Five highlights from NBBQA 2019 (plus this week’s top BBQ news & events)
This past weekend, we were lucky to have attended the National Barbecue and Grilling Association's 2019 conference in Kansas City. While the event had some kinks, we did have a great time meeting so many great people in the industry and trying some delicious foods from barbecue and grill masters from around the world.
Here are five highlights from last weekend’s NBBQA 2019 conference.
Culinary Fight Club
On Wednesday night, just before NBBQA 2019 really kicked off, conference attendees were able to watch and participate in a crazy cooking event called Culinary Fight Club. In this event, you are able to prepare a dish using a limited number of ingredients and the rest, you grab from table in the center of the room in 45 seconds. You then have 60 minutes to prepare your dish, which may have changed given what ingredients you were able to get your hands on.
This version of CFC naturally included some barbecue and grilling experts who were on hand for the NBBQA conference, so we were able to try lots of amazing dishes, including meat sundaes, steak banh mis, meatballs, kebabs, and barbecue quesadillas.
Meet The Masters
One of the most impressive moments of the conference was the NBBQA 2019’s “Meet The Masters” sessions, with one men’s panel and one women’s panel with top names from all over the U.S. The first panel included Myron Mixon, Junior Urias, Gregg Gaardbo, and Jeffrey Rumaner aka Stretch. They discussed the reality of how hard it was to get started in the business. Mixon said he was specifically lucky that he was able to be featured on television, which helped propel him to success.
But we were especially impressed with the women’s panel, which featured several of the top women in barbecue. (Read our roundup of the most important women in barbecue and .) The panel included Amy Mills, Carolyn Wells, Leslie Roark Scott, Megan Day, and Angela Keavney, with Amy Jungk moderating. Each of the panelists told stories of getting started and said the barbecue industry has slowly changed with women getting more time in the spotlight. But each agreed there is still a lot of work to be done to make sure women get the chance to be part of the conversation.
SCA Cookoff
While the Culinary Fight Club on Wednesday was frenetic, the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) cookoff that happened Friday night was methodical. During that night’s “Rhinestone Steak Showdown,” 50 teams selected the best two steaks they could get their hands on and then used the next two hours preparing their best one for judges. We had never attended an SCA cookoff before, but it’s a blast to watch. The SCA hosts many cookoffs each year and we’d encourage you to watch or even participate in it, given how accessible it is.
Awards of Excellence
On Thursday evening, the NBBQA hosted their Awards of Excellence, acknowledging the best of the barbecue industry. Awards were given for various categories of rubs, sauces, products, and media. Tuffy Stone’s Cool Smoke was given the award for Best Book and our friends at the Behind the Smoke podcast won Best Audio Series. The most touching portion of the evening was when Garry Roark of Ubon’s Barbeque of Yazoo City was posthumously given the Spirit of BBQ award, which was accepted on his behalf by his daughter Leslie Roark Scott with many family members in attendance (pictured above).
BBQ Bash
The NBBQA 2019 ended with the BBQ Bash, a gathering featuring a second SCA Cookoff, lots of barbecue samples, and merch from top vendors. The event was under-attended, but it gave us a chance to spend more time getting to know more people in the industry. Not only did we get to spend time with barbecue media gurus like Smoking Hot Confessions and Man Meat BBQ, but we also got to try lots of great food from barbecue operations including Jazzy B’s, Chicago Culinary Kitchen, Game Changer Smoker, B&B Charcoal, and Ole Hickory Pits.
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Next week, we will dive into a few ideas about how NBBQA’s 2020 conference could be smoother and what we think the organization as a whole could do to help further build our national and global barbecue community. Until then, have a great week!
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:
Aaron Franklin is one of the best-known names in barbecue and was recently interviewed by fellow celebrity restaurateur David Chang.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur David Chang was recently in Austin for South by Southwest and sat down with Aaron Franklin for his podcast, The David Chang Show. They talk about what makes Franklin Barbecue such a huge success.
