Carolina Pig Jig

Last weekend was the Carolina Pig Jig at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Basically, for a $10 donation, you get to stuff your face with all the BBQ you can eat, and then some. The event started around 11am, but we didn’t get there until around 11:30am and found that it wasn’t as packed as it was last year (a good thing, if you ask me). I waited in line for 20 minutes last year just to get in but we were able to just walk right in this year.

The contestants are set up in a horseshoe, with some two or three tents set up in the middle, each packed with tables and chairs (people need a place to sit and eat, I guess). We grabbed our plates, sporks, and napkins and set off to try as much ‘cue as we could. Some of the competitors had ribs, brisket, chicken, or desserts, but I was there for the pig. I tried all but five locations last year, and was so stuffed that I couldn’t walk for a week, so I decided to take it easy this year and pick and choose the ones I thought looked the best. I probably only tried about half of the offerings, but that was enough for me. Honestly, the first place we visited (Rosebud Lodge #282) was the best, by a long shot! They offered two types of Eastern NC ‘Cue and they were both delicious! One was whole hog and the other was just the pork butt, if I’m not mistaken, and they were even so kind as to leave the skin in the mix, YUM!

I also had an opportunity to sample the offerings from the 2009 Grand Champion, Excelsior Lodge #21. I thought they had the best ‘cue, by far, last year, too, and even voted for them in the People’s Choice award. However, their ‘cue wasn’t as good this year as I remembered from last year. It was kind of bland and the skin mixed in with the meat was soggy and chewy. It had good flavor, and was probably top 5 in the competition, but it wasn’t far-and-away the best, as I thought it was last year.

It was a great event, one that I’ll definitely return to next year (it will be my third year in a row). Only next year, I will probably be eating this guy’s relative: