Another Pig Fest in Apex, NC

The Mcaddo Heights BBQ team celebrates being the grand champion of the 2023 Peak City Pig Fest. Photo: Peak City Pig Fest via Facebook.

Being in Apex, NC, again for barbecue judging means that another rendition of the Peak City Pig Fest is being held. The event is a great weekend for the local area to celebrate their community spirit and enjoy food and drink with barbecue as the unifying ingredient.

Crowds begin to congregate around the food vendors as lunchtime arrives.

Peak City Pig Fest

The first Pig Fest that I attended as a judge was in 2015. Since that year, the organizers have contributed more than $100,000 to charities. The 2023 event attracted another sizeable crowd as it did last year.

Before the crowds arrived, the cooking team area was extremely quiet early on Saturday morning as they prepared their meat entries.

For this event, I was a table captain and coordinated the scoring at a table of six judges where I presented samples of all four meat categories chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket initially for appearance scores. Then the judges scored them for taste and tenderness, which is the format of an event sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Our table had some of the best ribs and pork entries. Because all judging at a KCBS event is “blind,” we don’t know which teams were judged at our table.

The critical part of the contest begins when the cooking teams turn in their meat samples.

The key to being a successful cooking team in Apex was finally disclosed by the town’s mayor in his welcoming remarks to the judges before their meeting began. He said that it’s important to take into account the town’s elevation (which he pointed out with pride is 499 feet above sea level). It has enjoyed in being known as the Peak City since its early days. The nickname derives from 1867 when a train depot was built on the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad. For that reason, Apex is known as the “Peak of Good Living.”

Apex Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert discloses how a cooking team can be successful in Apex

Top Teams at Pig Fest

With more than $10,000 in prize money, the event attracted 32 cooking teams. Throughout the weekend, crowds walked among the teams and watched them at work. Although most teams were from North Carolina, one traveled from as far away as Illinois. 

The crowds arrived early and were not eager to leave ... at least from the beer garden.

They included Hold Your Horses BBQ from Georgia, the top international team so far in 2023. Also competing was Uncle Pig's Barbecue of New Jersey that was the top team in 2022. In this year’s Pig Fest, it placed second and was edged out of first place by Mcadoo Heights of North Carolina by just 0.0116 points out of 720 possible points.

The top trophies await the winners.

With such a rich history and excellent organization, the Pig Fest will continue to attract top teams to its annual event, which means many judges will be eager to participate.

The beer garden stage featured five bands that played live music for seven hours.

Whole Hog Cookoff in Fuquay-Varina, NC

A perfectly cooked whole hog is in shambles after the judges complete their evaluations.

A small whole hog cookoff sometimes can be a great format. Judges can allocate all the time needed to fully evaluate each site and not be in a rush, and each team knows that their participation is vital. With just seven teams competing, the American Legion Whole Hog Cookoff in Fuquay-Varina, NC, was the smallest event where I have judged.

The site of a cooking team waits for the judges to arrive.

American Legion Cookoff 

The cookoff was the fourth competition conducted by American Legion Post 166. Its previous events had a few more competitors, but this one still was helpful for building community interest in the event and supporting local programs. After judging activities were completed, plates of chopped barbecue plates were sold to the public for $10 each as a fundraiser. With music playing throughout the afternoon, the scene was quite festive.

Because the cookoff was only days before Halloween, spooky decorations decorate several cooking sites.

Sanctioned by N.C. Pork Council, the event is part of the Whole Hog Barbecue Series that celebrates the history and artistry of whole hog cooking and supports communities and nonprofits. Each year more than 130,000 people attend cooking contests in the series and enjoy the barbecue prepared by the cooking teams. 

After the judging is over, each team prepares their barbecue for the fundraiser. 