Chicago-based barbecue lovers can now get Kansas City barbecue at Chicago’s BBQ’d Productions. (We recently sampled owner Kris Schoenberger’s delicious and unique barbecue sundaes at the Culinary Fight Club event at the NBBQA conference.)
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid examines the five human taste sensations — sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and savory and writes about how they relate to the fundamental flavors of barbecue.
This past weekend, more than 35 barbecue teams competed at the NYC BBQ Cookoff, the only KCBS-sanctioned event in New York City each year. Uncle Pigs BBQ Pit, Top Gun Barbecue, and Smokin Hoggz placed top three overall.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn visited Charlie’s Bar-B-Que in Beaumont, Texas and recommends the all-beef links the area is famous for, as well as their ribs and smoked pork chop.
Pitmaster Bill Coleman is opening Cinder, a barbecue joint and whiskey bar in Washington D.C. that will feature Texas-style brisket, Southeastern-style pulled pork, and more.
The Houston barbecue scene is quite hot these days. According to Good Taste, these twelve spots are the best in the Houston area.
Gabrick Barbecue has opened inside the 290 West Club, an Austin-area dancehall. Pitmaster Mark Gabrick aims to keep things “simple and humble.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently profiled the Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q sauce company that grew out of the restaurant created by Larry and Danny Williamson in Marietta, Georgia.
Local military service members from around Abilene, Texas were treated to the “World’s Largest Barbecue” and were served one ton of brisket, 600 pounds of sausage, 200 pounds of coleslaw, 800 pounds of beans and 3,500 slices of bread.
Despite being 71 years old, Josh and Krysten Thomas, the new owners of Ernie’s Pit Barbeque, have given the Greenville, Texas joint new life.
The 31st annual Blazathon competition and fundraiser at the Stillwater Elks Lodge in Oklahoma attracted hundreds of barbecue lovers. The event is a KCBS-sanctioned competition and it also raised money for the Elks Lodge and Kickin’ Childhood Hunger, a Stillwater-based nonprofit that helps combat childhood hunger.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Watch: Rabbi-Q - Jewish Country
In the web series Jewish Country, Israelis Oriel and Lior go on a road trip through the heart of America, where they examine “country” Jews. The hosts explore Jewish people who are involved in barbecue, bluegrass music, rodeos, motorcycle clubs, and more. In this episode, they meet Mendel Segal, aka Rabbi-Q, a rabbi and pitmaster who is one of the top names in the kosher barbecue scene. Watch it here.
Listen: Jim Auchmutey, Author of Smokelore - Kevin’s BBQ Joints
In this podcast episode, Kevin talks to Jim Auchmutey, Georgia barbecue scholar and author of the forthcoming book Smokelore. They discuss his background and family history, including his grandfather’s role as a prominent Georgia pitmaster, as well as other topics that include Brunswick Stew, the Southern Foodways Alliance, the Barbecue Nation exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, as well as numerous barbecue joints to visit in Georgia. Listen to it here.
Read: Franklin Steak - by Aaron Franklin
Aaron Franklin may be the reigning king of brisket, but in his off-time, what he really loves to cook and eat at home is steak. So, in this follow-up to his New York Times bestselling book Franklin Barbecue, the pitmaster extraordinaire teaches readers how to cook his favorite food to absolute perfection. With their trademark rigor and expertise, Franklin and co-author Jordan Mackay go deeper into the art and science of cooking steak than anyone has gone before. They demystify cattle breeds, explore the technique of dry-aging, explore globally-inspired techniques like the reverse sear and hibachi-style cooking, and even teach readers how to build a custom, backyard grill setup. For any meat-lover, backyard grill-master, or fan of Franklin's fun yet authoritative approach, this book is a must-have. Order it here.
April 14: Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit - Brooklyn, New York
This weekend, Pig Beach in Brooklyn will be hosting this fundraiser to raise money for Jeff Michner’s family following his sudden and unexpected death last year. The event will have an all-star lineup of pitmasters and chefs from all over the country, including Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que, Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porker, Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Craig Verhage and Leslie Roark Scott of Ubons BBQ, John Wheeler of Memphis Barbecue Co, and Mike and Amy Mills of 17th Street Barbecue. More info here.
