Another Cookoff in Asheboro, NC

In 2014, leaders and planners of Asheboro, NC, which has 25,000 residents, organized the inaugural Pigs and Pedals BBQ Cookoff, and the first event surpassed their highest expectations. Now in its sixth year, the contest has annually set records as it brings visitors to the city’s historic downtown district.

Mayor David Smith of Asheboro welcomes judges to the city.

I was fortunate to have been selected in its inaugural year of being sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, and I have judged in Asheboro at this contest on more occasions than any other cookoff. The only time that I couldn’t attend is 2015. Each year the event seems to grow with more activities and larger crowds.

Judges are sworn in before judging activities begin.

Located in the heart of North Carolina, Asheboro is an easy drive for many judges and teams. For me, it’s a short drive from home. The cookoff is one of my favorites not because it’s so close but because the organizers treat the judges so generously with door prizes and gift bags. Literally every judge takes home a prize. In fact, half of the judges’ meeting is taken up by giving out gifts during the door-prize drawing.

I won the cooler bag that every judge wants.

Contagious Q, the defending champion, set up early and was only a few steps away from the turn-in table. This year four other teams scored higher overall than it did, but it did win third place in the ribs category. The new defending champion now is Smoke Central BBQ, who also won the pork category.

Contagious Q set up early and hoped to repeat as grand champion.

The two-day signature event of the local chamber of commerce, area visitors bureau, and the city continues to impress. This year 40 teams vied for a share of the $12,000 in prize money. Most of the teams set up around Bicentennial Park, but several were located farther away and had about a five-minute walk to the turn-in area.

Cooking teams set up around Bicentennial Park in the historic downtown district.

During the weekend, other barbecue competitions include a people’s choice contest and a kids’ que (a contest for ages 6 to 15). In addition to an antique car show on the downtown streets, a food and beer garden with entertainment is very popular. Several food, craft, and merchandise vendors also offer something of interest for almost everyone.

The car show, limited to 200 vehicles, continues to grow in popularity.

Pigs and Pedals will continue to be a popular event each August for the public, judges, and cooking teams. Being located in the heart of North Carolina helps to make it well-attended, but more important is how well the competition is organized. It’s a superior cookoff.

Children ages 6 to 15 compete in the kids' que contest.

Returning to Asheboro

Pigs and Pedals in Asheboro, NC, continues to impress me as a top-notch and well-organized event. Now in its fifth year, it has improved each year and succeeded in bringing crowds into the downtown area on the first weekend in August.

Cooking teams set up in downtown Asheboro near the park stage.

In addition to the barbecue competition, the festival again this year included a show of antique cars that kept the crowds busy looking at the historic vehicles on display before they voted in the people’s choice contest for one of the 20 cooking teams that participated. Music and other entertainment acts were also featured on the park stage.

Judges listen as contest organizers explain procedures.

For the second time, a kids’ barbecue competition was part of the weekend and added a youthful component to the cookoff. In addition, a new event was a “pig” eating contest — the winner ate the most cupcakes decorated with pig “faces” in five minutes.

Judging took place in The Exchange, a banquet facility, while the car show was occurring outside.

For the barbecue cookoff, 48 teams vied for top honors and a share of the $12,000 in prize money. Rather than being a judge this year, I was asked to be a table captain, which means presenting and distributing barbecue entries to the judges at the table where I was assigned and then collecting their scores after they had evaluated the entries. Although I missed being a judge, I did sample several entries and compared my judgments with the scores turned in. I was also shadowed by a “new” table captain who had just been certified after completing the required training and was able to answer her questions as we performed our tasks.

BBQ samples were prepared for the people's choice contest.

In addition to several master judges, the table included the pitmaster for Speaks for Itself, a competition cooking team that enters about eight contest annually. He is certified and judges at about three other events each year to experience how entries are judged and to hone his competitive skills. Because events sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society use a “blind judging” process, judges do not know which teams they evaluate. However, being both a judge and cook may explain the success that his team achieved at the Jiggy with the Piggy cookoff in Kannapolis in 2017 when it placed third out of 75 teams in the pork category and won fourth place overall.

Pigs and Pedals keeps downtown Asheboro busy during the first weekend in August.

Working with the table of judges and a new table captain was a refreshing change of pace and made Pigs and Pedals an enjoyable experience again this year.

Pigs and Pedals Again

Judges are directed to their area.

Pigs and Pedals in Asheboro, NC, is a favorite contest of mine, and I enjoyed returning for a third time. The cookoff is well organized, and cooking teams are very competitive. Because Asheboro is in the center of the state and is easy to get to, several judges return each year.

Cooking teams set up on the center of downtown Asheboro.

Judging with friends and judges that I’ve met in past events makes the contest even more enjoyable. The contest offered $12,000 in prize money, and 49 cooking teams competed. The barbecue entries were superior, and many entries earned high scores.

Judges relax before their meeting begins.

New for this year was a kids cooking contest. The inaugural Kids Q competition was divided into two age categories: 6 to 10, and 11 to 15. The younger group grilled hamburger, and the older one cooked steaks. The kids got a taste of real competition because the judging criteria -- taste, tenderness, and appearance -- complied with the standards of Kansas City Barbeque Society.

