The American Royal Brought Competition BBQ Back
The 2021 American Royal Showed Competition BBQ Is Back
This past weekend, more than 450 competition BBQ teams from around the country made the journey to Kansas City for the 41st American Royal World Series of Barbecue. The Royal, the largest annual KCBS competition and largest barbecue event in the world, made a strong comeback after being canceled last year due to the pandemic.
As it typically does, the Royal featured three days of activities at the enormous Kansas Speedway. Friday night played host to private parties, fundraisers, and barbecue teams preparing for the weekend. Saturday featured public-facing events for BBQ fans and their families, alongside the American Royal Invitational competition. Sunday closed out the weekend with the huge American Royal Open competition, where anyone can take part.
The American Royal’s Friday night parties included some incredible local food, including this sausage taco from Night Goat BBQ. (Photo by Wai Chan)
On Friday night, the event kicked off with dozens of small and large parties. One party we stopped by was the Pork N Boots fundraiser, where we enjoyed delicious bites from Kansas City-based Buck Tui BBQ, Night Goat Barbecue, and Plowboys BBQ. The Bullhorn BBQ team of Cypress, Texas and Blue Hat Crane team of Kansas City, Kansas won the award for American Royal Team Party of the Year (for a party we sadly missed). The Bullhorn and Blue Hat Crane crews also won the award in 2018 and 2019, showing they seriously know how to party.
BBQ legend Ardie Davis swears in roughly 600 judges at the American Royal Open competition. (Photo by Wai Chan)
On Saturday, thousands of members from the general public came out for free BBQ meals, live music, cornhole and other games, mechanical bull riding, sauce and rub samples, and other activities. Many of them also had the chance to brush shoulders with barbecue pitmasters and personalities throughout the day.
Celebrity pitmaster and competitor Myron Mixon delivers a toast at the BBQ Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Another Saturday event was the official induction ceremony of new members of the Barbecue Hall of Fame. The 2021 inductees to the Hall of Fame were Ollie Gates, Meathead Goldwyn, Rodney Scott, Lyttle Bridges Cabaniss, and Arthur Bryant. The event also honored the 2020 Hall of Fame inductees in person, since last year's event was canceled. A private pre-induction celebration toasted the new Hall of Fame members and featured a room full of former inductees, including Myron Mixon, Melissa Cookston, Tuffy Stone, Chris Lilly, Ardie Davis, Pat Burke, Paul Kirk, Carolyn Wells, and David Knight, with Ray Lampe (aka Dr. BBQ) playing host.
Saturday night, the American Royal Invitational winners were announced. Triple H BBQ from Illinois took home the top prize, beating out 185 talented teams. Sin Circle BBQ from South Dakota took home second place. (See full results here.)
Blane Hunter of Porky Butts BBQ finishes his competition chicken box before turn-in. (Photo by Wai Chan)
Sunday was all about competition, with the day focused on the American Royal Open. About 470 teams cooked up chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. Many teams also competed in ancillary categories, including turkey (aka Turkey Smoke), baked beans, vegetables, and desserts.
The Last Call Heroes BBQ team from South Dakota won the Grand Champion prize at the Open, while Hogline from Minnesota won Reserve Grand Champion. (See full results here.) Notably, Last Call Heroes , showing that they seriously know how to compete at the highest level.
The winner of the American Royal open competition went to Last Call Heroes from Pierre, South Dakota. (Photo by Wai Chan)
The World Series of Barbecue, for many teams, is about reconnecting with old friends and making new ones — all while cooking up a storm. And with so many teams showing up this year, it felt like a clear response to missing the camaraderie from 2020’s canceled event.
A tasty competition brisket box at the American Royal. (Photo by Forsyth Imaging)
Despite a little heat (and some heated competition), the weekend was a success. As hundreds of tired teams departed the Kansas Speedway on Sunday night, one thing was clear: competition barbecue is back in a big way.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) and Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Thank you to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—KCBS has announced a new steak competition called National Steak Championships.—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The Kansas City Barbeque Society recently announced the creation of the new KCBS National Steak Championships, a new competitive food sport for outdoor grilling enthusiasts and pitmasters. The National Steak Championships will consist of qualifier contests across the country that may be standalone events or held in conjunction with other KCBS-sanctioned competitions. Each qualifier contest will pay a minimum of $2,500 in prizes to the top 10 contestants. The winner of each contest will receive an invitation to attend the KCBS National Steak Championships Invitational in July 2022 in Kansas City. READ MORE.
Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que announced the lineup for its Third Anniversary celebration, set to be held on October 24th in Rockdale, Texas. Kerry Bexley, owner of Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, will be the Grand Marshall for the event. The celebration will feature over 40 BBQ joints from across Texas and beyond, including 2M Smokehouse, Blood Bros BBQ, Harp Barbecue, Heritage Barbecue, and many more. READ MORE.
The Charleston Wine + Food Festival announced a major change to the popular festival in 2022. The anchor of the festival, known as the Culinary Village, will move to North Charleston for the first time in 17 years. According to a spokesperson for the festival, COVID-19 was a contributing factor in the decision. “The safety of our guests and talent is the main focus...The bigger venue will allow us to take more COVID-19 precautions,” Cristy J. Armstrong said. The Culinary Village will be located at Riverfront Park in North Charleston and will include additional opportunities to sample food that won’t require a ticket, such as a food truck ‘neighborhood.’ READ MORE.
303 Magazine highlighted pitmaster Aaron Gonerway’s new restaurant Plates by the Pound, which opened in Aurora, Colorado this past weekend. The restaurant honors his upbringing and the barbecue his family ate together. “Honestly, I was so young I didn’t know what I was eating, but I knew it was something special,” Gonerway said. The Texas-born pitmaster was awarded a grant from the Kingsford Preserve the Pit Program, which supports Black pitmasters and entrepreneurs in barbecue. The restaurant operates on Saturdays only from 11:00 am until sold out. READ MORE.
The recent Netflix show American Barbecue Showdown was a hit and helped propel some up-and-coming pitmasters into the spotlight. If you think you’ve got what it takes to compete on the next season of the show, it is now looking for applicants. APPLY HERE.
ADDITIONAL READS
The entrepreneurs behind Sloppy Mama’s and Republic Cantina are building a Capitol Hill bar together in D.C.
J.C. Reid writes about a new spot where you can get a taste of the African American origins of East Texas barbecue.
The Food Network created an essential guide to the regional barbecue traditions across the U.S.
Here’s a short article on the hotly contested origins of Brunswick Stew, though we happen to have a lot of confidence in the historical research done by author and scholar Robert Moss.
Here’s a look behind the scenes of judging at the World Series of Barbecue.
North Carolina BBQ Matriarch Lyttle Bridges Cabaniss was posthumously inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in Kansas City this past weekend.
Here are 5 BBQ sandwiches to try in the Johnson County area of the Kansas City metro.
The Denver Business Journal says Denver is seeing a serious barbecue boom.
Here are the BBQ eateries you should try in New England this autumn.
While Orangeburg’s Dukes Bar-B-Q will remain open, its sister store in North Charleston will close this week after 67 years in business.
—Ronald Simmons of Master Blend Family Farms has created a thriving hog farming business in North Carolina.—
WATCH
Ronald Simmons Is Building the Future of Barbecue One Hog at a Time — Complex
The second episode in this series from Complex follows Ronald Simmons, a fellow in the 2021 Kingsford Preserve the Pit program. The program celebrates the contributions Black Americans have made to barbecue. Simmons is the owner of Master Blend Family Farms in Kenansville, North Carolina. In spite of all of the challenges he has faced, he is determined to build a business to provide his premium pork products and whole hogs to local restaurants and businesses in his area. This episode was created by David Robinson, a senior filmmaker at North Carolina A&T State University. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
The 20 Best BBQ Places in Texas, Part 1 — Tales from the Pits
After months spent crisscrossing Texas in search of the best barbecue, Tales from the Pits hosts Bryan and Andrew completed their research, debated dozens of restaurants, and are ready to start unveiling the top 20 list. Tune in to this episode to hear them begin the countdown from the 20th best BBQ spot in Texas all the way to the 11th best. The next two episodes will unveil the final ten. With so much great barbecue available all across the Lone Star State, this was no easy task! LISTEN HERE.
READ
BBQ Revolution: Innovative Barbecue Recipes from an All-Star Pitmaster — Mitch Benjamin
Mitch Benjamin has helped open BBQ restaurants in Paris, served his smoked meat to baseball legends at Yankee Stadium, and taken home some serious hardware from just about every major BBQ competition. Learn the ins and outs of competition BBQ, including some of Mitch's award-winning recipes for sauces, rubs, and meats, from brisket and burnt ends to short ribs and pork butt. Take a trip behind the scenes of Kansas City's Char Bar, with some of their most popular recipes like their burnt heaven and smoked chicken nuggets. He showcases recipes with reverse smoking, sous vide, and other techniques. Whether you're relatively new to BBQ or a seasoned pitmaster, you're sure to find new ideas, techniques, and flavors in BBQ Revolution. ORDER HERE.
—These grilled Wagyu Beef Kabobs will melt in your mouth. (Photo by Wai Chan)—
Wagyu Beef Kabobs
By BBQ Tourist
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, BBQ Tourist incorporates some Asian flavors to his grilled recipe for Wagyu Beef Kabobs using Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce. Wagyu sirloin steak has a good amount of marbling for grilling on skewers, and marinating the beef overnight will enhance the aromatic, sweet, and spicy flavors. With a little advanced preparation, you’ll be on your way to enjoying these delicious melt-in-your-mouth kabobs in no time.
—Lots of must-attend barbecue events are scheduled for 2021.—
October 1-3, 2021: Q In The Lou — St. Louis, Missouri
Get ready to go hog wild and get your BBQ fix at another great year of Q in the Lou. Many of the country’s biggest names in BBQ will be back once again. Given heightened safety protocols, it will likely be a little different from years past but still offering lots of food and fun. Read our to learn more about how the event generally goes. MORE INFO HERE.
October 8-9, 2021: Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational — Lynchburg, Tennessee
The Jack Daniel’s Annual World Championship Invitational Barbeque – or simply The Jack as it’s known in the world of competition barbecue – is widely considered the world’s most prestigious barbeque competition where teams from around the globe smoke, season and sear their way to a chance to be named the Grand Champion and a $25,000 prize. Annually featuring more than 100 teams representing all 50 states and countries across the globe, The Jack transforms Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel Distillery, into the barbecue capital of the world. It’s also important to note that KCBS has changed the date The Jack is usually held in hopes of getting more favorable weather, so check your calendars. Read our to learn more about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
October 9-17, 2021: Texas Monthly BBQ Fest: Road Trip Edition — Texas
As we get ready for the release of Texas Monthly’s latest edition of the Top 50 barbecue joints lists, we’re taking our beloved annual barbecue festival on the road. Texas Monthly BBQ Fest: Road Trip Edition will feature a series of three Pit Stop events from the Rio Grande Valley to the Panhandle, while celebrating barbecue joints in every corner of the state with Texas Monthly BBQ Week, which features special prices and menu items at more than 60 joints statewide. More info here.
October 24, 2021: Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que Third Anniversary — Rockdale, Texas
The Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que Third Anniversary celebration is set to be held on October 24th in Rockdale, Texas. Kerry Bexley, owner of Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, will be the Grand Marshall for the event. The celebration will feature over 40 BBQ joints from across Texas and beyond, including 2M Smokehouse, Blood Bros BBQ, Harp Barbecue, Heritage Barbecue, and many more. More info here.
November 5-7, 2021: 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 of Texas is the epitome of high spirits, with a packed schedule of hands-on grilling demos, tastings with top pitmasters, chefs, and sommeliers. Plus, there will be interactive demos and panels. MORE INFO HERE.
November 6, 2021: Troubadour Festival — Celina, Texas
The first-ever Troubadour Festival will feature an all-star lineup of musical acts and BBQ joints from all over Texas. More than 40 of the best BBQ joints in Texas (many on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list) will be there slinging smoked meats, so don't miss out. MORE INFO HERE.
November 13, 2021: Holy Smokes: Lowcountry BBQ Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
The Holy Smokes BBQ Festival from Home Team BBQ, Swig & Swine, and Robert Moss will be held November 13 in Charleston. The big new event will include pitmasters from around the country including Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Patrick Feges and Erin Smith, Feges BBQ, Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ, Matt Horn of Horn Barbecue, and Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott’s BBQ. MORE INFO HERE.
November 20, 2021: Tex Mex BBQ Festival — San Antonio, Texas
This event will be full of the best food, education, and entertainment ever assembled in one spot. The menu will be masterminded by Miguel Vidal of Valentina’s Tex-Mex from Austin, Tx. The food will be executed by some of the most talented pitmasters, chefs, and cooks coming in from all over the nation. Mark your calendar for an amazing experience! MORE INFO HERE.
December 10-12, 2021: Jacksonville BBQ Fest — Jacksonville, Florida
The inaugural Jacksonville BBQ Fest is happening this December at TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jaguars. Don’t miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. MORE INFO HERE.
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