Memphis in May

Linkdown: 5/22/24 – The Three-Time Grand Champions Edition

/ Barbecue Bros / 1 Comment

Featured

Monk: The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest was held this past weekend in Memphis, and The Shed yet again took home the Grand Champion and Whole Hog titles. The Grand Champion title was the third for the 17-time competition team from Ocean Springs, MS led by brother and sister Brad Orrison and Brooke Lewis.

The full list of winners in other categories are on their website. Of note, Big Bob Gibson and Chris Lilly took home yet another Pork Shoulder title.

Of note, the upstart barbecue competition SmokeSlam also took place the same weekend at Tom Lee Park, the former site of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

Here were the winners of SmokeSlam:

Native News

Friends of the blog The Low and Slow Barbecue Show featured Jon G’s Barbecue

Union Barbecue is a newer barbecue food truck in Charlotte native Holden Sasser

Pizza Peel in the Plaza Midwood is closing after a decade open and is turning into an Improper Pig

Mike D’s BBQ in east Durham but got a couple of lifelines through a Rapid Recovery loan  from The NC Rural Center

Non-Native News

City Limits Barbeque has been testing out pork steaks

Smoke Queen Barbecue is run by Winnie Yee-Lakhani and was recently featured by J.C. Reid in a recent profile

After last week’s tornadoes, many Houston restaurants are still without power including Gatlin’s BBQ and Feges BBQ

Daniel Vaughn digs up the first article on Franklin Barbecue

Linkdown: 11/28/23 – The Brisket Makes Everything Better Edition

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Featured

Monk: Team applications for Memphis in May are officially open for next year’s festival which will take place in Liberty Park

This of course is after a new, upstart festival has been announced to be held at (plot twist) Tom Lee Park, where Memphis in May had traditionally been held. Forward Momentum are the organizers behind the rival festival which will be held at the same time as Memphis in May, and Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porkers is on board to compete, even going so far as to say “BBQ in Memphis belongs on the river, and with Forward Momentum, we now have the means and resources to make it happen.”

This has led to the picking of festivals between the big competition teams and so far it looks like Memphis in May is ahead early by my unofficial count with Jack’s Old South and Moe Cason are on board so far as well as The Usual Saucepects Championship BBQ, Heath Riles BBQ, and former 2x Grand Champions Willingham’s World Championship BBQ,

As for me? If I make either festival it will surely be Memphis in May at Liberty Park.

Finally, in perhaps somewhat related news, the CEO of Memphis in May is retiring at the end of January.


Native News

Congrats to Raleigh’s The Pit, which will celebrate 15 years open this weekend

Phar Mill Brewing and BBQ’s downtown Concord location is now closed to the public and they will focus on the original Harrisburg location going forward

Can’t wait to see this new Jon G’s design on a t-shirt

FoodieScore checks back in with Johnny Ray’s Smokehouse in Fallston

A free gift with purchase from Concord’s SnS Grills

Speaking of gifts, this shirt from House of Swank is a little too reductive terms of barbecue ideology, but I appreciate it nonetheless

Non-Native News

FatStack Smokers, who relocated from California to Texas and has been accused of taking customers’ money without providing actual smokers, has closed up shop

Speaking of Houston, here’s J.C. Reid’s top 30 barbecue restaurants list for the city

One more from J.C. Reid on how brisket makes a Philly cheesesteak even better

Big Dave’s BBQ makes this Eater Essentials list for Greenville, SC

A review of a new type of grill brush

Talk about a #woodpilewednesday

Linkdown: 11/22/23 – The Happy Thanksgiving Edition

/ Barbecue Bros / 1 Comment

Featured

Monk: The Cuegrass festival, a mix of barbecue, bluegrass, and beer, is back next April in downtown Raleigh. It’s been a few years since I’ve been, but it looks like they’ve moved a few blocks away from in front of The Pit restaurant onto Fayetteville Street. Here were my thoughts from 2019:

The Cuegrass Festival is a Must for Raleigh Barbecue and Bluegrass Fans

Mark your calendars for April 20 for what is sure to be a fun time.

Native News

The Barbecue Festival has been nominated by NC Tripping for best annual festival

Non-Native News

John Tanner visits Franklin Barbecue

DC barbecue featured in Texas Monthly

Team applications are now open for Memphis in May

Texas Monthly with some helpful suggestions for leftover barbecue

The labor shortage hits Texas barbecue

Noted fan of barbecue Jon Favreau recently stopped in at Heritage Barbecue

WANT:

Wayback Wednesday:

Tuffy Stone’s Memphis in May Recap

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Monk: Tuffy Stone’s started to become really active on his YouTube channel as of earlier this year, and one of his latest videos features a recap of his time at this year’s Memphis in May. Jess Pryles, Moe Cason, Carey Bringle, Melissa Cookston, and more make appearances in the montage while Heath Riles, Chris Lilly, Brook and Brad Orrison, Big Moe Cason, and the recently-retired Melissa Cookston give more in-depth interviews and sprinkle in a few tips on their process. A really well-done video.

Description: Memphis in May is a special event that brings together some of the very best in the world of barbecue. This year was a busy one for us and while my team did not get the results we were cooking for, we were thrilled to see some of our friends take the stage.