ARMED & HAMMERED BBQ - Apex, NC
Armed & Hammered BBQ has been cooking for 3 years. They cook with a combination of vinegar and tomato base over hickory, oak, and fruit woods. They started years ago as a backyard hobby. Now, it has become their passion. They love good food and good friends to share in it. They are new to competition cooking. However, they are already having fun meeting great folks.

BEER BELLY QOOKS - Charlotte, NC
The Beer Belly Qooks are a new team. Their barbecue style is Asian (thai-based). They are a group of friends, unknown to the cooking competition scene, that are passionate about BBQ and having a good time. They are bringing an Asian twist to the BBQ competition world. Panya Vongxay says, "So, don’t count us out, because we are new. We might just surprise a lot of you old-timers."

BEER MEETS GRILL - Raleigh, NC
Beer Meets Grill has been cooking for 2 years. They cook barbecue the South Eastern style with hickory and pecan woods. Beer Meets Grill was started in 2010 by Phillip Stevens and Chris Prall, both from Raleigh, NC. When they are not competing, you can find them cooking at NC State football games.

Awards include:
2010 – 1st Ribs, 3rd Beef Brisket – South Carolina Peach Festival
2011 – 1st Chicken – HogFest (Edenton, NC)

BEST THING SMOKIN’ BBQ – Burlington, NC
Best Thing Smokin' BBQ has been cooking for over 10 years tailgating. They competed in one competition in June 2011 at Hog Happenin' in Lincolnton, NC. They cook with a combination of vinegar and tomato based sauces with a little kick over mainly fruit woods. Ross Gravely says, "We all played football together in college, and have always enjoyed cooking out. I bought a smoker, and we decided to start entering competitions. I think we all enjoy the competition aspect, and at the same time, we get to eat some good BBQ!"

Awards include:
2011 – 1st Ribs, 2nd Beef Brisket (Amateur Division) – Hog Happenin’ (Lincolnton, NC)

BIG AL'S BBQ & CATERING SERVICES - Raleigh, NC
Big Al's BBQ & Catering Services has been cooking for 3 years. From Raleigh, North Carolina, they cook with vinegar on hickory wood. The team got started in 2008 with the purchase of a 32' mobile kitchen with Ole Hickory Smoker. Big Al’s is primarily a mobile BBQ vendor, but does compete occasionally in KCBS sanctioned events. The old Hickory Pitt has a competition switch so they can cook solely on wood or charcoal. They have cooked at the Blues, Brews & BBQ in Charlotte, NC and Got To Be NC Festival in Raleigh, NC as vendors. The Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down was their first competition in 2009, where they won 6th place in ribs.

Awards include:
2010 – 2nd People's Choice, 6th Brisket – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down
2009 – 6th Ribs – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

BIG ON THE PIG - High Point, NC
Big On The Pig has been cooking for 5 months. A new team, they cook with a vinegar base over a blend of hickory and peach woods. After cooking for many years for friends, parties, etc., they decided to cook competitively. They attended Myron Mixon’s cook school and "we're hooked!"

Awards include:
2011 – 10th Pork – Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off
2011 - 1st Pork – Sooie’t Relief BBQ Benefit (Greer, SC)

CAMEL CITY SMOKERS - Winston-Salem, NC
Camel City Smokers has been cooking for two years. The chief cook, David E. Shaw, Jr. says, "Our team name is Camel City Smokers. Winston-Salem, NC was for years known as the Camel City for making the Camel cigarettes. We decided to use the Camel City name to represent our home city Winston-Salem. Smokers, is the double entendre." Thus far they have been at the Twin City Ribfest and Mountain High BBQ fest. Their style of barbecue is vinegar base with hickory and oak.

David says, "My wife and I enjoyed BBQ Pitmasters so much that afterward decided to get off the couch and look for a pit." They looked far and wide and the journey took them to Houston, Texas. While on travels in Texas they met an award wining brisket cooker that took an interest in them. They have since become good friends and continue to depend on his coaching to help them along. David says, "So if you taste their brisket, and it has a little 'Texas Twang' mixed in you’ll know why."

