Volunteer for a good cause: the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival in Tryon. Learn about volunteering at http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20140517/ARTICLES/140519905
Filed under: Hog Happenings | 2 Comments »
Church Fundraiser BBQ on Friday
Posted on March 31, 2014 by Porky LeSwine
Thanks to a reader from Garner for sending me the following note, advertising/testifying about a church BBQ on Friday in Raleigh:
Porky LeSwine:
I wanted to let you know of a delicious local BBQ this Friday, April 4 in southern Wake County.
The BBQ is at the Hollands United Methodist Church, located at 9433 Ten Ten Road in Raleigh 27603.
They have a BBQ twice a year and it is some of the best Q you will eat at a restaurant or fund raiser.
The Q is chopped but has large chunks, with a sweet sauce that has a little zip to it.
My family has eaten there for over 30 years, and my father and I are semi-professional BBQ experts
and 100% BBQ lovers. I highly recommend this semi-annual Q. If you get a chance, I am sure you enjoy
not only the delicious Q and sides, but if you get up from the table and are still hungry, it will be your own
fault. All you can eat. And the desserts are also outstanding.
Thanks for your blog site. I enjoy following you on your BBQ taste tests around the State of NC. And I am
proud to say that I have been fortunate enough to eat at a lot of the fine BBQ establishments you have enjoyed.
Thanks for your time.
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NCBBQA Cooking School & Judges Training
Posted on March 7, 2014 by Porky LeSwine
Hot off the presses from our friends at the newly formed North Carolina BBQ Association…
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NCBBQA Cooking School & Judges Training
Saturday, March 15, 20014
Mac’s Speed Shop – 2511 South Blvd – Charlotte NC 28203
Cooking School
The NCBBQA Cooking School will run from 8am until 1pm & includes lunch. Bill Eason, NC barbecue legend, Alex Ranucci, 2013 Q-City BBQ Championship Grand Champion, & Kevin Kuruc, Executive Chef for Mac’s Speed Shop will demonstrate everything you must know and more about preparing, smoking, and presenting NC-style Whole Hog, Whole Pork Shoulders, & Whole Chicken.
Cost for the school is only $200 & includes a two-year NCBBQA Individual or Family Membership. For current members, paid dues will be credited to the cost of the school.
Cooking school spots are limited. Please contact us ASAP to reserve your seat.
Judges Training
The NCBBQA Judges Training will run from 2pm until 5pm. You will learn the NCBBQA method for judging competitive barbecue entries & will receive top priority for judging at our upcoming competitions. Cost is only $40 & includes a two-year NCBBQA Individual Membership.
Contact/More Info
We certainly hope you will join us. For questions or additional information, please contact us at ncbbqa@gmail.com or message us on our Facebook Page. Thank you for your interest in NC barbecue and NCBBQA.
www.northcarolinabbqassociation.com
Filed under: Hog Happenings | 4 Comments »
Hog Day Redux
Posted on February 14, 2014 by Porky LeSwine
Good news barbecue festival lovers: Hillsborough Hog Day has been revived. As you may recall, just last month the Orange County Chamber of Commerce announced it was cancelling Hog(g) Day. They said at the time that they would welcome help from others who wanted to carry on the tradition. I’ve not heard the full story yet, but it sounds like people heeded the calland rescued the 31-year old tradition. And thus Hog Day will happen this year after all, with the event set for June 21. Stay tuned to the official website for more details: http://hogday.org/
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When Pigs Fly Has Flown
Posted on November 3, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
It would’ve been more useful if I’d found out about this event before it happened, but better late than never… There is a new barbecue event in Fayettevilled called, “When Pigs Fly,” which took place on Saturday. As Chicago Cubs fans say toward the end (or much earlier) of each season, maybe next year.
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2013/11/01/1291882?sac=fo.life
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Cumberland County, Fayetteville | 1 Comment »
Carolina ‘Cue Wednesdays at Crook’s Corner
Posted on October 28, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
One of Chapel Hill’s most venerable fine dining restaurants, Crook’s Corner, may be your new source for authentic North Carolina barbecue. Starting this week, Crook’s begins a series called Carolina ‘Cue Wednesdays. Here’s the announcement from their newsletter:
Inspired by Our State magazine’s monthly BBQ explorations and education, I’m taking off from Chapel Hill each week on a road trip-to pick up BBQ from one of our state’s tastiest BBQ joints. Next Wednesday, October 30, we’re kicking off the Carolina ‘Cue Wednesdays Series with The Skylight Inn BBQ from Ayden. Come to Crook’s to taste, for the first time or revisit, Sam Jones’ family’s unmistakably great hand-chopped BBQ-and the Skylight signature sauce. Choose cornbread or buns, our slaw. Bill Smith has great additional sides & desserts to go with (think collards, seasonal veggies, unusual things too like fried beet pies, and banana pudding for after). If you love all sorts of NC Barbecue, mark your Wednesday nights for Crook’s. You can think: Gene’s doing the driving, so you don’t have to. Please call for reservations.