Judging at Whole Hog Cookoffs

For each site, each judge completed a culinary scoresheet. The criteria include appearance, color, skin crispness, moisture, meat and sauce taste, and completeness of the cooking site. In addition, the judges verify that each pig is fully cooked and the meat can be served to the public. Although at some contests a team is often disqualified for undercooked meat, at this contest all teams successfully met this requirement. 

Scoresheets are prepared before the judging activities begin.

Unfortunately for the teams, at least 10 cooks need to participate for the winner in the contest to be eligible to compete in the Whole Hog Barbecue Championship held in Raleigh at the end of the competition season. If the minimum participates, then the winner qualifies for the next state championship. 

Cooking teams set up the night before the day of the contest.

I was able to judge because I was the replacement for a judge who was recovering from COVID, another sign that the pandemic still has not subsided. I was eager to judge because my last whole hog cookoff had been more than three years ago; the pandemic caused the cancellation of several cookoffs and even one state championship.

Sauces are judged with the meat.

Cookoff Sponsor

Chartered in 1922, the post has a significant legacy that stretches over a century of being a supportive member of the community. With an energetic membership base, the post was already looking forward to a chili cookoff only a week away before the whole hog contest had ended. 

All the funds raised by the post are given back to the community. Its projects include scholarships for children, aid and assistance to local needy veterans and their families, and financial support for community programs and projects.

 

 A table of trophies is ready for the awards ceremony.

Because American Legion Post 166 contributes so much to its local community, being involved in one of its programs is an honor for me. I hope to return again.

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:

Another Juneteenth Cookoff

The winning team celebrates with their trophy.

The barbecue cookoff begun last year as a first-time contest at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC, was such a success, it’s now an annual event. 

Events to Commemorate Juneteenth

The competition was sponsored and planned by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at the college. Now officially known as the DEI Annual Barbecue Cookoff, the contest is one of several campus events to commemorate Juneteenth, which officially became a federal holiday last year on June 19 every year. It is now known as Juneteenth National Independence Day and celebrates the end of slavery on that date in 1865. 

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee sponsored and planned the cookoff.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation had freed anyone enslaved in most areas of the Confederacy almost 2½ years earlier, the proclamation’s decree was not being upheld in Galveston, Texas, and other areas of the state. On June 19, 1865, Gen. Gordon Granger issued a general order that proclaimed freedom for the enslaved in Texas, and Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to the enslaved Blacks there. 

The cookoff has become a part of the annual celebration.

Cookoff as a Way to Celebrate

In addition to the cookoff, the college’s commemoration again included music, spoken word, and other activities. Of course, the campus cookoff was the main attraction. It embraces a long tradition of including food events as the commemoration of Juneteenth spread over the years even before last year when it officially became a federal holiday. 

The winning entry was a clear favorite among the judges.

Although this time the cookoff was limited to only pork ribs, the judges were more than pleased to judge that category. Each entry was judged for appearance, taste/flavor, tenderness, and texture by a group of four judges. I was again fortunate to judge with members of the college faculty and staff, and we were unanimous in our choice of the winning team. 

The judges took their responsibilities very seriously.

The campus barbecue cookoff is well on its way to becoming a tradition. It’s a great way to celebrate a special day with food and comradery.

Several activities were held in the student center to commemorate Juneteenth.

Commemorating Juneteenth with a Cookoff

Pork tenderloin, the pork entry by one team, was absolutely superior.

What event should be held to commemorate Juneteenth? Why not something that brings everyone together like a barbecue cookoff? That is exactly what Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC did. 

The college’s commemoration also included music, spoken word, and other activities. The main attraction was a campus cookoff, which follows a long tradition of including food events as the commemoration of Juneteenth spread even before today when it officially became a federal holiday. 

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 — two months after the Confederacy had surrendered — when U.S. soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas. On that date, Gen. Gordon Granger issued a general order that proclaimed freedom for the enslaved in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation had freed anyone enslaved in most areas of the Confederacy almost 2½ years earlier, but the proclamation’s decree was not being upheld in the Galveston and other areas of Texas. 

