“More than 100 teams are expected to compete in this year’s Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest which would make this one of the largest field of competitors in the history of the competition,“ said Barb Determan, a pork producer from Early, Iowa. “There are several changes to the contest this year including a new meat sponsor, W&G Marketing, and over $39,000 in prizes and awards.“

Also new this year is the Big Green Egg® scramble competition on Friday evening. The six teams selected to participate will be provided with a mystery basket that includes a new pork cut. The teams will grill on a Big Green Egg® grill and compete for the grand prize of a Big Green Egg® grill. Barbequers not competing in the competition will grill the new pork cuts for the public to sample and be eligible for drawings throughout the evening, including a Big Green Egg® grill.

For the Checkoff’s Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest, teams will highlight grilling and barbeque techniques in at least one of the four cooking categories: Whole hog; shoulder; loin/loin end and ribs. In order to earn grand champion honors and a share of the $39,000 in cash and prizes, contestants must cook a shoulder, loin/loin end, ribs and an entire hog with a dressed weight of 45 pounds or more cooked while in one piece or in two halves. Over the years, grand champions have come from Florida, Texas, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

Barbeque teams from across the country use more than 500,000 pounds of pork a year while participating and competing in contests through the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS), Memphis in May, International BBQ Cookers Association and others. The 2006 Great Pork BarbeQlossal is sanctioned by KCBS, the largest barbeque society. Rules and regulations for the Great Pork BarbeQlossal are those of KCBS, which will handle the culinary scoring.

The Pork Checkoff will offer prizes to the nation’s best barbequers during World Pork Expo. Prizes to be awarded for culinary judging include overall grand champion and reserve grand champion, as well as first through tenth prize in each category. New this year, the Pork Checkoff also will award prizes to the reserve champion, fourth place overall and fifth place overall. The grand champion wins $10,000 and a Horizon Grill donated by Horizon Grills and TNT Landscaping valued at $5,000. The other grand prize winners receive: reserve grand champion $3,000; reserve champion $2,500; fourth place overall $2,000, and fifth place overall $1,500. In each category, first place earns $1,000, second $800, third $600, fourth $500, fifth $350 and sixth through tenth $125. Also, the top culinary score from Iowa will be honored. Approximately 100 judges, 17 table captains and 80 pig police will be on hand for this exciting day.

“The Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest shows pork’s versatility,“ Determan said. “The contest ties in well with the Pork Checkoff-funded barbeque promotions that can be seen in consumer information, retail and food-service promotions.“

Entry forms for 19th annual Great Pork BarbeQlossal contest can be found on pork.org under the spotlight section. The deadline to enter is May 19 or until all available contestant places are filled.

ThePigSite News Desk