The Backyard Cookoff will return with BBQ and Barrels, pitting more than 40 backyard barbecue chefs and their teams against each other to determine a grand champion.
The contest has been an integral part of the festival for nearly three decades, growing exponentially since its inception. Participants have several opportunities to win with a beef, chicken, pork, and overall category, as well as best booth.
When Todd Johnson and Kelly Ward assumed organizer roles in 2012, there were only 12 teams, with little more than bragging rights on the line. Johnson remembers helping his father cook during the inaugural year. Taking a trip down memory lane, he said they had a small setup in the CW Skeeter’s Boogie Shack parking lot.
Today, the competition boasts more than 40 teams with nearly $5,000 in trophies and cash prizes.
“We’ve tried to revamp it and change the rules some to keep up with the times,” Ward said. “It’s really a family atmosphere, where everyone enjoys each other and helps everyone out. There was one time we left our sauce at home and had to borrow another team’s – we were afraid we would win with his sauce.”
Johnson referenced another instance when a team had a wreck en route to town and lost their smoker to a ditch. Thankfully, Ward had one he could lend them, and they could still participate.
“It’s an intimate, family atmosphere. Every team that gets in thinks it will be super competitive, but it’s more about fun,” Johnson said. “It’s about what you would cook in your backyard. You don’t have to cook an entire chicken or pork butt – wings, a ribeye, or any other protein option that fits in the category qualifies.”
Johnson said they have seen everything from a charcoal and gas grill bough at a box store to $15,000 rotisserie smokers — and to some people’s surprise, it’s not always the highest-priced unit or piece of meat that wins.
Regardless of what method the teams take, Johnson is proud to see the tradition carry on and is excited for this weekend.
The grand champion wins $1,500, with first, second, and third places winning $500, $300, and $200, respectively. The overall best booth winner also receives $200.
To enter a team in the competition or for more information, visit the BBQ and Barrel’s website here.
