Here's What Makes The Jack So Special
The biggest names in barbecue from across the globe descended upon the small town of Lynchburg, Tennessee this past weekend for the 31st annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue (known simply as “The Jack”). This year 72 invitational teams from the United States as well as 27 international teams vied for the coveted Jack Daniel’s Invitational Grand Championship title. Despite the fact that the weekend was rainy and soggy, teams and visitors were all smiles.
The rain and mud did not ruin the atmosphere at the 31st annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue.
The contest is one of the most prestigious events in competition barbecue, comparable in stature to the American Royal, Memphis in May, and the Houston Livestock and Rodeo. Tucked away among the rolling hills and hollows, where every drop of the famous Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is produced, the small-town setting and curious traditions make The Jack truly unique.
While the competition is of primary importance, barbecue teams and enthusiasts partake in a variety of activities, including touring the distillery, purchasing rare and personalized bottles of whiskey at the bottle shop, dining at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House and Restaurant, shopping for memorabilia at the Lynchburg Hardware General Store, and walking around the historic town square. Other festivities include 5K and 7-mile runs, barrel bung toss contests, a country dog show, and live music.
These shagbark hickory nuts are distributed to each of the teams in the contest. (Photo by Ardie Davis)
The Jack is also known for several special traditions. I joined in on one such tradition with my friend Ardie Davis, new Kansas City Barbeque Society CEO Emily Detwiler, and a ragtag group of volunteers, who were assembled to pass out “magic hickory nuts” to each of the teams. These shagbark hickory nuts are marinated in a combination of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and barbecue seasonings, then rinsed with Missouri River water, and screen-printed with the official contest logo for the year.
The hickory nuts are placed inside a Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 bandana bag and each team draws a nut from the bag. According to Davis, “The team that ends up with THE Magic Nut will know they got it when the Grand Champion team is called to the awards stage.”
The Operation BBQ Relief team marched during the Parade of Teams through Lynchburg.
Another special tradition includes the parade of teams starting at Wiseman Park through the town square to the Jack Daniel’s Visitor Center. The townsfolk and visitors cheer on the teams, which throw candy and beads to spectators. At the conclusion of the parade, team members and their guests board buses to enjoy the festivities at the party on “Barbecue Hill."
This year, the rain kept partygoers inside, but everyone enjoyed plenty of food, whiskey, and music on the hill. Midway through the celebration came another tradition called the “Burning of Regrets” in which guests anonymously write down any regrets or worries they might have on a slip of paper. These are gathered up and loaded up inside an iron pig named “Jasper," doused in Jack Daniels, and tossed onto a fire to let the regrets and troubles burn away.
Teams get creative in the Chef’s Choice/Homeland ancillary category at The Jack.
The next day was all business as the contest began and judges assembled at the tent. Invitations to judge at The Jack are highly sought after and this year's judges included a who’s who of pitmasters, including Barbecue Hall of Famers such as Mike Mills, Chris Lilly, Johnny Trigg, Pat Burke, Ray Lampe, Paul Kirk, Ardie Davis, and an array of notable personalities too numerous to list. Judges partook in the annual tradition of signing each other’s contest aprons.
Teams submitted entries in four separate master series categories, which included chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket, as well as ancillary categories, such as sauce, dessert, and the special cook’s choice/homeland category, in which domestic teams submit anything they wish to showcase and international teams submit dishes that are distinctive to their home countries.
After the scores were added and the results were tallied, teams and fans gathered together for the awards ceremony. For the second year in a row, a team from Oklahoma was named the winner of the Grand Championship title, with Clark Crew BBQ being awarded the top honors and the $25,000 prize. The Shake ‘n Bake BBQ team from Missouri won the Reserve Champion title.
(You can see the full results of the competition here.)
The title of Grand Champion at the 31st Annual Jack Daniel’s Invitational went to Clark Crew BBQ.
Clark Crew BBQ’s head pitmaster Travis Clark was in disbelief at the final results of the contest. Check out this great BBQ Spot video shot by our friend Amy Jungk of Old World Spices at the moment Clark was announced as the winner.
In spite of the rain and mud, I left Lynchburg already eager to return for next year’s event. The Jack is a unique event in the world of competition barbecue that I encourage all enthusiasts to experience.
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
Blood Bros. BBQ has captured the attention of Houstonians for its modern and inspired barbecue. (Photo by Jody Horton)
There is no doubt about it: there is something special about Houston’s Blood Brothers BBQ. Following other glowing press, Brett Martin of Smithsonian Magazine has written a great new feature on the joint and the three Asian-American owners who are cooking up a “barbecue revolution.”
