Most Prestigious & Entertaining BBQ Competitions?


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
USA Weekend December 27-29, 2013 (newspaper insert) published a "list of some of America's most prestigious and entertaining BBQ competitions" by someone named Sally Walker-Davies ("The Destination Diva"), said to be a barbecue enthusiast.

What do you think of this list? What's missing? Any of these not deserve to be on this list?

  1. Memphis in May
  2. American Royal
  3. Jack Daniel's
  4. World's Championship Bar-B-Que - Houston
  5. International Bar-B-Q Festival - Owensboro, KY
  6. The Big Pig Jig - Vienna, GA
  7. World Barbecue Championship - Las Vegas
  8. Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship - Bentonville, AR
  9. Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle - Washington, DC
  10. Barbecue Festival - Lexington, NC
 
Nice list!! My wife and I are going to try to go to Memphis in May this year. That is on my bucket list.
 
The top two could be swapped. I always thought American Royal was No 1. I can vouch that the Jack is a lot of fun.
 
The first 3 are on my list to judge as CBJ or maybe even MBJ by then.
I will let you know then =)

Peter
 
No. 10 is not a bbq competition but a festivial held in October of each year.
But Lexington, NC does have a BBQ contest in April "BBQ Capital Cook-off"
 
I live right outside Memphis and have never been to MiM. I think most area residents feel that if you're not competing or judging, there is no reason to deal with all that traffic. That said, all my juding friends here have positive things to say about the event as an event.

I judged The Jack for the first time last year and it was an amazing experience. I hope to do so again this year. It certainly felt like a prestigious competition.
 
I have cooked both the American Royal Invitational and the Open and The Jack, I have not attended any of the others listed. In my opinion, though, I would rather win The Jack than any other competition on the list. I think the setting, the fact that all competitors are GC's, the fact that you must be chosen by draw to attend, and the whole ambience of the event makes it in my mind, #1 on that list.
 
I was fortunate enough to be on a team that cooked #4 World Championship BBQ in Houston for the past 3 years at one of the larger tents in Houston (our team was able to compete in Brisket, Ribs and Chicken since we were part of a 3 tent group, if you know how Houston works) and I say Houston needs to be seen to be believed, a party with a comp. But if you go and dont have access to a tent, you will most likely not enjoy it, you need to have access to a private party to really enjoy it, IMHO
 
Prestigious based on what? I would remove the Safeway contest and replace it with Tryon, NC. I would also take out the Vegas BBQ contest. I would then split the American Royal into the two contests that it is (Open and Invitational). If she is talking about it from a crowd perspective then maybe she is pretty close.
 

 

Back
Top