Pork BBQ is their favorite to make as well as eat. David's wife is a native of Peru and loves spicy food. They are trying to incorporate some of her native spices in with our good ole North Carolina style pork butt. They have only participated in one professional competition. So far they are hooked. David says, "The nicest people seem to love to make, eat, and smell BBQ smoke."

EB'S BAR-B-QUE – Charlotte, NC
Eb's Bar-B-Que has been cooking for 14 years. They cook with hickory and pecan woods.

Awards include:
3 Grand Champions, 2 Reserve Champions, 1st place awards in all meat & Anything Butt categories. Also, 5th place chicken, 5th place pork at the 2003 Jack Daniels Competition. 2 times- Jack Daniels.

FIRED UP SMOKERS – Smithfield, NC
Fired Up Smokers are a new team to KCBS competitions. They cook with a vinegar base. Fred Woodard says, "I have been competing in North Carolina Pork Council sanctioned whole hog cook-offs for 5 years. I have won several events, and decided to try my hand at KCBS."

HAMBONES BY THE FIRE - Yorktown, VA
Hambones by the Fire has been cooking for 3 years. Their cooking style is "a little of this… a little of that". They cook over hickory, white oak and cherry woods. They cooked at the Jack Daniels World Championship in 2010, and will be cooking again at "The Jack" in 2011.

ISLAND TIME GRILLIN' – Edenton, NC
Island Time Grillin’ has been cooking for 4 years. They cook with a combination of tomato and vinegar base over charcoal with hickory and apple wood mix. There was a small event in Edenton, NC called Hogfest, they entered chicken only. They won 2nd place, and were hooked. They bought more smokers and a small camper, and fell in love with BBQ competition.

Awards include:
2nd Chicken – Hogfest (Edenton, NC)
Best Booth – Hogfest (Edenton, NC)
4th Ribs – Chesapeake Jubilee (Chesapeake, NC)

MEAN MANS - Raleigh, NC
Mean Mans has been cooking for sixteen years. The team took 3rd place several years ago in the MS Society BBQ contest. The style of barbecue they bring to the table is east/west fusion with new growth hickory wood. When asked, what might other participants like to know about you? Jokingly the team replies, "We are mean."

MY SWEET HOG COOKIN' TEAM - Newport, NC
My Sweet Hog started in 1999. In 2000, they won 1st in Capital City Cook-Off in Raleigh, NC. They became the My Sweet Hog Cookin' Team on the way home, when his wife said, "That was a sweet $1,000" with a tear in her eye. I said that's it - "My Sweet Hog", and we haven't stopped cooking yet. Their cooking team is a family affair. Members are made up from Dad, Mom, Brother, Niece and friends. They work hard every event we attend. Their pig cooker is homemade. Their set up is with antique cuttery; tools and family hand-me downs. They pull their cooker in a race car trailer that they converted with a little kitchen and sleep area. They also cook for single Marines at Cherry Point, the Newport Police and Firemen, sponsored by the Woodmen of the World every year, and several other fundraisers. They enjoy what they do, and they have a good time doing it.

NEPHEW'S BBQ - Raleigh, NC
From Raleigh, NC, Newphew's cook with tomato base for ribs, chicken and brisket; and vinegar base for pulled pork. They cook over oak wood. Their first competition was Bikes, Boogie & BBQ in Gastonia, NC. "We are in the process of starting a business marketing our sauce & rubs. Thought this would be a good way to get our name out there. We would like to open a restaurant in the future. We love cooking for crowds. Cooking is my life's passion."

NORTHSIDE B.Q. BOYS - Rocky Mount, NC
Northside B.Q. Boys has cooked for six years. In 2008 at the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down was the first time Robbie and Cory Booz competed as a team. Cory, one team member, has competed in several events in and around Kansas City winning Best Overall in the American Royal Barbecue contest in Kansas City. The "Royal" is the largest barbecue contest in the world with nearly 500 teams competing. It is also the season finale for the competitive KCBS circuit. They have even had the opportunity to cook for Diplomats. They cook both vinegar and tomato based barbecue.

