25th Annual Championship Barbecue Cookoff Trophies Awarded

2009 marked the 25th Anniversary of the North Carolina State Barbecue Championship. Also, ironically, the Smithfield Ham & Yam Festival was celebrating its 25th Anniversary. So, we decided, what better way to celebrate these milestones than to do it together.

On May 1st-2nd, the best cooks from across the state met in Smithfield to determine who is the best of the best! To qualify the participating cooks must have won or placed in at least the top five of a North Carolina Pork Council sanctioned contest. All of these cooks and their teams are truly accomplished barbecue masters and as in the previous 24 years, provided some "pretty pigs" for the contest.

The Ham & Yam Festival itself was May 2nd-3rd, but the championship cooks kicked things off on May 1st. You can't rush perfection, so they needed that extra time to do it right.

The judges for the on-site competition were NCPC certified judges who scored the pig based on criteria such as skin crispiness, brownness, and moisture. The judges went to each cook's site and, as the cook stood proudly by, scored the pig while still on the cooker.

Immediately after the cook was judged on-site, he had to create a blind taste sample of chopped barbecue blended with his secret recipe of spices or sauce. When he was satisfied with his sample, it was taken to the four blind taste judges. These judges focused on the texture and taste of the barbecue.

After the on-site judges and blind taste judges completed their scoring, the totals were tallied to determine the culinary winner and the 2009 State Champion.

Once again, bragging rights was the top prize, but the $5,700 in prize money and trophies were an added bonus. This year, two cooks finished with the same culinary total, so the tie breaker had to be decided on the cook with the highest on-site score.

For the second year in a row, Joe Peterson and his Down Home Cookers team went back home to Roanoke Rapids with the state title and $2,000. Peterson also won the memorial Leatrice Stephenson Crispy Skin Award and an additional $200.

Making an exemplary showing of his own was Larry Sweet and the Hog Smokers team from Newport. Larry walked away with the 2nd place trophy and $1,000.

Below is a complete list of the culinary winners and their cash prizes:

• 1st Place: Joe Peterson, Down Home Cookers ~ Roanoke Rapids, NC: $2,000
• 2nd Place: Larry Sweet, The Hog Smokers~ Newport, NC: $1,000
• 3rd Place: Charles Chestnut, Three Little Pigs~ Murfreesboro, NC: $500
• 4th Place: David Burke, The King Cooker~ Margarettesville, NC: $300

On Saturday morning, May 2nd, after the cooks had been judged for the culinary categories, the teams were invited to compete in the showmanship contest. This was an opportunity for the cooks to set up themed displays and be judged based on their theme and presentation. The prize money available for the Showmanship Division was $1,700.

Showmanship winners were:

• 1st Place: David Burke, The King Cooker ~ Margarettsville, NC: $700
• 2nd Place: Joe Peterson, Down Home Cookers ~ Roanoke Rapids, NC: $400
• 3rd Place: Charles Chestnut, Three Little Pigs~ Murfreesboro, NC: $300
• 4th Place: Fred Woodard, Smokey W’s Pit Que ~ Smithfield, NC: $200
• 5th Place: Roy Parker, Old Hickory ~ Zebulon, NC: $100

The North Carolina Pork Council’s objective for hosting and sanctioning barbecue contests is to increase public awareness of the pork industry within North Carolina, increase awareness of pork’s positive nutritional advantages, and to help local NC towns and communities generate funds for civic organizations or community relations.

About NCPC:

The North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) is the statewide advocacy organization that was chartered in 1962 to support producer and allied industry partners within the North Carolina pork industry. Today, the pork industry provides over 46,000 full time jobs and $9 billion to North Carolina’s economy. Representing 2,300 farms, NCPC is both a center of knowledge for pork producers and an advocate for professionalism and high social, ethical, and environmental standards in the pork industry. NCPC provides access to meaningful educational programs and services and leadership in public and industry affairs.