Whole Hog State Championship

The place to be if you’re interested in a whole hog barbecue cookoff is Raleigh, NC, where each fall the annual state championship is held as part of the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival. The championship is the culmination of a series of barbecue cookoffs, and only the top pitmasters are invited. Each one has won or placed with top honors in a regional contest earlier in the year.

The state championship was held as part of the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival.

Each regional contest is very competitive with the champion eking out a victory over the second-place finisher usually by only a few points. The state championship is even more intense as award-winning pitmasters seek to prove who is the best of the best.

Pitmasters set up along South Street in Raleigh.

For the 2018 event, the weather couldn’t have been more favorable. The morning of judging activities was balmy and sunny as should be expected in late September in central North Carolina. However, this year the event was sandwiched by two monster hurricanes — Florence and Michael — that brought high winds and excessive rain that devastated many areas. Fortunately, the contest itself was not affected by either one.

Lots of interest developed early in the people's choice contest.

I was very happy to be a judge that morning because I have long appreciated how the series culminates in the selection of the state champion. The competition included several categories — on-site, crispy skin, and blind taste by judges certified by the N.C. Pork Council. In addition, a sauce competition was held with “celebrity” judges (writers and chefs), and a people’s choice category let the public vote for their favorites. In all, 13 different cooks won a trophy or a cash prize.

Andy Curliss (left), CEO of the N.C. Pork Council, makes sure judges are ready.

As one of the judges in the blind taste category, I sampled entries from each competitor without knowing the pitmaster. In this competition, most entries were moist with a mild vinegar-pepper flavor. Only a few entries included a piece of crispy skin, either separately with the barbecue or finely chopped into it. Every entry was definitely prepared by a champion, and differences between the scores was very limited.

Judges had an official scoresheet to complete for each entry.

Top honors as the winner of the on-site category went to Chris Fineran of Beach Boys Barbecue who as declared state champion again. He had previously won in 2016. Fineran was also the winner in the crispy skin category.

Chris Fineran of Beach Boys BBQ reigned supreme again this year.

The top two winners in the blind taste category were Mark Copeland and Billy Perry of Pocosin Boys, first place, and Ashley Wheeler of Smokin’ Black Jack BBQ, second place. Third place was a tie between Bobby Prescott of BP Country Cookers and Kevin Peterson of Showtime’s Legit BBQ. 

Only Wheeler placed in the inaugural people’s choice competition. He won second place. First place went to David Hoffman of Grilling Palms BBQ, and Brooke South of Purdy in Pink Cookin’ Team won third place.

Brooke South of Purdy in Pink Cookin' Team placed third in the people's choice contest.

As the judging activities got underway in the blind taste category, I missed seeing the pitmasters and cookers where the barbecue had been prepared. In cookoffs sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council when I have judged, I’ve been on-site with the other judges as each pitmaster watched as we evaluated the entry.

Proceeds from the sale of tickets for the people's choice contest were donated to the Interfaith Food Shuttle and Bluegrass Trust Fund.

However, I appreciate the format of the blind taste category and the objectivity that it provides because judges can’t identify pitmasters with their barbecue. Being a judge in the state championship was a very rewarding experience, and I consider myself very fortunate to be part of this special weekend.