Is there a Nobel Prize for BBQ? A look at the festivals behind award-winning BBQ.

What constitutes award-winning BBQ? There are fierce rivalries between barbecue styles, and plenty of festivals out there are handing out prizes to the best of the best. But, which festivals carry the most weight? Which awards are the most coveted? Is there a Nobel Prize or Academy Award for award-winning BBQ?

• There are so many competitions that it’s hard to narrow it down, but nearly everyone agrees that Kansas City’s American Royal is the granddaddy of them all. Also known as the World Series of Barbecue, this is the biggest and most competitive event on the barbecue circuit. It’s held for 3 days every October and features over 600 of the best competitive BBQ teams in the world.
• Coming in right behind the American Royal are the other three “majors,” Memphis in May, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and the Jack Daniels Invitational. The Jack Daniels is the smallest of the three, but very prestigious and features fun extra contests for things such as desserts and sauces made using Jack Daniels. The Houston show is held in February while the rest of the country is battling winter, which is almost as much of a reason to go as the nearly 300 teams that compete there. Memphis in May has earned the Guinness title of “Largest Pork BBQ in the World” with its 82 tons of pork over the course of the weekend, and it offers fans the opportunity to judge the award-winning BBQ instead of just observing.
• If you prefer your ‘cue with a view, check out the Blue Ridge BBQ &Music Festival, held in June in Tryon NC. Not only can you sample pork, ribs and brisket, and watch a whole-hog throw-down while listening to great music, but you can do it all against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains.
• If you want to feel charitable while you’re chowing down, check out Hogs for the Cause. Basically a massive New Orleans, LA cocktail party with awesome barbecue, this event happens in March and features about 80 teams of professional chefs as well as newbies. Categories include whole-hog, ribs, pork butt/shoulder and the intriguingly non-specific porkpourri. Samples are exchanged for donations, which, along with the entry tickets, benefit pediatric cancer care.

One note about barbecue competitions: while you’re certain to find award-winning BBQ at each of them, only some of them allow competitors to sell to the public. If you’re more interested in eating BBQ than observing its creation, be sure to find a competition where the barbecue for sale comes from the actual entrants. You can find a list of competitions here and here, so choose wisely.

There may not be a Nobel Prize for BBQ, but if there were, you could bet that Tony Roma’s ribs would be in the running. Not only is the taste delicious, but also the genius of easy-to-prepare precooked BBQ is impossible to deny. If you believe that Tony Roma’s ribs should top the list when it comes to award-winning BBQ, you can find like-minded BBQ fans on Facebook, or follow Tony Roma’s on Twitter for all the latest information, tips and tricks related to BBQ.

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