Pulling below the barbecue belt

Art Culinaire, Summer, 2004 by Carol M. Newman

MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD OF IT: MEMPHIS IN MAY.

Memphis, Tennessee (the heart of the pulled pig region) plays host to the largest pork barbecue contest in the world. Held along a 1-1/2 mile stretch of the mighty Mississippi River, this three-day event touts 250 teams competing in, much more than a cookout, especially with a $60,000 purse at stake. These folks take their barbecue seriously--cooking in competitions throughout the United States with the hopes of qualifying in, what is affectionately referred to as the 'Superbowl of Swine.'

Competitors come from all over, but some of the most bloodthirsty combatants come from those states that make up the "barbecue belt"--Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas--where slow-cooked pig is nothing less than a Southern icon. Kentucky and Texas, though an integral part of the south, aren't official members of 'the belt.' Kentucky substitutes mutton for pork and in Texas, barbecue is all about beef.

What appears a homely and unassuming pork product to some, has taken on heroic status in this part of the United States--its cultural importance tied preeminently to its roots in festival and social ritual. Thus, the popularity of the Pig Pickin', or a social gathering where pulled pork is cooked and served.

Art Culinaire contacted Lynn Doyle, public relations representative for Memphis in May, to help track down the real experts for whom pulled pork has become a part of their life. "Our teams don't just throw up a tent. They build entire staging areas around the cooker--sometimes double deckers--sometimes costing thousands of dollars." Lynn tells us the contests fall into these categories: "Shoulder, ribs, whole hogs and patio porkers." We were just interested in shoulder, where true pulled pork comes from.

BETTY KNOWS BARBECUE

"You want the meat to give a gentle tug when it's pulled apart."

This was Betty May of Hickory Ridge, Tennessee. Ms. May, a certified shoulder judge was convinced to "get in on this judging thing" after volunteering at her first M in M. She enrolled in judging school (where information such as: sanitation, pig anatomy, cooking times, smoking, mops, sops and saucery) is all taught. Why a shoulder judge? Ms. May tells us ribs are "just too messy."

So what does a longtime judge look for in a winning plate of pulled pork? We listened up as Ms. May shared this with us.

"If the contestants say its 'tender to the bone' then you know it's mushy and over-cooked, like badly-cooked vegetables."

And this

"If you need a buzz saw to cut it apart, then it's been cooked too much."

"And if you see blood ..."

I finished her sentence for her--'It probably hasn't been cooked enough, right?'

"Heck, yeah."

'So, Betty, you want to experience what when you take that first bite?'

"Flavor and texture--that's what sets pulled pork apart. I always ask myself, 'Would I pay to eat this?' Of course, there's other criteria, too: presentation, and the taste of the meat with the sauce and the overall impression."

'Gosh, that's a lot to think about, Betty.'

Now I was intrigued. And of course, I wanted to talk to one of the hot competitors on the circuit. Lynn directed me to John McLemore of Southaven, Mississippi, located on the Tennessee-Mississippi state line. On the circuit, he's known as 'Big John' the Boss of Natural Born Grillers, named the 2003 shoulder team of the year. John was getting ready for his first event of the 2004 season, The Polar Pig Fest.

GRILLING FOR DOLLARS

John didn't need much prodding to talk pulled pork. He lives for pig, referring to himself as a "fanatic," cooking in up to 22 barbecue competitions a year. He called from the car on his cell phone. He was all business.

"We like to start with a good product. You can either use the whole shoulder or the Boston Butt, (which a lot of people like because it's smaller and easier to work with). The shoulder usually weighs 18-20 pounds. But the butt is only 8-10 pounds."

"Now for the smoke. We use hickory mixed with some nice soft peach, apple or cherry wood. That will give you a nice smoke ring."

'A smoke ring?'

"Yeah. The ring is a magenta color found just under the surface of the meat after cooking. It's sometimes confused with undercooked meat. The deeper the color, the deeper the flavor (And, by the way, the softer the wood, the better the flavor). If we're in, say, South Georgia, we use whatever wood those guys have--probably peach. Then we inject the pork with a dry rub. We call ours the 'million dollar rub'. Am I talking too fast?"

'Hang on, I'm getting all this down ... John, I won't ask the million-dollar question: What's in the million-dollar rub?'

"Good! Don't ask."

"Now back to the rub. It adds flavor on the inside and outside of the pork. We let it set on ice for 1 1/2 2 hours. At this point, when you hold it, the internal temperature has to be below 40 degrees."

(Later research said that competition meat must be fresh or frozen. It can't be pre-cooked, sauced, injected, marinated, or cured in any way, before inspection. And it has to be maintained at a temperature below 40 degrees until the cooking kicks off. Once meat has been officially inspected, the contestants are free to prepare it, using any method they see fit.)