It’s a great concept and a convenient way for people to experience great North Carolina barbecue without driving too far from home (though, for the record, everyone in the Chapel Hill area should first visit their own great BBQ restaurant, Allen & Son, or I’ll be angry).
Crook’s became famous many years ago when the kitchen was run by the legendary, late Bill Neal, The restaurant continues to be known for classic southern dishes like shrimp and grits as well as the magnificently named “Cheese Pork!” Crook’s has had barbecue on the menu for years, but it’s never been worth eating, in my over-educated opinion. As I understand it, their ‘cue typically came from a nearby purveyor of gas-roasted pork (i.e., not actual barbecue in my wood-centric definition). Let’s hope this new approach of importing their BBQ from far and wide is a success–the more people eating real BBQ the better!
Filed under: Hog Happenings, Restaurants & Reviews | 5 Comments »
The Barbecue Festival Draws Near
Posted on October 25, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
Nice article in Lexington’s Dispatch newspaper on the upcoming Barbecue Festival and those who make it happen: http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20131011/COLUMNISTS/310119984/1052/living02?Title=Lexington-takes-care-of-barbecue-8212-and-people The article’s best excerpt: “From the day old Simon Peter had his vision on the rooftop in Joppa and God announced: ‘Q is good for you! Take and eat with a little red slaw’ (Lexington Standard Version), to barbecue pioneers Jesse Swicegood and Sid Weaver, and to today’s plethora of barbecue establishments in and around town, that simmering, delectable, slow-cooked pork shoulder just gets better and better.”
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Mallard Creek Barbecue
Posted on October 21, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
Neat TV news story profiling the serious work involved in preparing for Thursday’s annual Mallard Creek Barbecue in Charlotte. It’s worth watching for the burn barrels alone, check it out embedded below or by following this link. For one thing, I didn’t realize they actually cook over wood coals–impressive for an event serving 14,000 pounds of pork!
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Wood-cooked | Leave a comment »
“Pigs” Eating Pig
Posted on October 14, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
If you’re in Hickory this weekend and can live with yourself for visiting Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (aka “the Starbuck’s of BBQ”), then check out this event. In case you are too lazy to click the link, it is a newspaper article describing a BBQ sandwich eating contest between the Hickory Police Department and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Department to raise money for the Special Olympics.
According to the article, “Aggressive eaters from each department will go head-to-head to see who can cram down the most barbecue sandwiches in 10 minutes.” The public is invited to attend and has the right to cheer on its favorite competitor, or the right to remain silent…
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Catawba County, Hickory | 1 Comment »
Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship
Posted on October 7, 2013 by Porky LeSwine
Perhaps still seeking its BBQ identity after the Michelle Obama flap of 2011, the not-so-famed BBQ destination of Charlotte will host a barbecue competition the weekend after next. Seriously, it sounds like a fun event so check it out. Below is an excerpt from the media release about the event, with all the gory details:
Charlotte, NC – September 11, 2013 – BBQ competitors have yet another reason to sharpen their skills and perfect their recipes before the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship. On October 19, the winning team will not only receive the title of Grand Champion and a $7,500 cash prize; the team will also receive a Golden Ticket – an exclusive invitation to compete in the 2013 World Food Championships in Las Vegas, to be held November 7-10, 2013.
The four day, invitation-only food competition draws hundreds of contenders from around the world. Competitors vie for $300,000 in winnings and the title of 2013 World Food Champion. The Q-City Charlotte BBQ Grand Champion team will represent the Southeast region and battle other top-tier national teams in the World Barbecue Championship category.
The Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship will be held for the 11th year on October 18-19 in Uptown Charlotte. There are two types of teams – Memphis BBQ Network (MBN) pros and Challenger (amateur) teams that will compete in a variety of categories – everything from Boston butt and whole hog to cole slaw and chicken. The Grand Champion will be chosen from the MBN pro team division. This is the second year that the Grand Champion will be automatically qualified to compete in the World Food Championships.
Fans will enjoy tons of food, live music, BBQ demonstrations and competitions during the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship. Cost of admission? It’s free. Join us Oct. 18-19 in Charlotte.
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Charlotte, Mecklenburg County | Leave a comment »
BBQ Jew 