As most of you know, I am a KCBS certified judge (and almost 2/3 of the way to my Master CBJ certification). KCBS events are fairly easy to find here in the Mid-Atlantic region. However, Memphis Barbecue Network (or MBN) contests are a little bit harder to locate here. So when I saw that the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship (formerly known as the Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues Festival and as the Blues, Brews, & BBQ Festival) was looking for both KCBS and MBN judges, I decided to apply. And lo and behold, I got picked!
Official DNC 2012 BBQ Sauces Announced
Back in February, the committee for the 2012 Democratic National Convention (in Charlotte, NC) launched a search for the best BBQ sauces to be named the official BBQ sauces of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Thirty different submissions were received in three categories: tomato based, mustard based, and vinegar based. Submissions ranged from homemade BBQ sauces to nationally recognized brands. The standard used in judging the various sauces was based on the South Carolina BBQ Society score sheet, scoring on a scale from 1 to 20 in four different criteria: aroma, taste, after taste, and overall impression.
Review: 521 BBQ & Grill — Indian Land, SC
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I was out and about on a Saturday in the southern part of Charlotte, NC. I realized that I was within striking distance of a BBQ joint that I had not tried yet. So at the recommendation of my friend Steve Gibbs, I decided to stop in at 521 BBQ & Grill in Indian Land, SC.
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Best Of: Independence Day Edition
Whew! It’s a hot one here in the Carolinas here this weekend. Hope all of you being hit with the heat are staying cool and hydrated. If not, take a few minutes, cool off, and check out some of these stories… Continue reading “Best Of: Independence Day Edition”
Review: Jake’s Good Eats — Charlotte, NC
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As far as restaurants go, this is a departure from the typical restaurant that I would review on here. However, after seeing Jake’s Good Eats featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives”, I knew I would have to check it out (especially since it’s located within a 10 minute drive of my house). After months of mentioning it to my wife, I finally convinced her to go to dinner there last night.
Review: Sauceman’s BBQ, Pizza, and Grill — Charlotte, NC
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I am always on the lookout for new places to try in and around Charlotte. So when one of my employer’s clients suggested that I try Sauceman’s in Charlotte, I decided to give it a shot.
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Review: Midwood Smokehouse — Charlotte, NC
A couple of weeks ago, I heard rumor of a new BBQ joint opening up in Charlotte. As I read more and more about it, I started getting excited and determined that I just had to check this new place out soon. Well that new place is Midwood Smokehouse, and I took the opportunity today to check it out before having to head in to the office.
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Review: Jim ‘n Nick’s Bar-B-Q — Charlotte, NC
My search for the best barbecue places in the Charlotte area continued recently with a visit to Jim ‘n Nick’s Bar-B-Q in Charlotte, NC. Jim ‘n Nick’s has 28 locations in 7 different states and prides itself in cooking its ‘que low and slow and making everything from scratch. I’ve heard good things regarding Jim ‘n Nick’s, so I decided to give it a shot.
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Review: Bill Spoon’s Barbecue — Charlotte, NC
For a city the size of Charlotte, there’s not much there in the way of outstanding barbecue. There are several adequate places, and there are even a couple that are good. But in the years that I’ve lived here, the only place that I have tried that I would call excellent is Mac’s Speed Shop. However, I kept hearing about Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, so I decided to give it a shot one day for lunch.
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Review: Shane’s Rib Shack — Charlotte, NC
For lunch yesterday, I got a craving for BBQ. I did not really feel like fighting the crowds at Mac’s Speed Shop today, no matter how good the ‘cue is. After doing some research, I found Shane’s Rib Shack, which is fairly close to my office.
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