Memphis in May

If any Roadfooders are headed to the Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest May 17th-20th look up my team - Too Sauced To Pork Championship BBQ Team.  When you come by ask for Neil and we'll give you a free tour of the booth and the smokers.  (and probably a sample or two  )
 
Neil Gallagher
Pitmaster
Too Sauced To Pork Championship BBQ Team

Thanks for the invite and welcome to Roadfood.com.
The one thing I never liked about the MIM festival was that you could never get any eats from any of the teams competing.
Nice to look at all the rigs and set ups but Don't Touch!
Has your team been there before and have you won any of the competitions?

I have been to Memphis is May three times and the aroma is wonderful but like Foodbme, I do not appreciate any of the delicious Q is available to the public.  Nice displays, nice smells, long walk but no BBQ.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I've been cooking in the MIM competition since I was 19 (1998), so this will be year 15.  I've been on 3 teams and we started our own in 2005.  Us and a few other teams are trying to change the stigma of the contest by opening up our booths for tours and accepting members from other parts of the country.
 
Yeah, health codes prevent teams from serving the public, plus money.  We can't sell to the public, but we can invite guests into our booths.  Contrary to popular belief most of us teams are not corporate sponsored, so we do this on our own dime.  We can only feed and water so many people before it hurts our pocketbook.
 
To answer the last question:
We've placed top ten 7 times at MIM since 2007
We won a first place in 2008
 
So the offer stands fellow Roadfooders...If you are in the neighborhood, drop by and ask for me, and I will give you a private tour of our BBQ Crib.
 
Neil Gallagher
Pitmaster
Too Sauced To Pork Championship BBQ Team

Congratulations on your Accomplishments!
What category did you get the first place in?
 
You're right about the stigma factor. It's like the haves and the have nots, and most of us don't like being a have not! I can understand the expense factor for you independents. The Town Fathers should allow you to sell some product to offset your costs and make everybody happy.
They could do it if they wanted to with adequate inspections. They do it at other festivals in other parts of the country.
Having lived in "The South" I know that Died in the Wool Southerners are slow to change!
Again, thank you for the gracious invitation!
 
Since you're from Buffalo, I just made a post today about The Sausage Maker Inc. Company in Buffalo.
Do you get any of your stuff there?
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.aspx?m=691369&high=

1st Place in Hot Wings 2008.
 
Its the Heath Dept that are sticklers.  Memphis Health Department has some wacky rules.  Teams would have to buy permits, have 3 compartment sinks with hot water, have dedicated kicthens and serving areas...the list goes on and on.  The system has worked for 36 years, it will probably never change as it is a contest and not a BBQ Festival.  It has always been set up more for the teams and not for the public, though I can tell you a hundred ways to get yourself into a bbq booth.
 
Moved from Memphis to Buffalo 2 years ago, and yes, I have grabbed some items from them, great people and great products!  Funny you should mention it, a bunch of us foodies here in Buffalo were gathered around a couple pigheads today (one roasted the other smoked) eating and looking at that catalog...
 
Neil

TooSaucedToPork


1st Place in Hot Wings 2008.

Its the Heath Dept that are sticklers.  Memphis Health Department has some wacky rules.  Teams would have to buy permits, have 3 compartment sinks with hot water, have dedicated kicthens and serving areas...the list goes on and on.  The system has worked for 36 years, it will probably never change as it is a contest and not a BBQ Festival.  It has always been set up more for the teams and not for the public, though I can tell you a hundred ways to get yourself into a bbq booth.

Moved from Memphis to Buffalo 2 years ago, and yes, I have grabbed some items from them, great people and great products!  Funny you should mention it, a bunch of us foodies here in Buffalo were gathered around a couple pigheads today (one roasted the other smoked) eating and looking at that catalog...

Neil

PIGHEADS????
I can think of other parts of the pig I'd rather eat first!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN9UiiMbEBI&feature=related

Yup.  About 20 of us got together and ate them.  The cheek is sweet meat, the skin is crispy and very baconlike, the meat was shredded and served with slaw on soft tacos.  Ears are exactly like bacon, crispy and melt in your mouth amazing.  Tongue was mixed into beans...all around an amazing meal.
 
Neil

TooSaucedToPork


Yup.  About 20 of us got together and ate them.  The cheek is sweet meat, the skin is crispy and very baconlike, the meat was shredded and served with slaw on soft tacos.  Ears are exactly like bacon, crispy and melt in your mouth amazing.  Tongue was mixed into beans...all around an amazing meal.
Neil

We're talkin' serious Soul Food! Who got the Eyeballs??

Foodbme

TooSaucedToPork


1st Place in Hot Wings 2008.

Its the Heath Dept that are sticklers.  Memphis Health Department has some wacky rules.  Teams would have to buy permits, have 3 compartment sinks with hot water, have dedicated kicthens and serving areas...the list goes on and on.  The system has worked for 36 years, it will probably never change as it is a contest and not a BBQ Festival.  It has always been set up more for the teams and not for the public, though I can tell you a hundred ways to get yourself into a bbq booth.

Moved from Memphis to Buffalo 2 years ago, and yes, I have grabbed some items from them, great people and great products!  Funny you should mention it, a bunch of us foodies here in Buffalo were gathered around a couple pigheads today (one roasted the other smoked) eating and looking at that catalog...

Neil

PIGHEADS????
I can think of other parts of the pig I'd rather eat first!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN9UiiMbEBI&feature=related

The cheek is the best part of the hog. Damn things may weigh 20 lbs, you get very little meat, but what you get is really good. I smoked one here a few years back, loved it but a pita for the yield you get. Upside is cheap per lb.

I had cheek meat for the first time 3 weeks ago and was surprised at how good it was.
 
And while it's not pork, I recently saw an episode of Secrets of a Chef where Hubert Keller used beef cheeks for Beef Bourguignon and they looked like they could be grilled (kebabs came to mind) or smoked.
 
Brad

I was born and raised in Memphis and the smoke smell on the river is just incredible.
 
I have not been home in 10 plus years, but I remember one year when there were BBQ sold from small carnival trailers on Riverside Drive. Dunno about now. I probably would eat before going down there, because it is cannot be resisted.
 
I am sure downtown has lots of BBQ places besides Roundvous which to me a tourist place. Finding a BBQ place in Memphis is like finding Lobster in Maine or Mexican food in Texas, it's everywhere.
 
To the younguns who like loud music and raising hell, one can drink beer in public on Beale and the river, so party down. Don't get too wasted and end up at 201 Poplar. I climbed on the Elvis statue on Beale when I was about 20 with a beer in my hand with thousands and thousands of people all around me.