World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Welcome to the 2021 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest Folks ‘round here have one thing on their minds and that’s Raisin’ Hell in Hog Heaven. That’s what we’ve been doing at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest for the past 40+ years and make no mistake, it’s what we’ll do in 2021. We missed you last year because of the pandemic, but that just means double the smoke in 2021 even with the expected changes outlined in this application guide. This guide acts as a “pig signal” telling you that applications for the 2021 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest are available. We know you’ve been waiting all year for this and to be honest, we have too. Y’all call your ‘que-lovin’ buddies up and bring ‘em down to Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis, TN from May 12 through 15, 2021. Let’s go ahead and call this one like it is – the greatest barbecue event on the planet, two years in the making! What kind of competitors are we looking for in 2021? Well, if you love barbecue more than your mama, enjoy smokin’ pigs low n’ slow, believe there’s no sweeter honor than walking the stage in front of the barbecue greats and anticipate the middle of May every year, you’ll fit right in here. It will be a bit different this year, but your chances of finishing in the chips and walking the stage will dramatically increase, because we’re projecting the contest will be limited to around 140-150 competition teams. Space is obviously going to be limited, so we mean it when we say do not wait! The health and safety of our fans, performers, volunteers, staff, and the general public is our top priority, so safety will be of paramount importance this year. While it maybe somewhat smaller this year, it will still be a great time and one hell of a competition. Just remember, avoiding the wait list means completing this application and turning in your entry fee real fast. Contest entry closes on February 26th. Once we receive all applications, we’ll notify each team of their involvement the week of March 8th. If you get the green light, it means you’ll be flying high with Captain Lowandslow and smokin’ all the meat in Downtown Memphis this May. There’s nothing better. It’s time to get back to grilling! 1 COVID-19 CONTEST CHANGES The COVID-19 pandemic will require several changes to the WCBCC, with many aspects yet to be determined. We are encouraged by the new vaccines being released and the numerous therapeutic treatments that are being developed. We are confident that the WCBCC can be presented next May in a safe manner for teams, vendors, patrons, volunteers, and participants. Final safety protocols will be communicated as we get closer to the event at the Team Meeting to be held in April and in the final weeks leading up to the contest. Final safety protocols will be determined in cooperation with the local health department. YOU SHOULD EXPECT THE FOLLOWING CHANGES IN 2021 • Social distancing: All patrons and participants will be required to maintain a 6’ distance while in the park and within team spaces. • Mask requirements: All patrons and participants entering the park and in team spaces will be required to wear masks, except when eating or drinking. • Capacity limitations will be in place in Tom Lee Park and in team spaces limiting daily attendance. It may be necessary to schedule team guest visitors on a timed basis, by using color coded wristbands with designated time periods. • Tickets will be issued for a specific day, and teams will be limited in the number of tickets they may purchase each day. We currently anticipate teams will be limited to a maximum of 20 tickets per day. • Team space capacity will be posted and monitored by COVID compliance officers to ensure participant and patron social distancing and capacity limits are adhered to by teams. • Team participation at the contest will be limited to 140 to 150 teams. • The Patio Porker division will not be held in 2021 but will return in 2022. • Ms. Piggie Idol and the Cooker Caravan will not be held in 2021 but will return in 2022. 2 2021 CONTEST FAST FACTS CATEGORIES OF PORK: CATTLEMEN’S SAUCE Barbecue is defined by Memphis in May as pork meat, FRESH This event is one of our most hotly contested competitions. OR FROZEN AND UNCURED, prepared only on a wood and/ Teams can enter their best sauces in the following categories: or charcoal fire, basted or not, as the cook sees fit, with any Tomato, Vinegar or Mustard. All-blind judging ensures the consumable substances and sauces as the cook believes most unbiased assessment of the simple to the complex. necessary. Electrical devices may be used within the cooker as TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $9,600 long as they do not directly generate heat. Approved devices include rotisseries, fans and delivery systems for approved fuels (e.g. Traeger grills). Electric smokers, holding ovens or FRANK’S RED HOT HOT WINGS other devices with heat producing electrical coils are not When pigs fly! Whoever said that pigs and poultry can’t coexist? allowed. The official meat categories for the Memphis in May Brace yourself for the hottest…and we mean hottest… contest World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest are as follows: to ever invade your grill. TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $4,000 WHOLE HOG is defined as an entire hog, whose dressed weight is 85 pounds or more prior to the optional removal of the head, feet and skin, and which must be cooked as one HOME DEPOT BEST BOOTH complete unit on one grill surface. No portion or portions of the Areas will be judged on design, originality and connection with whole hog may be separated or removed, and subsequently the honored country, Ghana. returned to the grill, prior to or during the cooking process. TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $4,500 SHOULDER is defined as the portion containing the arm T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST bone, shank bone, and a portion of the blade bone. The pork The shirt will be judged on design, originality and connection ham is considered a shoulder entry and contains the hind leg with Ghana. bone. Although the shoulder is sometimes divided into two TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $1,750 parts, the Arm Picnic and the Boston Butt, only the whole shoulder is allowable. Boston Butts and Picnic Shoulders are not valid entries. KINGSFORD TOUR OF CHAMPIONS Teams who have placed in the top 20 of the pork categories are eligible to participate. Patrons will have the privilege of RIB is defined as the portion containing the ribs and further judging the best of the best by visiting a select number of the classified as a spare rib, loin rib, or a baby back rib. Country participating teams at their team booths. At the end of the style ribs are not valid entries in the Memphis in May WCBCC. tour, patrons judge on their favorites. They are cut from the blade end of the loin close to the pork TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $3,250 shoulder. They contain no rib bones, but instead contain parts of the shoulder blade. Teams may enter into ONLY one pork category. BIG GREEN EGG VIPIT PASS TOUR TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $86,500 (Top 10 awarded in Whole Hog, Teams who have placed in the top 10 in the whole hog, rib Shoulder and Ribs) and shoulder categories qualify to participate. This ultimate behind-the-scenes guided tour takes place Thursday and ANCILLARY CONTESTS & EVENTS: Friday of the competition week. Teams are expected to host 2 tour groups for a minimum of one half hour each and ANYTHING BUT provide food, beverages, and presentation. Each tour group Unleashing the creativity of team cooks, this competition is will have 25-40 patrons. Team booths must be large enough judged as a separate contest. Teams get a chance to show to accommodate these groups. off their culinary skill in the following categories: Beef, Poultry, Seafood, Exotic and Turkey Smoke. Judging will be by blind scoring. TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $15,000 (Top 4 awarded in each category) 3 TEAM MEETING: At least one representative from each team will be required to attend the Team Meeting. At the Team Meeting you will pick up your Team Packet, team wristiks and loading passes, and any pre-ordered tickets. This will also be your last chance to order tickets at a discounted rate, add any additional ancillary contests, or make any changes to your application (with the exception of booth size and pork category). The Team Meeting will serve to communicate all the necessary information and updates to the 2021 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Representatives of Memphis In May, Memphis Police Department, City of Memphis Code Enforcement, electrical, and rental vendors will be there to present you with the necessary details you will need for the contest. ENTRY FEES AND BOOTH SIZES Due to limited space, requests for size and riverview may not be possible. All special requests will be reviewed and will be filled with the preference given based on date the application and payment is received. Order the size space you need, no on-site expansions are permitted. Any team found intentionally expanding outside of their purchased booth space will be subject to penalties or disqualification. Memphis In May reserves the right to withhold the team’s security deposit and prize money up to the amount of outstanding balance.