Another Polar Pig BBQ Cookoff In Concord, NC

Trophies for Polar Pig are creatively designed.

The final contest for many barbecue cooking teams and judges is the Polar Pig BBQ Cookoff, held initially in Mount Pleasant, NC, in 2016 and continuing in Concord, NC, for the past three years. I’ve been fortunate to participate in each year as a judge.

Two Contests

This year the event offered teams the opportunity to compete in two contests as it did last year. The 2018 contest used a double-entry format, which permits teams to turn in entries simultaneously for both contests that are held concurrently. However, this year the two contests (renamed as duels) were held on successive days.

Judges relax in a large room of the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center before their meeting begins.

Each duel awards prizes and points, which appeals to teams trying to increase their point total as a year of competition is ending. Each contest is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and qualifies teams for invitational championships such as the Jack Daniel’s World Championship and American Royal World Series of Barbecue.

Competition teams set up in the midway of the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center.

Popular Format

The duel format is a popular way to finish the competition year for cooking teams, which came from 15 states (one more than last year), and compete in prize money that amounted to $5,350 for Duel A and another $5,350 for Duel B. I judged on only Saturday (Duel A) when 47 teams competed. On the next day, 33 teams competed in Duel B. With the large number of teams competing in Duel A, eight tables of judges were needed, and they came from as far away as Texas.

Uncle Pig's Barbecue Pit won first place in the chicken category (with a perfect score) and third place overall in the cookoff.

Held in the Cabarrus (County) Arena and Events Center, Polar Pig continues to improve each year. Although the warm temperatures in November don’t always match the image of a polar pig, the contest is always enjoyable because so many top teams participate.

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.