5 Top BBQ Events to Attend This Year
This past weekend, a sense of normalcy returned to the barbecue community with the Memphis in May World Championship Cooking Contest happening once again after being canceled last year. Many of the top names in barbecue convened for the event, with Myron Mixon and his Jack’s Old South BBQ team taking the top prize. (More on that in our Hot Links section.)
With barbecue events entirely in swing again in part to COVID-19 vaccinations on the rise and cases on the decline, we thought it made sense to highlight some of the must-attend barbecue celebrations and competitions happening around the country later this year.
Here are five top-notch barbecue events happening in 2021 that are worth attending.
The Jones Sisters of famed Jones Bar-B-Q in Kansas City will be one of the headliners at the new Kansas City BBQ Festival.
Kansas City BBQ Festival
Kansas City is about to get a big new barbecue festival on July 9-11, 2021. The “KCQ” is a non-competition barbecue event that celebrates barbecue from Kansas City and many other barbecue towns. It will take place in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs play. KC-based mainstays Joe’s Kansas City, Jones Bar-B-Q, and Plowboys BBQ will be the headliners, but out-of-towners will also be there, including 2M Smokehouse, Black’s BBQ, Central City BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse. The event is notable for Kansas City, as it is a “barbecue capital” but does not have an established large-scale non-competition event like this. (The KCQ also has sister events that will take place in Denver in September, St. Louis in October, and Jacksonville in December, so keep an eye out for those as well.) Learn more about the event here.
The massive Windy City Smokeout in Chicago will be back this year with big food and music acts.
Windy City Smokeout
The annual Windy City Smokeout BBQ and Country Music Festival is back this year in Chicago. From July 8-11, 2021, some of the biggest names in barbecue along with both renowned and up-and-coming country music artists will be at the United Center. We loved every minute of and this year looks to be even more fun. Learn more about the event here.
Pitmaster Ed Mitchell will be part of the new Pinehurst Barbecue Festival in North Carolina.
Pinehurst Barbecue Festival
Debuting Labor Day Weekend 2021, the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival celebrates “all things barbecue” in Pinehurst, North Carolina. From Eastern North Carolina vinegar to Western North Carolina tomato, the event will feature all of your favorite sauces and styles. The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival is a “celebration of taste and tradition” featuring award-winning pitmasters in one of the most picturesque settings in all of North Carolina. Attendees can get the full experience of the three-day festival or attend just one event. One of the most exciting events will be Sunday’s “The Ed Mitchell Pitmaster Invitational,” where folks will be able to try whole hog, ribs, brisket, and more from legendary BBQ cook Ed Mitchell. Learn more about the event here.
Pig Island NYC features whole hog, pulled pork, and every other type of smoked pork you can imagine.
Pig Island NYC
Pig Island NYC will celebrate its twelfth year on September 11, 2021. It will return to Snug Harbor on Staten Island, which has 84 acres to spread out. Attendees can join in for all-inclusive food and drinks from all-star pitmasters and chefs. As the name implies, the food is typically centered around pork with pork shoulder, pulled pork, pork belly burnt ends, and, of course, pork ribs. Local breweries, distilleries, and cideries will also be around to pour you samples. Chefs and pitmasters also compete to win the best dishes, so there’s an extra element of fun too. (Notably, Pig Island’s sister event 5 Boro PicNYC takes place on May 29, so be sure to mark that on your calendar as well.) Learn more about the event here.
Many of the biggest names in barbecue often travel to compete at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue.
American Royal World Series of Barbecue
The world’s largest barbecue competition, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, will return to the Kansas Speedway this September 16-19, 2021. The event will bring together legends, champions, elite competitors, and even casual enthusiasts to compete in the American Royal Invitational and Open contests. The ability for overseas teams to participate this year is still uncertain, and public attendance at the event may look somewhat different. However, the location at the Kansas Speedway allows for plenty of room for social distancing. Learn more about the event here.
