Despite being at present the world’s most selective and high status barbecue contest, the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue only selects who gets to contend in the said event happening each year in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
This is not the ordinary BBQ contest in which any team can qualify to participate but rather a contest that calls for invitation and by invitation only if a team has won the preliminary contest.
Consequently, the competition brings out contenders who are the best of the best and talented pitmasters not only in the United States but also across the world.
Competition types include chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket meats; however, additional categories reflecting specialty categories are also present and they include the dessert and Jack Daniel’s Sauce categories.
It does not only require the applicants to properly practice on how to smoke their products but also ensure that the flavor that they produce is ethereal enough to win the judges’ accolades.
The symbolism of the Jack Daniel’s World Championship
As a Capital city of Tennessee and a home to Mr. Jack Daniel’s, the country’s most famous whiskey, most of the opponents use their star product either in marinades, sauces or glazes and thus giving the competition a unique flavor.
The activity goes beyond merely preparing food, the event is in fact a celebration of culture particular to the South region.
It is possible to listen to the country music, taste the whiskey, to participate in the cooking shows or to follow the sightseeing tour around the legendary distillery of Jack Daniel’s company.
This is because the championship is the ultimate event that this kind of teams can participate in, and victory in the Jack Daniel’s World Championship is a prize that indicates that the team is grappling with the pinnacle of competitive barbecue.
It is considered prestigious and previous winners tend to find themselves popular in the BBQ circuit, landing sponsorships, book deals, and even television spots.
Key Categories in Barbecue Contests
The case of Barbecue contests involves two competitors, each preparing a point of meat for examination by the judges, hence the definition of Barbecue as a popular form of cookery competition.
It therefore calls for a different strategy depending on the category, be it selecting a seasoning type or even a cooking method.
That is why it is critical to consider every aspect of taste, the tenderness of the meat as well as how the item is presented before the judges. Some of the main areas are as follows that the competitors get involved in the BBQ competition.