Awards include:
2010 – 3rd Beef Brisket, 7th Overall – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)
2008 – 3rd Overall, 1st Beef Brisket – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)

OLD HICKORY'S BBQ TEAM – Middletown, VA
Old Hickory's BBQ Team has been cooking for 2 years. They cook with a vinegar base over hickory, mesquite, and pecan woods. They joined the professional circuit after meeting Hog-it-Up BBQ Team at Pickin' in the Panhandle two years ago, and haven't looked back since. Dave Gill says, "Going from strength to strength. A collaborative cook between Old Hickory's BBQ and Hog-It-Up BBQ, great friends on and off the BBQ circuit."

Awards include:
2011 – 2nd Chicken, 9th Beef Brisket, 6th Overall – Bar-Bay-Que (Annapolis, MD)
2011 – 3rd Pork – Pickin in the Panhandle (West Virginia)
2011 – 2nd Ribs, 9th Beef Brisket, 5th Overall –Bluemont BBQ Bash (Bluemont, VA)

OOPS – Outstanding Order of the Pig Society – Grand Junction, CO
The OOPS barbecue cooking team has been cooking for 4 years. They cook with tomato base over peach wood. Bob Sammons says, "The team formed in Huntsville, Alabama by Jay Short and Tommy Battle, the current Mayor of Huntsville. I was an invited lecturer at the 2011 KCBS Banquet " Trade Show, and served as the opening act for the Johnny Trigg " Rod Gray Show. Author of "A Spectator's Guide to Competition BBQ" and "Oops... Wish I Hadn't Done That", Bob Sammons has a Ph.D. from UNC Greensboro, M.D. from UNC Chapel Hill, and professor of ECU in the 1970s.

Awards include:
1st Ribs, Pork " Beef Brisket – Colorado Pork " Hop
1st Pork – Sam's Club BBQ Competition (Loveland)
1st BBQ Sauce – SLC Rock n' Ribs
180 Chicken – Griller's Cup

P&D's BBQ - Verona, VA
P&D's BBQ has been cooking for 3 years. From Verona, VA, their barbecue is sweet. They cook with oak and apple woods. They like cooking for people, and "eating good BBQ is nice also".

Awards include:
2010 – Reserve Grand Champion, 1st Brisket, 2nd Pork – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down
2010 – 4th Overall – Que & Cruz (Virginia)
2009 – 9th Overall – Panhandle (West Virginia)
2009 – 7th Overall, 4th Chicken – Que & Cruz (Virginia)

PICKIN' PORKERS - Clemmons, NC
The Pickin' Porkers started competitive barbecue full time in 2008 and have since won state championships in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Ranked as one of the top 50 KCBS teams in the United States after only 17 competitions in 2008, they finished 6th overall in the country in the Pork category in 2009. Competing in KCBS, MBN, and SCBA cook-offs, they frequently finish in the top 10 of each contest.

Based in Clemmons, NC, Head cook is Roger Wise assisted by his wife Marsha and children Scott and Nic. They have competed as far west as Kansas, south to Florida and North to Washington, DC. Cooking with lump charcoal and apple wood they produce vinegar based barbecue favored by many. Even though whole hog is their favorite category to compete, they consistently place high in all categories.

They have qualified for the 22nd Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue and the 31st Annual American Royal/KC Masterpiece Invitational Contest in 2010.

When asked why they decided to start competition, Roger stated "it combines the four things I love in life which are family, cooking, competition and travel. Throw friends in there and you have the perfect combination"!

