This past weekend, Memphis hosted not one, but two (!!) BBQ competitions. May barbecue series Looks provided New Smoke Slam BBQ Festival and for a long time Memphis World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) in May. In this final episode, we’ll introduce you to the winners of both events, as well as other outstanding teams, and share some recipes you can make at home.
Winner
Smokeslam BBQ Festival competition grand champions Smokemasters BBQ held a celebration at Tom Lee Park on Saturday. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
The smoke cleared and the winners of both the Memphis World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and Smoke Slam Barbecue Festival in May were crowned champions.
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Smokemasters BBQ is the first team to win the $50,000 Smokeslam Grand Prize. This is part of a total prize pool of $250,000, which organizers say is the largest in barbecue contest history. “We grilled some really good ribs, $50,000 ribs,” said Will Hare, pitmaster at Smokemasters BBQ. You can see all Smoke Slam winners here.
After winning the grand prize and first place in the whole hog category at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest held at Liberty Park on Saturday, May 18, members of The Shed Barbecue Team A celebration was held. (Ziggy Mac/Daily Memphian Special)
Mississippi-based team The Shed won its third-ever Grand Prix at the WCBCC. (They were also grand champions in 2018 and 2015.) Ranked in the whole hog category, The Shed beat out other category winners Heath Lyles Barbecue (ribs) and Big Bob Gibson’s ( shoulder). A win is a win,” said Robin Linders, a team member at The Shed. MIM Fest winners will split the $150,000 prize. See all WCBCC winners here.
Hank Vaiden (left) of Hank’s BBQ and James Rudolph of Polk University ran the only two teams to compete in both the Smoke Slam and the WCBCC. (Benjamin Naylor/Daily Memphian)
If you’ve been to one or both of the barbecue festivals, you’ve no doubt heard someone complaining about Menfo and Memphis in May International hosting contests on the same weekend. . But the two teams, Hank’s Barbecue in Columbus, Mississippi, and Polk University in Clarksville, Tennessee, were meant to unite rather than divide. Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian noted just two teams that participated in both contests. It’s happening again next year, so you better get used to the big weekend barbecues.
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Marshall Bartlett operated the grill in the Sweet Cheeks tent on the first day of Smoke Slam, held May 16 at Tom Lee Park. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
We also take a look at how a long-time MIM team switched teams to compete at SmokeSlam this year. Sweet Cheeks is the reason he decided to participate in the Mempho Festival 11 years ago when he started his activities at WCBCC, but this time he has one thing in mind: location. “Being on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River is a game changer,” said Sweet Cheeks team captain Alex Boggs.
New Zealand BBQ War’s Wayne Dill nibbles on short ribs during day three of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Competition held at Liberty Park on May 17. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Both contests attracted teams from all over the world, but one team, New Zealand’s BBQ War, probably traveled the furthest to compete in the WCBCC. The team has competed in several other American barbecue competitions, but this was their first year in Memphis. But the biggest challenge wasn’t cooking the meat. “By the time you get here, it’s about learning how to drive on the left side of the road without dying. Yeah, that’s a big challenge in itself,” said Wayne Dill, leader and co-founder of BBQ War.
If you missed either contest or just want to relive the memories, here are scenes from both Smokeslam and WCBCC.
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recipe
We may be saying goodbye to barbecue cooking competitions until next May, but we all know that barbecue is on the menu year-round in Memphis. Here are some recipes that you can enjoy at home.
barbecue shrimp (Jennifer Biggs/Daily Memphian File)
If you don’t feel like cooking, you can always invite a few friends to a rendezvous downtown. This venerable barbecue establishment is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and suffice to say they know what they’re doing. But if you want to stay home, the late Jennifer Biggs once shared her recipe for Rendezvous BBQ Shrimp. While it’s not exactly what’s on the menu, co-owner John Burgos told Biggs it’s “close enough.”
Barbecue Spaghetti (Courtesy:bhofack2/Getty Images)
Another popular Memphis restaurant is Bar-BQ Shop’s BBQ spaghetti. (This is one of his few barbecue dishes invented in Memphis.) Let me just say up front, there’s no exact recipe for it. But Biggs did his best to get tips on how to recreate the dish at home from his co-owner, Frank Vernon. And this is what she came up with. The secret seems to be in the sauce, and she offers some tips on the best barbecue and marinara sauces for this true Memphis dish.
cornbread salad (Jennifer Biggs/Daily Memphian)
When cooking, you will need garnishes. And a few years ago, Biggs was able to get his WCBCC’s Big Bob this cornbread recipe from his Gibson tent. Her family’s matriarch, Carolyn McLemore, was known to bring the salad every year to share, and Biggs said it became her annual “first taste of summer.” However, this is not your typical green salad. This hearty dish includes a Mexican cornbread base, bacon, cheddar cheese, pinto beans, several types of vegetables, and a creamy dressing.
If you don’t want to get the dishes dirty, I’ll accept it. Before heading out to a local restaurant, check out our guide to Memphis’ barbecue scene.
Editor’s note: Kevin McEnery is a member of the board of directors of Memphis Fourth Estate, the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the Daily Memphian, and is the founder and master producer of Memfo Festival and Memfo Presents. .
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