09/24/10 — N.C. pork barbecue cook-off to be Saturday

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N.C. pork barbecue cook-off to be Saturday

By Staff Reports
Published in News on September 24, 2010 1:46 PM

The state's best barbecue cooks are once again going head to head to identify North Carolina's pork barbecue-cooking champion.

Sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council, the 26th annual North Carolina State Championship Barbecue Cookoff will be held on Saturday during Mount Airy's Mayberry Days festival.

The battle of the big grills showcases the best barbecue in the Old North State. A field of 25 cooks working with whole pigs is entered, following a demanding series of qualifying events around the state, all sanctioned by the N.C. Pork Council.

The main contest is Saturday morning in the parking lot of the Andy Griffith Playhouse on Rockford Street. Judging will be done by certified and celebrity judges, beginning at 8 a.m., with prizes awarded at 2 p.m.

Barbecue fans are invited to witness the judging and taste the barbecue, both winners and otherwise. Trophies and cash prizes will be awarded in two divisions: culinary and showmanship.

The Pork Council chose Mount Airy to host this year because of a special anniversary in that city. A four-day festival celebrates the 50th anniversary of "The Andy Griffith Show" debut in 1960.

For more information, call the Surry Arts Council at (336) 786-7998 or visit www.MayberryDays.org.