Nesbit family takes home Memphis in May barbecue contest's top prize

Photo by Brandon Dill // Buy this photo

Yazoo's Delta Q team members (from left) Melissa Cookston, Lauren Cookston, 11, and Beverly Weaver react after receiving top honors as Grand Champions of the 2010 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest on Saturday.

There were 254 teams competing for the title of Grand Champion of the 2010 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and in the end, it was Yazoo's Delta Q that took home the trophy after winning first place in the whole hog category.

"Hog is the hardest thing to cook and get right," said Pete Cookston of Nesbit, Miss. "It's just doing it again and again, and you get it right."

Photo by Brandon Dill, Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Yazoo's Delta Q team members (from left) Melissa Cookston, Lauren Cookston, 11, and Beverly Weaver react after receiving top honors as Grand Champions of the 2010 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest on Saturday.

Cookston and his teammates -- wife Melissa, 11-year-old daughter Lauren and mother-in-law Beverly Weaver -- compete regularly in several categories.

Natural Born Grillers of Southaven took first place in ribs; Cool Smoke of Richmond, Va., came in first in shoulder; Lord of the Swine of Marion, Ark., in Patio Porkers; and South Carolina Swiners of W. Columbia, S.C., won first in the Kingsford People's Choice category.

But the bigger prize belongs to Memphians, who served up a big helping of hospitality with the pork.

"We filmed everywhere from the Gay Hawk to Cozy Corner to Graceland, and everyone has been so fantastic that that's probably going to be the focus of our show," said Daniel Moznett, the producer of "Bringing It Home," a nationally syndicated television show.

The sentiment was echoed by a tent-full of "V.I.Pit" visitors from around the country.

This was the first year Memphis in May has offered the three-day passes, which include come-and-go privileges, guided tours, a booth and plenty of pampering.

"We have been treated like kings and queens," said Beth Edwards of Charlotte, N.C. She treated her husband Doug Edwards to the trip for his 63rd birthday.

"Memphis should be very proud," Doug Edwards said. "We couldn't have been treated any better. The volunteers and the people we met were unbelievable."

The passes, which were limited to 60, sold for $275.

"The 60 people who are here all want to have first dibs next year," said Jon LeVertu of Las Cruces, N.M. "This has probably been the best vacation of my life."

Memphis in May executive vice president Diane Hampton said the tours will continue.

"It worked out great. There were people here from all over the country and they had a great time," she said. "This was a test run. We'll have to figure out how to make it better next year."

That might be hard: As it turned out, two of the teams on the V.I.Pit tour were finalists, including the grand champions.

It was the first competition in Memphis for Tuffy Stone of Cool Smoke; he typically competes on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit instead of contests sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network.

He's a changed man.

"I'm completely convinced that Memphis barbecue is the way to go," he said.

For the competitors, it was a serious time. For visitors, though, the third weekend of May in Memphis is a big party.

TOPS IN BARBECUE CONTEST

Winners of the 2010 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest were:

Grand Champion

Yazoo's Delta Q; Nesbit, Miss.

Whole Hog

1. Yazoo’s Delta Q; Nesbit, Miss.

2. 10 Bones BBQ; Olive Branch, Miss.

3. The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint; Ocean Springs, Miss.

Shoulder

1. Cool Smoke, Richmond, Va.

2. Rebel Roaster Revue, Memphis

3. Sweet Swine o’ Mine, Memphis

Ribs

1. Natural Born Grillers, Southaven, Miss.

2. Sofa King Smokers, Madison, Miss.

3. Prime Time BBQ, Eureka, Mo.

Patio Porkers

1. Lord of the Swine, Marion, Ark.

2. Here for the Beer, Little Rock, Ark.

3. Hoof Hearted, Millington

Kingsford People's Choice

1. South Carolina Swiners, W. Columbia, S.C.

2. Rib Ticklers, Batesville, Ark.

3. Norwegian National Barbecue Team, Stavanger, Norway

Baked Beans

1. Tom & Jerry Global Porkers, Memphis

2. Sicilian Smokers, Memphis

3. Bush Hogs, Germantown

Cole Slaw

1. Hogapalooza, Wynne, Ark.

2. Swine & Dine, Memphis

3. All Star Ten Pin Porkers, Memphis

Hot Wings

1. Ribdiculous BAR-B-KREWE, Astoria, N.Y.

2. Barboro's High Life on the Hog, Memphis

3. South Carolina Swiner's, West Columbia, S.C.

Anything But Pork

Exotic

1. Sicilian Smokers, Memphis

2. The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint, Ocean Springs, Miss.

3. Fat Side Up, Collierville

Beef

1. Serial Grillers, Memphis

2. Crispy Critters, Cordova

3. The Fabulous Faultliners, St. Louis, Mo.

Poultry

1. Poker Porkers, Bartlett

2. Brown Chicken Brown Cow, Memphis

3. Gwatney Championship BBQ Team, Memphis

Seafood

1. Silky O'Sullivan's, Memphis

2. The Pork U, Memphis

3. Crosstown Neighborhood BBQ Team, Memphis

Sauce Competition

Tomato

1. Annesdale Pork, Memphis

2. Purple Pork Masters, New York, N.Y.

3. Barefoot in the Pork, Atlanta, Ga.

Mustard

1. Barefoot in the Pork, Atlanta, Ga.

2. Natural Born Grillers, Southaven, Miss.

3. Crispy Critters, Cordova

Vinegar

1. All Star Ten Pin Porkers, Memphis

2. Parrothead Porkers of Hogaritaville, Memphis

3. Performance Smokers, Memphis

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