The 2009 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest enjoyed three days of warm temperatures and gorgeous sunshine, making Tom Lee Park the perfect setting to enjoy all things meat.  238 teams vied for top honors in the pork categories of whole hog, ribs, and shoulder, as well as other categories including Patio Porkers, People’s Choice, sauce, baked beans, booth, t-shirts, and Anything But, which consists of several kinds of non-pork BBQ.  Sweet Swine O’ Mine, hailing from here in the Bluff City, earned the coveted Grand Champion trophy (and the $10,000 prize) with its succulent shoulder.  For a list of the top three finishers in each category, click here: results.

Local health codes (and the fact the event is a contest) prevent teams from offering samples to the public.  But don’t worry, a visit to the barbecue championships offers plenty of opportunities to satisfy your tingling taste buds.  On Thursday and Friday, patrons had a chance to sink their teeth into some of the world-class BBQ thanks to the Kingsford People’s Choice Awards.  For only $4, visitors were treated to five samples and cast their ballot in the People’s Choice category.  Even better, there was no limit to how often visitors could serve as a judge.  

Of course, a sea of vendors provided tasty eats as well, ranging from BBQ courtesy of Corky’s and Willingham’s World Championship BBQ and Polish sausages to grilled corn, corn dogs, gyros, funnel cakes, ice cream, and more.  Dancing Bull even offered free wine tasting.

The contest also offered barbecue enthusiasts plenty of pointers on how to hone their cooking skills.  The Cooker Caravan gave visitors a free guided tour of the teams, cooking tips, and a glimpse of specialty smokers and grillers while the Cattlemen’s Barbecue Sauce Tent hosted “Judging 101,” “Grilling with Live Fire” by Weber Grills, and “Pork 101” by the National Pork Board.  Visitors shouldn’t miss a chance either simply to strike up a conversation with some of the competitors as they’re happy to talk about their passion for pork. 


Hungry yet?  Well, you’ve got plenty of time to wait for the next Memphis in May World Championship.  In the meantime go indulge in some of the city’s most mouth-watering BBQ at our renowned restaurants -- www.memphistravel.com/restaurants/ or try your hand at mastering your own backyard barbecue and grilling recipes.