The Quest for the Golden Pig: Barbecue Competitions In South Carolina

Southerners in general have always taken their barbecue seriously and South Carolinians are no different. If anything, South Carolinians are perhaps more vehement about the subject because it’s only in the Palmetto State where you can find mustard-based barbecue sauce. For years, South Carolinians have debated the virtues of their particular brand of barbecue versus the other styles found in other areas of the South. This ongoing dialogue about the various forms of this particular regional cuisine has sparked the ancient concept of the duel. This time, however, it’s not done with pistols and bullets but barbecue competitions: Open cooking pits, special spices and slabs of pork—think ribs at twenty paces. While it may be serious business among the contestants, it’s the spectators at these culinary "throw downs" who really win. Find out here about some of the premier barbecue competitions in South Carolina.

South Carolina Barbecue associations

While the barbecue competitions in South Carolina are generally populated by the "big boys" (commercial operations that specialize in barbecue), a number of competitions also have amateur "backyard" division competitions. If you’ve ever considered entering Grandma Bessie’s secret family recipe for barbecue, this could be just the thing to get your feet wet before entering a big barbecue contest. On some occasions the competitors in the amateur division are not charged a fee to enter. There are also other "side competitions" at many of the South Carolina barbecue contests like whole hog, anything but barbecue competitions, pie contests, sauce contests, invitational only, etc.

Judging South Carolina barbecue contests

Even though the competition barbecue is not available to the public unless there is a people’s choice award, there are three ways that will enable you to taste the contestants’ offerings.

• You can become a certified judge through the South Carolina Barbecue Association and then volunteer to be a judge in a contest. This is a great way to learn how the system works and how real competition barbecue tastes. The contests always need good, certified judges and you’ll also be able to take home what you can’t eat when you are judging.
• You can become a volunteer helper at the contest. Most of the contests are run by non-profit organizations and they need plenty of help. Since the judges usually don’t taste all the samples they’re sent for judging, the other servings go to the volunteers and table captains to munch on after the contest.

South Carolina barbecue contests

The South Carolina Barbecue Association sponsors one of the largest barbecue competitions in the state in Lexington in late October every year. The total points winner over two divisions is awarded the Carolina Q Cup. The Carolina Q Cup, along with many of the other barbecue competitions in the state, supply all contestants with their meat (to ensure consistency among the competitors and no appearance of pre-seasoned meat). There are also four different categories of barbecue in which to compete—tomato based, light tomato based, mustard based and vinegar and peppers.

Some of the other competitions include a large contest featuring barbecue cookers from across the Southeast in Seneca around Labor Day. "The Pig on the Ridge" barbecue cook-off also pits a number of professional teams from around the region.

Fire up the pits and head for the barbecue. This is truly living, South Carolina style!