Awards include:
2010 - Reserve Grand Champion – Beach, Boogie & BBQ (Myrtle Beach, SC)
2010 - 5th Chicken, 4th Ribs, 1st Pork, 3rd Brisket – Beach, Boogie & BBQ (Myrtle Beach, SC)
2010 - 3rd Overall, 6th Chicken, 7th Ribs, 4th Pork, 8th Brisket – Bikes, Boogie & BBQ (Gastonia, NC)
2010 - 2nd Pork, 4th Beef Brisket - Mountain High BBQ & Music Festival (Franklin, NC)
2010 - 4th Overall, 2nd Pork – Carolina Foothills (Gaffney, SC)
2010 - 6th Pork – S.C. Festival of Discovery (Greenwood, SC)
2010 - 5th Overall, 5th Ribs, 5th Pork, 9th Beef Brisket – Safeway National Capital BBQ (Washington, DC)
2010 - 10th Ribs – Blueridge Barbecue Festival (Tryon, NC)
2010 - 4th Pork – Chesapeake Jubilee (Chesapeake, VA)
2010 - Grand Champion, 1st Chicken, 2nd Beef Brisket, 4th Pork – Boss Hog Cook-off (Waynesboro, GA)
2010 - 6th Overall, 5th Chicken, 1st Pork – Kings Mountain Firehouse (Kings Mountain, NC)

2009 - 10th Overall, 2nd Pork – Hog Happenin’ (Shelby, NC)
2009 - 3rd Overall, 3rd Ribs, 4th Pork, 5th Beef Brisket – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)
2009 - 3rd Overall, 1st Pork, 1st Chicken – Squealin’ On The Square (Laurens, SC)
2009 - 2nd Whole Hog, 2nd Shoulder - Charlotte’s Blues, Brew & BBQ (Charlotte, NC)
2009 - Grand Champion, 1st Chicken, 1st Ribs, 2nd Beef Brisket, 8th Pork – Beach Boogie & BBQ (Myrtle Beach, SC)
2009 - 1st Pork – Mountain High Barbecue Festival (Franklin, NC)
2009 - Reserve Grand, 1st Beef Brisket, 8th Chicken, 8th Ribs – Carolina Foothills (Gaffney, SC)

PORK CITY GRILLERS – Wilmington, NC
Pork City Grillers has been cooking for 6 months. They cook with a vinegar and tomato base. They use both pellets and charcoal chunks, as well as, cherry and oak pellets, and hickory wood. They have just gotten started this year. They are basically a bunch of friends that enjoy cooking, grilling, smoking, and enjoy a few cold beers. They are still learning quite a bit, and are excited to see where they stand. Their newest member Davey “Doc” Jones is a two time National Steak Out Delivery Driver of the Year winner.

Awards include:
2011 – 6th Pork – Hogfest (Edenton, NC)

PORK U – Pfafftown, NC
Pork U have been cooking for 2 years.

Awards include:
2010 – Grand Champion, 1st Ribs, 2nd Sauce – Texas Pete Twin City Ribfest (Backyard Division)
2010 – 3rd Butts – Blue, Brews & BBQ (Backyard Division)
2010 – 1st Butts – Fire BBQ Festival (Backyard Division)

PRIME BBQ – Wendell, NC
Prime Barbecue has been cooking for 4 years. They cook their own style of barbecue. Prime Barbecue is a new grade of barbecue. This company is all about demonstrating, inspiring, and educating the true nature of the processes, techniques, and traditions behind barbecue.

Awards include:
Grand Champion – Beer, Bourbon, BBQ (Cary, NC)

REDNECK SCIENTIFIC – Clayton, NC
This is Redneck Scientific’s first year cooking. Their style of barbecue is “the kind that makes your feet dance and momma smile”. They cook over hickory, oak, and cherry woods. They create custom smokers, and they smoke the food that goes with it. Jerry Stephenson, Jr. says, “There is nothing we love more than food, friends, and gathering folks together to enjoy all three. We are part time connoisseurs of fine barbequed meat, and full time mad food scientists.” Check out their website at www.rednecksci.com.