April 13: Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit - Buffalo Gap, Texas
Take a walk around Perini Ranch and sample the famous BBQ’s of the country. Sit down with the pitmasters and find out what motivates and inspires them, and why Americans and visitors alike standing in line across our great country for BBQ. Tickets are sold out at present. More info here.
April 14: Houston BBQ Festival - Humble, Texas
The 7th Annual Houston BBQ Festival will take place on Sunday, April 14th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Humble Civic Center Arena Complex. The festival will feature Houston’s best barbecue joints all in one place, including Corkscrew BBQ, Feges BBQ, Killen's Barbecue, Pinkerton's Barbecue, Roegels Barbecue Co., Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue, Victorian's Barbecue, and more. Read Scott Sandlin's full preview here. Tickets include entry into the event and unlimited samples from each participating barbecue joint. More info here.
April 20: 11th Annual North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival - Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh's original bluegrass festival returns to the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh on April 20, with a jam-packed day full of great 'cue, local brews, and toe-tappin' bluegrass music. Proceeds will go to SAFEchild, Junior League of Raleigh's BackPack Buddies, and Raleigh Cub Scout Troop 325. More info here.
April 20-21: Reveille Barbecue Co. VIP Charity Whole Hog & Gator Experience - Houston, Texas
Join an all-star cast of pitmasters for a one-of-a-kind experience learning techniques of whole animal cooking and open coal fire management. Highlights include a special menu prepared and served by pitmasters, bonfire, stargazing/camping on site, plus whole hog and gator cooks. Proceeds will help benefit Hogs for the Cause, which helps families battling pediatric brain cancer, as well as B’s Cracklin’ in Atlanta, which recently suffered from a devastating fire. More info here.
April 26-27: Smoke On The Water Barbecue and Music Festival - Fort Myers, Florida
Enjoy tasty barbecue, rocking tunes, and fun for the whole family at the Smoke on the Water Barbecue Competition and Music Festival. Don’t miss this Florida Barbecue Association sanctioned event, featuring teams from all over the South competing for a chance to win. More info here.
April 26-28: Austin Food and Wine Festival - Austin, Texas
The Austin Food + Wine Festival returns in April to spoil your palate with a handful of global and nationally renowned talent. This 3-day weekend in the culinary capital is the epitome of high spirits, with a packed schedule of hands-on grilling demos, up-close tastings with top chefs and sommeliers, and more interactive demos and panels. More info here.
May 4: Red Dirt BBQ Festival - Tyler, Texas
For five years, the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival has been one of the most unique food and music experiences in Texas. The sixth annual event returns to the brick streets of downtown Tyler, Texas. Tickets are sold out at present. More info here.
May 12: All-Star BBQ at L.A. Times FOOD BOWL: Night Market - Los Angeles, California
The All-Star BBQ at L.A. Times Food Bowl event has everything from backyard enthusiasts to sit-down restaurants. Join Adam Perry Lang and the team from L.A. Times Food as they showcase the best BBQ in L.A. featuring pitmasters Aaron Franklin from Texas, Pat Martin from Tennessee, Bill Durney from New York and Sam Jones from North Carolina. Local participating restaurants include Kra Z Kai’s, Slab BBQ, Moo's Craft Barbecue, Horn Barbecue, East LA Barbecue and Bludso’s. All food and drinks will be included in the price of admission. Please note this event is 21+. More info here.
May 15-18: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest - Memphis, Tennessee
This huge, four-day competition is held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. Nearly 250 teams travel from around the world to compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money. The Contest draws more than 75,000 attendees. More info here.
The Best Coleslaw Recipe
In this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose a barbecue side dish. In this video, Pitmaster X prepares a rich and creamy coleslaw dish that is the perfect accompaniment to barbecue. The recipe uses crunchy cabbage and carrots, tangy apple cider vinegar, and creamy mayo. View the recipe here.
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