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn has written an important myth-busting story about smokers and seasoning. While some pitmasters claim the “seasoning” on their smokers is adding flavor, Vaughn writes that sometimes they are really just dirty and need a good cleaning.
J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle writes in a new column that “fire management is the key to great barbecue” and dives into detail about what makes an ideal heating situation inside smokers.
Many barbecue writers have recently started diving into the history of Brunswick Stew. This week, Southern Living’s Robert Moss writes that the story behind this dish is complicated and (gasp!) its roots may not be in Georgia.
Bill Addison of the Los Angeles Times visited Slab Barbecue in LA and liked nearly everything he tried, especially the brisket. He says the joint is “worthy of steady love.”
When it comes to brisket in Toronto, Sumith Fernando (“a Roman Catholic Sri Lankan immigrant”) is the man with a special touch. In a fascinating profile, Saveur writes that Fernando owns a deli called Sumilicious where he painstakingly makes Montreal-style smoked-meat sandwiches that appeal to people from all backgrounds.
Tyler’s Barbeque, a top-rated joint in the Texas Panhandle, recently relocated to a new location. Owner Tyler Frazer stopped by NBC Studio 4 to talk about the new location and menu changes.
Kerlin BBQ, one of the top barbecue trucks in Austin, has just moved to a new location inside of the East Side Food Park. Kerlin made the move because the “current landlord wants the lot empty by the end of the year in order to sell the space,” Eater Austin reports.
After more than 20 years in business, Carter Brothers’ Main Street location in High Point, North Carolina is closing its doors. "This building is just so old, so tired and I'm getting older and tired, that I don't have the energy to knock it down and rebuild," Carter told Spectrum News. Carter said his location on Samet Dr. will remain open for those that still want to enjoy his food.
Wright’s Barbecue has brought authentic Texas barbecue to Fayetteville, Arkansas, writes Daniel Vaughn in Texas Monthly. He writes that the “Texas-style barbecue is impressive at Wright’s, and the beef rib is massive”
Great news for Atlanta barbecue fans: Fox Bros Bar-B-Q is opening a larger second location inside of The Works on the Upper Westside.
Central BBQ, one of the most popular barbecue joints in Memphis, will open a new Nashville location in early November. The menu will be the same as the locations in Memphis, Eater Nashville reports.
Finally, in a strange story, Rusted Silo Southern BBQ and Brew House in Lizton, Indiana is offering “free barbecue for life” to someone who helps them solve a crime. The joint was broken into recently and the criminal(s) stole cash as well as destroyed an antique cash register.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Tom Wright travels through Tennessee to places like Peg Leg Porker, Scott’s Parker’s, and more in this week’s video.
Watch: BBQ Road Trip: Tennessee - Munchies
Host Tom Wright travels across the Atlantic to Tennessee, the heartland of barbecue. Tom gluts himself in the impressive barbecue joints littered between Nashville and Memphis, and along the way, learns that the finest food often comes out of the most unexpected places. Meeting some good ol' boys and gals, Tom marinates in a world of cooking techniques, dying artistry, and secret recipes. Watch here.
Listen: The Smoke Sheet’s Sean Ludwig and Ryan Cooper - The BBQ Central Show
In this episode of The BBQ Central Show, host Greg Rempe talks with founders of The Smoke Sheet, Sean Ludwig and Ryan Cooper. They discuss their backgrounds in barbecue, how they started the newsletter, how they keep
track of the news and create the newsletter each week. They also talk with Greg about the hottest topics in the world of barbecue, including plant-based meat, the state of barbecue competition, podcasts and television shows, pellet cookers, and more. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Memphis Barbecue: A Succulent History of Sauce and Soul - by Craig David Meek
Succulent pulled pork and ribs have become part of the fabric of life in Memphis, and today they are cooked up in kitchens ranging from the internationally acclaimed to the humblest of roadside dives. Told through the history of its barbecue is the story of the city of Memphis, from legendary joints like Leonard's Barbecue, where Elvis Presley hosted private parties, to lesser-known places like William's Bar-B-Q in the West Memphis, Arkansas neighborhood where wild, late-night blues juke joints served as a red-light district across the river from Beale Street in the 1950s and '60s. Sink your teeth into this rich history chock-full of interviews and insights from the city's finest pitmasters and 'cue gurus who continue the long tradition of creating art with meat and flame. Buy it here.
