I have judged the Memphis in May BBQ contest every year since 2016. 2024 was a great year, ending with a threepeat by The Shed. Here are a bunch of my favorite photos I took during the event, and even have a bunch of judging photos to give you a taste of what it is…
BBQ Contests
Judging Ribs in Carlisle, AR – April 2024
It was a stormy day in Carlisle, AR today, but a great day for judging ribs (and some fiery chicken wings too). Here’s my favorite pics I took today.
Pigapalooza 2023 – Kansas City, KS
I came to Pigapalooza at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS again this year to photograph it and eat some of the best pig by the best whole hog teams out there. It was a delicious day on all counts. Here are the highlights.
Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest 2023
I have judged the Memphis in May barbecue cooking contest every year since 2016. As we head into this year’s 2024 contest, I was looking back at my photos of the 2023 contest and realized I forgot to post them. Here are my favorites.
Moe Cason Barbecue – Memphis In May 2023
Moe Cason is an awesome barbecue cook with a great story. He also just came out with a killer cookbook which you definitely should check out, especially if you don’t know his backstory (and the recipes are the family type of recipes that you will make again and again). Moe cooks shoulder every Memphis in…
Hot Steaks Win at the Bison Madness SCA Comp in Carlisle, AR – November 2022
It’s great to be a steak judge, especially late in the season when most folks have their SCA World Championship golden tickets and are hunting for points, so newer judges get their highly sought after passed-down Golden Ticket. And because so many competitors are champions crafting perfect steaks again and again. It sure makes the…
Dolewite Rocks Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
Dolewite is a total trip. They are an old school hip-hop cover band out of Kansas City that mixes together all the tracks into a funky cool grove with a ton of curse words. So yeah, they’re awesome. They rocked Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal. Here’s a bunch of band and crowd pics. Everyone…
Sweet Swine O’Mine Shows a Serious Hog at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
Mark Lambert’s Sweet Swine O’ Mine has been a longstanding, serious contender in whole hog. I’ve seen them compete in pork shoulder at Memphis in May and I’ve spent many a weekend at Mark’s place eating his great cooking and enjoying his hospitality while judging SCA steak cookoff competitions. At Pigapalooza 2022 at the American…
First Class Barbecue Cooks a Name-Worthy Hog at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
First Class Barbecue out of Hempstead, Texas put up a really beautiful hog over at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal in Kansas City, which raises money for Operation BBQ Relief. I think it was the prettiest hog of the night, and there were lots of contenders for that! Take a look and see what you…
Stretch’s Grinders BBQ Reveals 2-Headed Hog at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
There’s no showman like Stretch. From the cape, to the hair, to the attitude, Stretch is one cool cat. And for Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal, which raises money for Operation BBQ Relief, Stretch and his Grinders BBQ team pulled out all the stops, and four hams, leaving just a two-headed hog for the…
The Shed Pulls 3rd Place Hog at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
The Shed competition barbecue team is a trip. They throw a huge party, and everything seems a little tongue in cheek, lots of inside jokes, but one thing is not a joke: they are serious cooks. I’ve had their hog cooks on several occasions from Memphis in May to Pigapalooza and it’s always a juice…
Boar’s Night Out Wins 1st Place Hog at Pigapalooza 2022 at the American Royal
It’s always a lot of fun to watch Boar’s Night Out compete. They have a huge team of serious and fun cooks. Their food is no joke. But they’re pretty lighthearted about how they go about competing. And it’s always fun to see someone take a blowtorch to a hog. Here’s a bunch of photos…