SAUCED! BBQ - Charlotte, NC
Sauced! BBQ has been cooking for 3 years. They cook with a tomato base over hickory wood. They started with a backyard smoker 4 years ago. After cooking for friends and parties, they decided to try a contest. They bought an offset on a trailer. They won People’s Choice in their first contest, and have been hooked since. They cook 12 to 14 contests a year.

Awards include:
2011 – 2nd ribs, 5th pork (Lexington, NC)
2011 – 4th pork (Tryon, NC)
2011 – 4th pork (Gaffney, SC)
2010 – Reserved Grand Champion (Kings Mountain, NC)
2010 – 1st beef brisket (Lincolnton, NC)

SCREAMIN NITE HOG BBQ - Winston Salem, NC
Screamin Nite Hogs has been cooking for five years. From Winston Salem, NC, their barbecue is tomato based cooked over oak, hickory and apple wood. After watching barbecue cook offs on the Food Network, made some connections through the internet getting invited to help cook in 2004. They were hooked that first weekend, and helped them through 2005. In 2006, they started their own team and have competed in numerous competitions in North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. Team members include: Charles & Jo Ann Welch, Jon & Jessica Miller, and Brian Calicott.

Awards include:
2009 – 1st Ribs – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)
Oct 2008 - Grand Champion - Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC) - pictured at right
1st Place Chicken - Waynesboro, GA
2nd Place Brisket - Kings Mountain, NC
3rd Place Chicken - Danville, VA
4th Place Pork - Louisa, VA

SHABOO BBQ - Rocky Mount, NC
Shaboo BBQ has been cooking for 1 year. They cook with a tomato base over hickory wood. The team consists of Jason Light, his wife and two children, Jarred (10) and Jayden (9). Their team name is named after their family dog named Buddy. His nickname is "Shaboo".

SHACK ATTACK BBQ - Atlanta, GA
Shack Attack BBQ has been cooking for 1 year. They cook with a vinegar base over oak wood. They have competed in Waynesboro, GA, Augusta, GA, Barnesville, GA, and Ward, SC.

SMOKEN-N-JOKEN BBQ – Churchton, MD
This is Smoken-N-Joken BBQ's first event. They cook low and slow with plenty of smoke with sauces added afterwards. Dave Mullin has been cooking BBQ for 21 years. In November of 2010, he opened a mobile BBQ unit. In September of 2011, he held first event called Smoke On The Bay in Maryland. The Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down in Rocky Mount, NC will be there first competition. Dave says, "Busy year. We are just a couple of Texans retired from the U.S. Air Force, residing in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. We bring Texas style BBQ with good ole down home, fun and loving!"

SMOKIN MIKE'S – Benson, NC
Smokin Mike's is a new competition barbecue team. They cook with the Eastern NC, Western NC, and SC barbecue styles over hickory and pecan woods.

SMOKIN' SKULLIES – Greenville, NC
Smokin' Skullies have been cooking for 4 months. From Greenville, NC, they cook their barbecue with a tomato base that is a good cross of Lexington and Kansas City styles in rubs and sauces". They use pecan, hickory and apples woods.

After cooking at many backyard parties and tailgating at ECU football and baseball games, they decided to start competing on occasion to see how they measure up. "What a great arena for competition with grills, beer, games, and really good BBQ."

Awards include:
2011 – 5th Ribs – HogFest (Edenton, NC)
2011 – 10th Pork – HogFest (Edenton, NC)

SMOKIN TNT – Wilmington, NC
Smokin TNT has been cooking for 1 year in competition BBQ. They cook mostly Eastern style vinegar base with a nice secret mix of woods. They got bit by the BBQ bug when they went to Sevierville, TN for a vacation, and saw the Bluegrass and BBQ Competition. Before going to sleep that night in our wonderful log cabin rental home, we decided to buy a trailer and give competing a try. They also decided to add a concession window to their trailer to possibly sell their BBQ in the future. It was all up hill from there. Tom Leasure got new grills, BBQ books, DVDs and BBQ accessories as birthday and Christmas presents. They created their own name and BBQ rub, and started watching BBQ shows on the TV Food Network and Cooking Channel. Although they have just started this adventure, they are really enjoying traveling and meeting new people. In the future up retiring, they hope to expand their competition travels and go further west. They also would like to expand their BBQ products line.