This pulled pork was one of the top entries.

For the cookoff, four teams signed up to compete in three categories: chicken, beef, and pork. Each entry was judged in the areas of appearance, taste/flavor, tenderness, and texture by a group of four judges.

This chicken entry came complete with Texas toast and grilled zucchini.

I was fortunate to be invited to the cookoff as a judge. The three other judges were the college president, a member of the faculty, and a member of the staff. We were each impressed with the top-quality entries that the teams prepared and submitted. 

A team leader slices tenderloin just off the cooker to prepare the pork entry.

The leader of each team was a member of the college’s faculty or staff and was assisted by coworkers. Although the competition was limited to college personnel, their barbecue was as superior as that prepared by competitive cooking teams, and the college’s teams were equally serious about winning. 

Another team leader completes the cooking while it looks like he has enough supervisors.

The cooking teams and organizers had not been involved in a cookoff before. However, the rules prepared for the competition were very complete, and the procedures (e.g., scoring, judging, meat turn-in) were typical of competitive events. 

College employees gather under a picnic shelter to enjoy samples of some of the entries.

Less than five hours after the cookoff had ended, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday on June 19 every year and will be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day to commemorate the end of slavery in 1865. What a great day today was for barbecue fans, the college, and the country.

The first entry required a lot of concentration. Photo by Laura Hill.

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.

Shadowing Judges at a Whole Hog Cookoff

For some time, I’ve wanted to judge barbecue cooked in the “whole hog” style and add those skills to my credentials as a judge. The opportunity developed quickly when a training judge invited me to shadow him at a contest sanctioned by the North Carolina Pork Council.

Cooking whole hog has been part of the barbecue history and heritage in North Carolina for more than 300 years. To determine the best whole hog cooks, the N.C. Pork Council conducts a series of events from March through September in its Whole Hog Barbecue Series, which celebrates the history and artistry of whole hog cooking. Top finishers in each event are invited to compete in the fall in a Whole Hog Championship, which the Pork Council has conducted since 1985.

Chief cooks listen as Jim Bristle, contest president, explains procedures at organizational meeing.

At each event, judges certified by the Pork Council evaluate all the cooked pigs. The evaluation criteria are very specific, and a standard scoring sheet provides consistency and uniformity. More than taste is important. One significant criterion of judging a cooked pig is color, which should be golden brown. In addition to appearance and brownness, the pig is scored for skin crispness, meat and sauce taste, moisture, and completeness.

When a pig is not perfectly golden brown, points are deducted for charred areas.

For an event to be sanctioned by the Pork Council, at least 10 cooks need to participate. At the Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest in 2016 where I shadowed a training judge, 77 cooks participated (and more than 100 have participated there in previous years). Judging began promptly at 8 a.m. and lasted well past noon because the judges had so many pigs to evaluate. As a result, Newport, the longest-running and largest whole hog cookoff in North Carolina, is an excellent preparation for judging future events.

Judges conduct a thorough evaluation of each cooked pig.

Each team cooks a “whole hog,” which is split down the middle without head and feet. It weighs about 100 pounds, although I did see a couple that were much larger (114 pounds). At Newport, most teams cook with propane gas, although some traditional cooks use wood or charcoal.

The crowd enjoys barbecue by center stage in the Newport Community Park.

Watching the four judges poke, prod, flip, taste, and evaluate 77 cooked pigs gives me more experience than I expected and is a great starting point for future events. In addition, seeing the dedication and enthusiasm of the cooks gives me a greater appreciation for their importance in a barbecue competition. Now that I’m certified, I’m now looking forward to my first judging opportunity at a “whole hog” cookoff.

A young cook, hopeful of winning the $100 prize for best cook under the age of 18, watches as the judges evaluate his cooked pig.

Note: A related article that I wrote about the Newport Pig Cookin' was later published on line by the North Carolina Folklife Institute.