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Keep an eye on our Events section down below for more fun gatherings and competitions taking place in 2021 and beyond. We also do our best to keep our online calendar up to date as well. If you want your event listed, please let us know here.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) & Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
—Myron Mixon of Jack’s Old South BBQ celebrates his Grand Championship win at Memphis in May this past weekend. (Photo by Joe Rondone/The Commercial Appeal)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The Memphis in May World Championship Cooking Contest took place last weekend after having been canceled last year due to the pandemic. Though the event certainly looked a little different compared to previous years, participants showed up to compete and celebrate the world of barbecue. Legendary pitmaster Myron Mixon and his Jack’s Old South BBQ team were awarded the Grand Championship for the fifth time after winning first in the whole hog contest. Blues Hog scored first place in pork shoulder, while Bluff City Smokers won first place in ribs. After the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, Mixon said of the contest, “It’s so great. It brings people together and makes people enjoy each other’s company.” READ HERE.
Many people on social media were up in arms this past week over a recent feature from Chef’s Pencil that ranked the “best and worst” cities for barbecue in America. According to the publication, New Orleans is the best place for barbecue, while Kansas City, Memphis, and Austin were nowhere to be found in the top ten. The ranking was based on TripAdvisor ratings of all barbecue restaurants in the 75 largest cities. Meanwhile, TripAdvisor distanced itself from the rankings and voiced concerns about how the data was used. While we hesitate to give this absurd list any further attention, the overwhelming response in publications and on social media doesn’t seem to be losing steam anytime soon. READ HERE.
According to Chicago Tribune’s Nick Kindlesperger, Soul & Smoke is one of the best barbecue restaurants in the Chicago area. Despite its location in a “charmless squat brick building stuck in an out-of-the-way industrial zone,” the restaurant is serving barbecue on par with Chicago barbecue institutions like Lem’s Bar-B-Q, Honey 1 BBQ, Smoque, and Trice’s Original Slab BBQ. Pitmaster D’Andre Carter serves juicy, smokey brisket and baby back ribs along with flavorful side dishes. READ HERE.
It’s often said that barbecue brings people together from all different walks of life. In the case of pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh, that couldn’t be any more true. A profile by the Austin Chronicle notes that El-Ghayesh grew up in Cairo, Egypt, and on his first trip to the U.S. in 2012, he fell in love with barbecue. Upon returning home, he began practicing with “a Weber grill, Franklin Barbecue's A Meat-Smoking Manifesto, and instructional YouTube videos.” He eventually left Egypt and moved to Texas so he could work under notable pitmasters across the state. Today, he hosts pop-ups under the name KG BBQ, and fuses Egyptian cuisine with Texas barbecue, including pomegranate pork ribs, lamb-bacon ribs, and brisket rice bowls. READ HERE.
While large Texas cities might have lots of top-notch craft barbecue options, suburbs and small towns all over the state still have room for barbecue entrepreneurs to make their marks. A new Texas Highways article by Amanda Ogle highlights three barbecue joints with excellent craft BBQ that are located in the suburbs. They are Zavala’s Barbecue, Bare Barbecue, and Goldee’s Barbecue. READ HERE.
ADDITIONAL READS
If you’re looking for grilling gift ideas for Father’s Day, Travel + Leisure has you covered.
Here are four smokin’ hot places to get barbecue in the Seattle area.
Monk from the Barbecue Bros stopped by Bobby’s BBQ in Fountain Inn, SC and found the barbecue to be "above average but not transcendent."
The St. Louis metro area’s A Fine Swine BBQ will be back this June in food truck form.
It hasn’t always been this way, but good barbecue is easy to find in Philadelphia these days.
After years in a trailer, Smoke Sessions opened a brick-and-mortar barbecue joint in Royse City, TX last month.
A Texas-sponsored list for the Food Network highlights eight places you need to try on a Texas BBQ road trip.
Lockhart Smokehouse pitmaster Tim McLaughlin plans to open Crossbuck BBQ in Farmers Branch this fall.
According to Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly, these three Texas breweries take their barbecue very seriously.
Bain BBQ is bringing a taste of Texas to Broad Avenue in Memphis.
According to LoveFood.com, you won’t find the best Georgia barbecue in Atlanta.
While New Jersey might not be well known for its barbecue, food writer Pete Genovese ranked the top 32 joints in the state.
