NC BBQ Association

Last year at the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Festival I started to hear rumors of a new BBQ sanctioning committee being born. It was started by a group of competitors, caterers and restauranteurs that is interested in preserving the art of NC BBQ. They came together to form competitions that highlight the best of NC BBQ by focusing on the meat.

In August of 2014 I became a NC BBQ Association member and certified judge. The class wasn't difficult - you get to taste BBQ - and since I am a certified KCBS judge, it helped me understand what is being looked for. The style of judging follows closer to MBN style with a combination of both blind and onsite judging. I like the combination of the two because it gives you a chance to learn from the teams and how they create their particular BBQ magic.

NC BBQ Association

North Carolina is getting a new BBQ association. Maybe it will help to quell the arguments over what type of bbq sauce is best Eastern NC or Western NC. More than likely, it will stir up some of those rivalries but produce some great eats for those who attend the events. Though in it's infancy it is rumored to have three contests set up for the year and more on the way.

If you would like more information on the NC BBQ Association check out their site at northcarolinabbqassociation.com. In March they are hosting a judging and cooking class at Mac's Speed Shop in Charlotte, NC.