These are the biggest BBQ events happening in 2019
With 2019 in swing and most people back to work, we are starting to prepare for all the barbecue trips we want to take this year. We’ll certainly be heading back to Texas, Missouri, Tennessee and more locales for events and to try vaunted barbecue joints.
We fully expect the barbecue scene to keep growing this year. One thing that fuels the community, and devotion to it, are top-tier events where you can find heated competition, food and drinks to try, classes, games, and much more.
Large barbecue events like the American Royal often attract the biggest names in the industry. At the 2018 American Royal, Pat Burke, Chris Lilly, Tuffy Stone, Ardie Davis, Melissa Cookston, and Myron Mixon all attended.
Here are the biggest barbecue events happening in the U.S. this year, so you can start planning your calendar now:
February 21-23: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest - This event attracts more than 250 barbecue competition teams and kicks off the massive Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which ends March 17. While the competition tents are invitation-only, visitors to the event will be able to buy food, play games, take rides, and watch live music.
May 15-18: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest - This enormous, four-day competition is held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Roughly 250 teams travel from around the world to compete for the title of World Champion and for a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money. It will draw more than 75,000 attendees.
September 13-16: American Royal World Series of Barbecue - This year marks the 40th year of this big Kansas City-based event. It will be held at the Kansas Speedway again this year. Competitors from around the world join in the world’s largest barbecue competition to be crowned the grand champion in the Invitational Competition, Open Competition, Sides Competition, and Kids Que.
October: Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue - This event in Lynchburg, Tennessee attracts many of the best barbecue teams from all over the country. While smaller than some of the other championships, die-hard barbecue aficionados care about winning at “The Jack.” The 2019 dates are not set yet, but it will likely take place the last Friday and Saturday of October.
November: Texas Monthly BBQ Fest Weekend - This annual event in Austin, Texas attracts many of the best pitmasters from all around Texas, and it typically includes small classes and tasting sessions with the world’s top pitmasters. Exact dates are not set yet.
One other big event that may happen this year is the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, which usually happens in June in New York City and attracts top pitmasters from all over the U.S. However, the event is currently in flux due to it needing to find a new location. We’ll report back if it gets scheduled.
We of course will continue to feature all the best events, big and small, in our Events section down below to give you a heads up on the most important events happening throughout the country. Did we miss any big events? Let us know!
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist) and Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
Daniel Vaughn has released his list of best Texas barbecue bites he ate in 2018, which included the above pork belly burnt ends from All The King’s Men. (Photo by Daniel Vaughn)
Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn eats a lot of great barbecue in his travels around Texas and other parts of the U.S. Read his roundup of the best Texas barbecue bites he ate in 2018 that fell outside of Texas Monthly’s current top 50 list.
In a similar vein, Monk from Barbecue Bros has published the top 10 list of his favorite barbecue meals of 2018, including Buxton Hall, Lewis Barbecue, and Jon G’s Barbecue.
CultureMap Dallas reports on a few shifts in the Dallas barbecue scene, including one barbecue restaurant (RHBQ) changing its identity, and another (Back Home Barbecue) closing its in-house dining and switching over to catering.
Santiam Brewing in Salem, Oregon, in partnership with Chad's Smokin' BBQ, will soon launch a barbecue menu four days of each week, according to the Statesman Journal.
Austin’s Via 313 and barbecue trailer LeRoy & Lewis are teaming up on an exciting new barbecue pizza featuring smoked brisket, gravy, and cheese. It will only be available at the Craft Pride location of Via.
Barbecue in downtown Staunton, Virginia will soon become a reality with the opening of Big Red Barbecue, according to the News Leader. The operation opened as a food truck in October 2017, but will now expand to its first brick-and-mortar location as early as February.
Following a legal dispute between barbecue sauce company Stubb’s Bar-B-Q and barbecue restaurants and music venue Stubb’s Bar-B-Q in Austin, three Stubb’s locations in the Austin-area have been re-named to Do-Rite Barbecue, according to Eater Austin.
