New England may not be considered a hotbed of barbecue?but that image could be changing.
Last weekend, the first ?organizers say hopefully annual?whole pig barbecue contest was held in Bradford Vermont.
NHPR correspondent Rebecca Brown reports.
THE WHOLE HOG BARBECUE CONTEST AND BLUES FESTIVAL WAS NOT THE SORT OF THING ONE MIGHT EXPECT TO FIND IN A SMALL VERMONT TOWN ON THE BANKS OF THE CONNECTICUT.
THE NEW LOWER COHASE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND A LOCAL BARBECUE CATERER SPONSORED THE EVENT.
THE CHAMBER IS TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR ITSELF?.AND ITS REGION.
THE CATERERS SIMPLY WANT PEOPLE TO EAT BARBECUE.
ORGANIZER CRYSTAL JOHNSON WELCOMED THE CROWD.
CRYSTAL: WE THINK THIS IS THE FIRST WHOLE HOG COMPETITION THAT?S EVER GONE ON NORTH OF THE MASON DIXON LINE AND WE THINK THAT?S AWESOME, YES? (CLAPPING CROWD)
THE DAY WASN?T ONLY ABOUT BARBECUE.
LIVE BLUES BANDS PLAYED ALL AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
BUT THE FOCUS WAS DEFINITELY THE EIGHT ROASTED PIGS.
THE CONTESTANTS HAD LABORED OVER THEM FOR HOURS.
THEY WEREN?T ON SPITS?EACH WAS LAID OUT ON ITS GRILL.
JUDGES AND SPECTATORS WANDERED FROM GRILL TO GRILL TASTING SAMPLES.
MALCOLM 1: MY NAME IS MALCOLM. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I?VE EVER BEEN TO A PIG ROAST. I?VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO ONE AND THOUGHT ABOUT DOING IT MYSELF, BUT THIS IS FIRST TIME.
MALCOLM SAID HE GREW UP ON A FARM AND WAS USED TO BUTCHERING ANIMALS.
BUT HE THOUGHT THE PRESENTION OF THE WHOLE HOGS MIGHT MAKE SOME PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
MALCOLM 2: WHEN YOU SEE THE PIG LAYING OUT THERE ON THE SPIT I THINK THAT DIVIDES PEOPLE UP FROM, HOW SHALL I SAY IT, CLOSET VEGETARIANS.
BRUCE RICHARDSON, A LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, WAS ONE OF THE JUDGES.
EARLIER IN THE DAY HE AND THE OTHER JUDGES GOT A QUICK TRAINING COURSE IN WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
BRUCE: THERE?S A SERIES OF THINGS: THE PRESENTATION, EVEN THE PERSONALITIES OF THE PERSON DOING THE PRESENTATION WAS A FACTOR, THE TENDERNESS, THE FLAVOR OF COURSE, THE MOISTURE, THE LOOK OF IT. YOU?RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE MEAT ITSELF AND LOOK CAREFULLY FOR THINGS LIKE SMOKE LINES. THE NUANCES ARE MORE INTRICATE THAN I EXPECTED.
THE GRILLS USED TO ROAST THESE WHOLE HOGS AREN?T YOU?RE BASIC BACKYARD WEBERS.
MOST OF THEM LOOK LIKE SOMETHING A ROAD CREW WOULD USE TO HOLD TAR.
THERE?S A REASON FOR THAT.
MOST OF THESE GRILLS ARE WELDED TOGETHER FROM CAST OFF INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT, LIKE OLD UNDERGROUND FUEL TANKS.
THE CHEFS TOW THESE GRILLS FROM THE BACKS OF THEIR TRUCKS.
MARK FIFIELD, A COMPETITOR FROM VERSHIRE, VERMONT, USED A GRILL MADE FROM A 250-GALLON OIL DRUM.
MARK 1: ANYONE CAN MAKE A BARBECUE GRILL TO COOK A WHOLE HOG. YOU CAN GO TO YOUR LOCAL JUNKYARD TO GET EVERYTHING YOU NEED HERE. YOU CAN PHYSICALLY BUILD ONE FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS. THESE OLD RIGS HERE, THEY PRODUCE BETTER MEAT THAN THE HIGH-TECH SORT OF SPEAK.
AMONG AFICIONADOS, THE SAUCE IS THE HOLY GRAIL, THE KEY TO GREAT BARBECUE.
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT IS HOW YOU COOK YOUR PIG.
THE CONTESTANTS KEPT DETAILS OF BOTH PRETTY CLOSE TO THE CHEST.
BUT SOME SHARED A FEW TIPS.
KEISHA BARBER, FROM EAST CORINTH VERMONT, IS NEW TO COMPETITIVE BARBECUING.
SHE SAID SHE AND HER PARTNER STARTED ROASTING THEIR PIG AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING, EVEN THOUGH MOST OTHER TEAMS STARTED THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THEIR SAUCE WAS SOMETHING THEY?D JUST DEVELOPED FOR THE CONTEST.
KEISHA: OUR SAUCES, WE USED TO START WITH A VINEGAR BASED SAUCE AND USE A SPAGHETTI SAUCE COMBINATION?I?M NOT TELLING ALL THE SECRETS. THEN WE STARTED WITH A CIDER SAUCE. I DON?T KNOW WHAT WE DID BUT IT JUST CAME OUT GREAT.
RICHARD JOHNSON, FROM VERSHIRE, VERMONT TOOK A MORE TRADITIONAL ROASTING APPROACH.
RICHARD 1: OUR COOKER DOESN?T GO OVER 220 DEGREES. WE KEEP IT REAL SLOW. THIS PIG WEIGHED 116 POUNDS IT COOKED FOR 16 HOURS, REAL SLOW. I BELIEVE IT KEEPS THE MOISTURE IN IT BETTER. IT DON?T DRY IT OUT SO MUCH.
JOHNSON IS A BARBECUE VETERAN.
HE ROASTS A COUPLE DOZEN PIGS EVERY YEAR FOR WEDDINGS AND OTHER EVENTS.
(POST MUSIC)
THE EVENTUAL WINNER OF THE BARBECUE CONTEST WAS TWIN STATE HOGS, A TEAM OF JIM YOUNG FROM ORFORD AND MARK FIFIELD FROM VERMONT.
MARK 2: IT?S PRETTY MUCH A SUGAR BASE, CIDERS AND SYRUPS, FRUIT JUICES. LIKE JIM SAYS, WE DON'T WANT TO SAY TOO MUCH. THAT?S PRETTY MUCH IT, SOME BASIC DRY SEASONINGS. WE TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE.
MARK?S SON, TOREY FIFIELD, CAME IN FIFTH PLACE.
TOREY 2: IT?S A REALLY BIG THING DOWN SOUTH AND IT?S CATCHING ON UP NORTH, AND HOPEFULLY IT GETS BIGGER UP HERE.
MORE MUSIC?.
REPORTING FOR NHPR NEWS, I?M REBECCA BROWN.
