From the farm to the pit to the next generation: Competitors go whole hog at N.C. Mountain State Fair
FLETCHER — Great North Carolina barbecue starts with the people who raise it, cook it and support it. From farmers raising quality pork to pitmasters tending the fire for hours, whole hog barbecue brings together agriculture, tradition and community.
The Got to Be NC Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff, featuring 11 competitive cooking teams, returns to the N.C. Mountain State Fair Saturday, Sept. 12. The contest celebrates every part of the farm-to-table connection, and serves up some good barbecue for a good cause along the way.
“This cook-off is a great celebration of North Carolina barbecue, agriculture and the people who keep those traditions going,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I especially want to thank our partners. Their support not only helps make this event possible but also helps us support the Pisgah and Tuscola high school FFA chapters and invest in the next generation of agricultural leaders.”
Teams will fire up their pits beginning at 6 a.m. for the third annual event. They will compete for $4,500 in prize money and the opportunity to qualify for the N.C. Pork Council’s sanctioned Whole Hog Barbecue Championship Cookoff, held each May at the Got to Be NC Festival in Raleigh.
The competition is hosted by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Got to Be NC program. Judging will begin at 5 p.m., with winners announced at 6 p.m.
Teams competing in the 2026 Mountain State Fair Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff include:
- The Allnighters, Chief Cook Chris Johnson, Shelby
- Barn Yard Burners, Chief Cook Lloyd Freeman, Durham
- Browns BBQ, Chief Cook Preston Brown, Zebulon
- Grate Sauces & Rubs, Chief Cook Ralph LeGrand, Goldsboro
- Johnny Mac Wells Smokehouse, Chief Cook Nathan Cornish, Goldsboro
- Killing Time Grilling Crew, Chief Cook Tim Walters, Clinton
- Rise and Swine, Chief Cook Danny Stallings, Hendersonville
- Showtime’s Legit BBQ, Chief Cook Kevin Peterson, Benson
- Skillin BBQ, Chief Cook Gene Skillin, Owens Crossroads, Ala.
- Smokin Bones BBQ, Chief Cook Chuck Register, Kinston
- Thunder Swamp Smokers, Chief Cook Craig Harrell, Hillsborough
Bone Suckin’ Sauce, Champion Credit Union and the N.C. Soybean Producers Association are proud sponsors of the day-long Got to Be NC Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff.
“Bone Suckin’ Sauce is proud to support the Got to Be NC Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff for the second year,” said Sandi Ford, president of Ford’s Gourmet Foods. “Our roots are here in North Carolina, and we’re excited to celebrate our state’s whole hog barbecue tradition while supporting the next generation of North Carolina agriculture through FFA. After all, North Carolina is ‘Where American Barbecue Began!™’”
Additional partners for the cookoff include Looper Family Farms of Granite Falls and Apple Brandy Prime Cuts of North Wilkesboro.
The Cookoff harkens back to North Carolina’s long tradition of whole hog barbecue and pig pickin’s that bring families, neighbors and communities together for celebrations, fundraisers and special occasions. The tradition reflects a style of cooking built around time, skill and fellowship, turning barbecue into both a meal and a community experience.
Got to Be NC is committed to honoring that community tradition. Meat from the competition will be donated to the Pisgah and Tuscola high school FFA chapters. The chapters will sell the barbecue by the pound to raise money to help send 40 students to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Barbecue will be available for sale on a first-come, first-served basis Monday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ben’s Backdraft Barbeque, 3028 Jonathan Creek Road in Waynesville.
The cookoff will take place on the north side of the Oakwood Homes Expo Building at the N.C. Mountain State Fair, 765 Boylston Highway in Fletcher. For more information about the N.C. Mountain State Fair, visit www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair.
-sar-3
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