The Texas Monthly BBQ Fest takes place this weekend in Austin, Texas.
November 2-3: Texas Monthly BBQ Fest Weekend — Austin, Texas
The Texas Monthly BBQ Fest is one of the top annual barbecue festivals in Texas. The Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas have all been invited, so come see who will be smoking at this weekend of ‘cue. Plus, check out the return of the popular Franklin & Friends event. More info here.
November 7: Sam Jones Barn Party — Atlanta, Georgia
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is thrilled to celebrate friend and Pitmaster Sam Jones with a special collaborative dinner highlighting his family’s signature recipes. The Fox Bros. team will transform their Ottley Drive Commissary into Jones’ beloved backyard barn where guests will enjoy an American Spirit Works specialty-cocktail, appetizers, a family-style meal prepared by Jones and Fox Bros., as well as beer from Scofflaw Brewing Co. and wine. More info here.
November 9: Gridiron Grill-Off — Pompano Beach, Florida
The Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival is one of the top food events in South Florida. It will feature a grilling competition with Miami Dolphin legends and top South Florida restaurants. Fans spend the afternoon tasting gourmet grilled bites and sipping on wines and spirits. There will also be a Florida BBQ Association-approved barbecue competition and a cornhole tournament. More info here.
November 10: Meat Fight — Dallas, Texas
Meat Fight is a yearly BBQ competition with chefs competing against each other for titles including best brisket, best sausage and more. 16 fancy DFW chefs from restaurants including Lucia, Petra and the Beast, Fauna, Jose, Salaryman, and more will be there duking it out. Attendees will be able to sample it all, plus side items, whiskey samples, beer, and more. The best part: This “funlanthropy” event benefits people living with Multiple Sclerosis. More info here.
November 13: No Kid Hungry Dinner — Houston, Texas
Some of Houston’s top pitmasters will soon get together for the No Kid Hungry Dinner at Truth BBQ. Leonard Botello IV, pitmaster and owner of Truth BBQ, will host the multi-course dinner and will be joined by Bobby Matos (State of Grace, La Lucha), Erin Smith and Patrick Feges (Feges BBQ), Nick Wong (UB Preserv), and Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar). Vanessa Dworakowski of La Lucha will mix cocktails. The dinner benefits No Kid Hungry, which works to end childhood hunger across the country. More info here.
November 17: 3rd Annual HOU-ATX BBQ Throwdown — Houston, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company announce the 3rd Annual HOU-ATX BBQ Throwdown featuring top barbecue restaurants from Houston and Austin competing to determine who reigns supreme when it comes to Texas barbecue. Ticket holders will sample each of the barbecue competition entries as well as enjoy Saint Arnold beer.
More info here.
November 23: GrillsGiving — San Antonio, Texas
GrillsGiving is a community-wide barbeque cook-off, music festival and fundraiser. BBQ teams and guests enjoy a festival-like atmosphere, kids’ activities and entertainment along the banks of the Mission Reach. More info here.
December 27-28: Arizona National BBQ Stampede — Phoenix, Arizona
The Arizona National BBQ Stampede is a special event brought to you by the Arizona National Livestock Show in collaboration with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). Teams will be able to enter the competition to earn points at the first event of the KCBS competition season. More info here.
January 1: Fired Up Florida Kosher BBQ Battle — Boca Raton, Florida
The Jay Feder Jewelers Fired Up Kosher BBQ Battle and Festival will be held on January 1st, 2019 at the South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, Florida from 1:00-5:00 pm. The event will include a barbecue competition, food for sale, and family activities. Proceeds will help support Hadar High School for Girls. More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
Check out this recipe for Jack Daniels BBQ Baked Beans by Rus Jones of Smoky Ribs BBQ.
Jack Daniel’s BBQ Baked Beans by Smoky Ribs BBQ
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose a recipe for Jack Daniel’s BBQ Baked Beans from Rus Jones of the Smoky Ribs BBQ YouTube Channel. Rus first soaks dried white northern beans, then cooks them until they are al dente in water and Jack Daniel’s. He then drains the beans and adds a blend of tomato sauce and tomato paste, yellow mustard, turbinado sugar, molasses, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, onion, garlic, green peppers, browned bacon, salt, pepper and Jack Daniel’s. Rus adds the beans to his Weber grill and also adds Jack Daniel’s barrel chunks to the charcoal for smoke flavor. The dish is a perfect side for any backyard barbecue. View the recipe here.
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