The Kids Q competition area is ready for the junior competitors.

The barbecue cookoff was also held in conjunction with the annual car show of the Zooland Region (so named because of Asheboro’s close proximity to the N.C. Zoo) of the Antique Automobile Association of America. Although the People’s Choice competition of the barbecue contest was very popular, the car show was clearly a crowd favorite, and many people lingered among the old vehicles parked along several blocks of downtown Asheboro.

The antique car show was very popular.

Asheboro has definitely established itself as the place to be in early August for great barbecue, superior cooking teams, and experienced judges. Pigs and Pedals will continue to be an event where I want to judge.

A table full of trophies is ready for the awards ceremony.

A Third Contest in Lakeland, Florida

Going to Lakeland, Florida, for a third consecutive year to judge at a barbecue cookoff must mean that I think the location, contest, and competition are top-notch. They are. The Lakeland Pigfest is a superior event that attracts a huge number of cooking teams and an overflowing crowd at a scenic site.

The crowds show up in droves on both Friday and Saturday.

For the first time in its 21 years, the Pigfest was held away from its usual location, Joker Merchant Stadium, the winter home of the Detroit Tigers because it was being renovated. This year the event was held on the Sun ‘N’ Fun campus at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Although the scenic atmosphere of the stadium was missed, the temporary home has more space for cooking teams and vendors, and the huge crowd could move easily and enjoy the largest event in Florida sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

Musical groups play continuously on the main stage.

I again was assigned as a judge in the “pro” division, which means judging teams that are a cut above. The ribs were so superior that one judge commented, “These are as good as it gets. Each one is perfect.” The briskets that we judged were also excellent. With prize money of $20,000, the Pigfest always attracts outstanding teams.

Judges assemble in the hanger in advance of the first meat turn-in.

In the “pro” division, 60 teams competed. Another 57 participated in the less competitive division known as “backyard,” although this division does include many excellent teams. For such a huge field of teams, Pigfest organizers assembled 22 tables of certified judges (7 at each table). All judging was conducted in an enormous hangar, which seemed cavernous when we entered but soon seemed just right once the 150 judges and volunteers inside were engaged with their duties.

The turn-in table is ready to receive the first meat category, chicken.

Immediately before the “adult” contest, the Pigfest conducts a “Kids Q,” a competition to nurture an interest in preparing barbecue for kids in two age groups: 11 to 15, and 10 and under. The children are provided grills by the Pigfest and then are responsible for the preparation, cooking, and presentation of their entries, although a parent or guardian is present during their cooking process. Watching the young cooks parade in with their entries is one of the highlights of being a judge at the festival, and I enjoyed serving also as a judge for this contest.

Cooking teams are well prepared and stocked with wood.

Being at the Pigfest in 2017 was a rewarding experience and as much fun as the festivals in 2015 and 2016. Because the Pigfest has now generated more than $2 million in charitable donations for local charities, it’s a significant part of the spirit in the Lakeland community.

Cookers at the Pigfest literally come in all shapes and sizes.

Judging in a Kids Contest

When I had the opportunity to judge in a barbecue contest involving only children, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. However, when I saw the competition for kids under the age of 16 at the Pigfest last year in Lakeland, Florida, I was impressed with the enthusiasm that children bring to an event and the joy that they express when they receive prizes and trophies.

A grandfather offers advice to an aspiring barbecue cook.

The annual Pigfest has included a “Kids Q” contest as part of its activities since 2004. It begins early in the morning, and all judging is completed well before judges have to be ready for the adult competition. After watching the Kids Q in 2015, I wanted to be a judge for this event when I returned to Lakeland for another contest.

Kids prepare meats for their grills.

At Lakeland, the children cook on their own grills in a designated area. Although I enjoyed seeing them labor over their grills under the watchful eye of a grandparent or other mentor, the highlight is the awards ceremony at the main stage. Trophies and prizes are awarded to the winners, plus every child get to keep the grill used in the contest. Another special moment is when youthful contestants parade by the “seasoned” judges, who rise and applaud as they turn in their final entries.

A watchful parent guides a young barbecue competitor.

The contest is divided into two age groups: 11 to 15, and 10 and under. During the cooking process, a parent or guardian has to be present with each child. Although contestants can be helped with fires or slicing, each child had to do all the preparation, cooking, and presentation.

Kids Q competitors parade by the judges, who stand and applaud as chicken is brought for evaluation.

Judges use the KCBS evaluation forms of a regularly sanctioned event to rate the entries for appearance, taste, and tenderness. Although the contest complies with KCBS rules, the children compete in only two categories – steak and chicken (rather than the four – chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket – of a regularly sanctioned event). A local grocery store chain provides the meat to the children, so except for the registration fee, their expenses are limited.

Kids line up to turn in their chicken entries.

Lakeland officials are making sure that cooking barbecue in their area doesn’t become a lost art. By holding Kids Q, they are grooming a new generation of barbecue fans and helping older family members pass on a hobby to younger members. It’s a great event that should be adopted by more contest organizers.

A Kids Q judge thinks about a score to record.