Burk's Barbeque is the newest restaurant to open in Oakmont, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The restaurant focuses on takeout orders only at present. Pork and beef are the stars of the sandwiches, which are built on kaiser rolls from the nearby Oakmont Bakery and served with a sweet and tangy signature sauce or spicy habanero-based sauce on the side, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Watch: Returning the Favor - Mike Rowe Honors Blake “PeeWee” Henson and the Texas Firewalkers
Returning the Favor is a show about giving back to those who give. In this episode, host Mike Rowe (see above) and his team travel to Bastrop, Texas to honor a local firefighter, Blake “PeeWee” Henson. PeeWee and his band of brothers, the Texas Firewalkers, use money generated through their barbecue catering to help provide immediate assistance to those in need during fires, natural disasters, and other traumatic events. Watch it here.
Listen: BBQ State of Mind, Episode 46 - Joey Victorian’s Path to Opening a BBQ Joint
The competition route is how a good number of amateur barbecue enthusiasts wind up smoking meat for a living. Houston’s Joey Victorian is among those who have made that transition. He shares his story with Chris, Alison and Greg of the BBQ State of Mind crew. Listen to it here.
Read: The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook: Recipes and Recollections from Johnny and June's Table
People the world over loved Johnny and June Carter Cash for their charismatic stage presence and powerful, soul-stirring music. In The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook, John Carter Cash shares the stories and recipes that flowed from his family's dinner table. From Johnny's Old Iron-Pot Chili recipe and June's Tomato, Red Onion, and Avocado Salad to Jamaican Peas and Rice and Veal Cutlets with Caper Cream Sauce, the family favorites collected here are perfect for an intimate gathering or for hosting a crowd. Order it here.
January 11-20: Kansas City Restaurant Week - Kansas City, Missouri / Kansas
An exhibition of Kansas City's finest culinary talents, Kansas City Restaurant Week will offer a variety of mouth-watering foods from top chefs across the metro area, demonstrating why the KC dining scene is among the nation's best — and up until now, one of the best-kept foodie secrets. Barbecue restaurants participating in the event include Blind Box, Char Bar, Fiorella’s Jack Stack, Q39, and more. Kansas City Restaurant Week 2019 begins with lunch service on Friday, January 11, 2019 and concludes with dinner service on Sunday, January 20, 2019. More info here.
January 20-22: Whole Hog Extravaganza / Brisket Bonanza / BBQ MBA - Murphysboro, Illinois
Restaurateurs, barbecue competitors, caterers, and enthusiasts are invited to level up and continue your education at the Whole Hog Extravaganza, a one-of-a-kind seminar at 17th BBQ in Murphysboro. Pitmasters and speakers on hand will include Tank Jackson of Holy City Hogs, John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue, and Mike and Amy Mills or 17th Street Barbecue. Class size is limited. More info here.
January 25-26: Lakeland Pigfest - Lakeland, Florida
Join more than 150 competition barbecue teams for a weekend of good eatin’, good friends, and good tunes to benefit Lakeland-area charities during the 23rd Annual Lakeland Pigfest. Admission is $5 and kids 12 years and younger can enter for free. By purchasing food from competition teams, you’ll be supporting their efforts and local charities. More info here.
February 21-23: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Bar-B-Que Contest - Houston, Texas
More than 250 teams, led by barbecue aficionados, compete in the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. While most team tents are invitation-only, visitors can enjoy several public venues, including The Garden, Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, and the Chuck Wagon. Plus, the carnival is open for wild rides and fun games. The Garden Stage features some of the best up-and-coming and established artists in Texas country. The Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon also features live and DJ music. At the Chuck Wagon, visitors can pick up their complimentary sliced brisket plate with chips and beans. More info here.
Smoky Collard Greens from City Barbeque in Decatur, Georgia
Rick Malir, founder of City Barbeque in Decatur, Georgia, recently shared his recipe for smoky collard greens with the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s C.W. Cameron. Malir recommends making pork stock from scratch using pork shoulder bones. The recipe results in collard greens that are smoky, tangy, and delicious. Check out the recipe here.
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