parking is more than adequate with overflow grounds for large crowds. The Barn at Vino in Stem, NC, is a popular choice for weddings and special events, and now it is also where BBQ teams and judges will convene each spring for a contest sanctioned by Kansas City Barbecue Society. 

The rolling green fields at the Farm included lots of spaces for vendors and activities.

Located on a 95-acre property with two large ponds in rural Granville County, the farm is a clear favorite of local brides. The landscape includes rolling green fields and almost three acres of vineyards, and the drive leading to the barn is charmingly tree-lined. That scenery notwithstanding, it was even more amazing as smoke spiraled from cookers that 46 professional teams and 24 amateur teams were tending for Jimbo’s Annual BBQ Competition.

Cooking teams are set up in assigned spaces near the barn.

The contest attracted some of the top teams in the Southeast, and the top-placing teams were familiar names. The event was also a fundraiser for Wreaths Across America, a charity organization that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at 2,500 locations to honor fallen military veterans. In addition to watching the BBQ teams compete, the spectators also enjoyed the scene with live music, an aerial display, 30 vendors, and food trucks. 

Live music was part of the entertainment for the day.

The contest marked a renewed interest in BBQ competitions as the effects of the pandemic seem to be under control and more events are being planned. For quite a few judges, this event was the first one for them in more than a year, and it was also the first event for several new judges. 

The scenery at the Farm at Vino made the weekend special/ The cookoff in future years will be just as successful as the one this year.

   

When there's a party, the Stem Fire Department comes too.

Back in Summerville, SC

Cooking teams set up at campsites on the shore of Shrine Lake in Summerville, SC.  Smokin' Gringos (foreground) won third place in ribs and brisket.

The difference between the last contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society that I attended to the current one couldn’t be greater. My last KCBS contest was the American Royal, the world’s largest barbecue cookoff. Now I’m in Summerville, SC, for the Brew & Que on Shrine Lake, which is one of the smallest contests that I participate in.

The turn-in area is quiet before the judging activities begin.

This year 15 cooking teams again participated (compared to 468 at the open contest of the Royal). Although Brew & Que limits the number of teams that can compete, quite a few judges always apply each year. The close proximity of Summerville to Charleston (with its sight-seeing attractions) probably influences a lot of them to register. At the table where I judged, they were from Florida, Iowa, and Georgia.

Trophies are ready for the awards ceremony.

At Brew & Que, which is organized by the Dorchester Shrine Club as a fundraiser to support Shriner Hospitals for Children, the teams competed for $4,000 in prize money. Again cooking teams were very competitive and included two teams — Smoke Central BBQ and Muttley Crew BBQ — that had competed at the Royal.

Muttley Crew BBQ, which competed in the American Royal, came in second in pork at Brew & Que.

Although small in scope, Brew & Que is an excellent contest for teams to end the competition year. Because it's also a popular choice for judges, the cookoff will continue to be a favorite for everyone.