Thank you to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—The Daytripper’s Chet Garner visits pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz of Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, Texas.—
WATCH
Snow’s BBQ, Best BBQ in Texas — The Daytripper
The crew from The Daytripper gets up early and heads to Lexington, Texas to visit Snow’s BBQ, the No. 1 ranked joint on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list. Host Chet Garner talks with pitmasters Tootsie Tomanetz and Kerry Bexley about what makes their barbecue so special. Despite breaking all the so-called “rules” of Texas barbecue, Snow’s BBQ manages to produce incredible food and provides a unique experience for visitors from around the world every Saturday. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Oklahoma Joe Davidson — Grab ‘Em in the Brisket
The guys from the Grab ‘Em in the Brisket podcast are joined by Joe Davidson of Oklahoma Joe’s. Joe started building smokers over 30 years ago and later began entering in barbecue competitions to spread the word about his company. After a successful career building his brand of smokers and opening the beloved Oklahoma Joe’s restaurants, he was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2020. In this episode, Joe discusses how he got into BBQ, his love of BBQ history, how he mastered cooking chicken, as well as some BBQ failures. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Food by Fire — Derek Wolf
In Food by Fire, join live-fire cooking expert Derek Wolf to discover the secrets to great flavor. Master the art of starting cooking fires and learn about the best fuel sources. Then, tackle various recipes using direct heat and indirect heat, mastering skillets, skewers, and more along the way. Derek has been researching global fire-cooking techniques for the better part of a decade, traveling worldwide to learn about dishes like lamb al asador and brick-pressed chicken. He shares it all in this book. If you’re looking to try cooking on the coals with herb butter oysters or picanha like a Brazilian steakhouse, you’ve come to the right place. On top of all that, you’ll find recipes for killer sides like Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, Cowboy-Broiled Cheesy Broccoli, and Charred Brussel Sprouts, as well as unique sauces like Spicy Cilantro Chimichurri and Maple Bourbon Glaze. It’s everything you need to cook your next meal by fire. PRE-ORDER HERE.
The new FOGO C4 Grill by MGrills is the best portable grill in the market. Click here to learn more about the C4 Grill.
—The next time you make baked potatoes, skip the oven and try using the grill instead.—
Baked Potatoes on the Grill
By Hey Grill Hey
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose these Baked Potatoes on the Grill from Susie Bulloch of Hey Grill Hey. These are the best baked potatoes you’ll ever have. They’re fluffy, soft, and cooked to complete BBQ perfection. The secret is in the process. By seasoning well, grilling them in foil, and finishing them on direct heat, these potatoes stay moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Dalstrong creates best-in-class tools at unrivaled price points. Click here to learn more about Dalstrong Knives.
ts of big barbecue events are back in 2021 and we can't wait to check them out.—
June 4-5, 2021: Hogs For the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hogs For the Cause barbecue competition and festival is back in 2021 with a few changes. Proceeds still go to fight pediatric brain cancer, but this year's event will be held at a 15-acre site in Belle Chasse on the east side of the city. Organizers are limiting ticket sales to only 25% of the venue's capacity, and they will make the event cashless. MORE INFO HERE.
July 9-11, 2021: Kansas City BBQ Festival — Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City is about to get a big new barbecue festival with the “KCQ,” a non-competition barbecue event that celebrates barbecue from Kansas City and many other barbecue towns. It will take place in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium and feature barbecue from KC-based mainstays Joe’s Kansas City, Jones Bar-B-Q, and Plowboys BBQ. Out-of-towners will also be there, including 2M Smokehouse, Black’s BBQ, Central City BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse. MORE INFO HERE.
July 9-11, 2021: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival — Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and typically features the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. Read our to learn about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
July 16-17, 2021: Golden Days Championship — Fairbanks, Alaska
The northernmost barbecue competition (maybe in the world?) is taking place in Fairbanks, Alaska, which is also the birthplace of the Alaska BBQ Association. This competition follows the KCBS sanctioned rules as the Grand Champion receives an invitation to the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational. It’s also notable in that the sun basically doesn’t go down the entire time the comp is happening. MORE INFO HERE.
July 31 & August 1, 2021: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival — Brooklyn, New York
NYC’s Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival is back and better than ever! Get ready to enjoy all those pleasures that true Southerners live by – Beer, Bourbon, Barbecue, Boots, Bacon, Biscuits, Bluegrass, and Smoked Beasts. It’s a great day of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’. One admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. MORE INFO HERE.
August 21-22, 2021: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Sydney edition) — Sydney, Australia
Meatstock returns with a typically stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The sell-out, two-day event brings big-name American pitmasters Down Under; sees comp teams from across Sydney go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks and pop-up bars. MORE INFO HERE.
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