TARHEEL SMOKERS, Hertford, NC
Tarheel Smokers has been cooking since 2002. From Hertford, NC, members include: Roy & Gay, Ma & Pa and don't forget Champ! The most wins they have had in one year were two grand champions. Their biggest win was at Smithfield Slammin' BBQ in Norfolk, VA in 2007. They got started through a friend who was into competing. After cooking with them for a couple of years, they decided to go it on their own. They have now gotten caught up in this "very expensive hobby." They have been all over the place, from Madison, IN to New Holland, PA, and many more. "It's all about family, friends, and fun."

Awards include:
April 2009 - Reserve Grand Champion - Kings Mountain, NC

THE KINGS OF Q, Raleigh, NC
The Kings of Q have been cooking for 3 years. They cook with a tomato and vinegar hybrid sauce, which is similar to West Tennessee/Memphis style over hickory, apple and oak wood blends. Corporate warriors by day, The Kings of Q come together on the BBQ battle field to make great food and have great fun. Their BBQ roots run deep and wide, bringing influences from all over the U.S. to a foundation of Southern BBQ Style.

Awards include:
2009 – 7th Chicken – Hog Happenin (Shelby, NC)
2009 – 10th Beef Brisket – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)
2010 – 6th Chicken (Lincolnton, NC)
2010 – 3rd Sauce (Kings Mountain, NC)

THE SMOKE HOUSE BANDITS!!! - Franklinton, NC
The Smoke House Bandits have been cooking since 2009. From Franklinton, NC, they cook their barbecue with a sweet tomato base (hybrid Lexington) blend over pecan and cherry woods. They started in 2009 in Greenwood, SC in their backyard contest, and the rest is history. They work hard to present the bet "Q" that they can to the judges at every contest. Hard work and good preparation is key to their doing well so far in their short cooking career. Ron Bullock says, "We look forward to hitting Rocky Mount in October!"

Awards include:
2009 – Backyard Grand Champion, 1st Ribs, 1st Chicken, 5th Pork – Festival of Discover (Greenwood, SC)
2010 – 5th Pork – Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (Rocky Mount, NC)
2011 – 5th Overall, 1st Brisket, 8th Pork – Hogfest (Edenton, NC)

TRUE BLUE 'QUE CREW – Newport, NC
The True Blue 'Que Crew have been cooking for 2 years together. However, the 2011 Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down is their first competition. They have mainly cooked at Duke Football tailgates. They cook their barbecue with a vinegar base and white sauce over apple and hickory woods.

They began as a small group of friends with a single Weber Grill tailgating at football games. Since then, their tailgates have grown to feed about 80 people per game with a full armory of grills and smokers. Each game a new dish is prepared.

TWO OLD MEN AND A GRILL - Bessemer City, NC
Two Old Men and A Grill have been cooking for 4 years. The cook their barbecue with a tomato base over hickory wood.

Awards include:
2011 – GRAND CHAMPION (Lexington, NC)
2011 – Reserve Grand Champion (May, 2011)
2011 – 1st Chicken (Mobile, AL)
2011 – 1st Brisket (Tryon, NC)

UP N' $MOKE - Durham, NC
Up N' $moke has been cooking for three years. "Since we live in Durham, we stay in the middle with our barbecue with a combination of vinegar and tomato base." They cook it over hickory and apple wood. Their two founding members are CPAs. "We needed something to look forward to after a winter of doing tax returns. BBQ competitions seemed like a good diversion. So, here we are."

Rocky Mount Parks & Recreation
Down East Festival
P.O. Box 1180
Rocky Mount, NC 27802
252-972-1159
bbq@rockymountnc.gov

Come join the cook-off and compete for the right to be known as the
Eastern Carolina Grand Champion!