Memphis in May 2022 – Coverage & Winners

When they said this was the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, The Memphis in May is a hard act to follow. Then again, it’s one of the few competitions that have fueled such a growing interest in the art of barbecue. This year was no different with categories that have gone further than many other contests of its kind.

Memphis in May 2022 Winners

With a total of 4 days that started on May 11^th through May 14^th, the festivities began with all the normal signs that 2022 was going to be the year to remember. There were loads of entertainment, music, and contests galore complete with burger and rib eating contests, whole pig cook-offs, and no shortage of awards ceremonies. This year even saw music legends on the main stage including Tone Loc and Spin Doctors!

Many of the awards ceremonies included all the usual BBQ specialties, yet further added amazing crazy categories such as Best Booth, Best T-Shirt, and even Best Ms. Piggie Idol singing contest winners! We’re absolutely curious about the Best Seafood & Exotic Meat cook-offs turned out, in addition to the Best Green Grilling Award.

And hopefully, they weren’t talking about renewable green energy, since cooking with gas, classic charcoal, and wood- is still king at this event!

Grand Champion Final Results

This year’s Grand Champion winner goes to Blues Hog but was closely followed by Sweet Swine O’ Mine and Boars Night Out. The competition scoring was so close, that it was merely decimal points from declaring the official Grand Champion. Here’s exactly how close it was:

• 1^st – Blues Hog Final Score: 572.65
• 2^nd – Sweet Swine O’ Mine Final Score: 572.61
• 3^rd – Boards Night Out Final Score: 571.99

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/GRAND-CHAMPION-FINAL-RESULTS_WCBCC_2022.pdf 

Ribs Division Final Results

Over 104 individual teams took to the challenge for this year, cooking up their very best ribs recipe.

• 1^st – Heath Riles BBQ Final Score: 571.53
• 2^nd – Bluff City Smokers Final Score: 571.37
• 3^rd – Smokin’ with an Attitude Final Score: 571.30

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RIB-FINAL-RESULTS_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Shoulder Division Final Results

• 1^st – Sweet Swine O’ Mine Final Score: 572.61
• 2^nd – Cool Smoke Final Score: 571.53
• 3^rd – Sweet Cheeks Final Score: 570.59

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SHOULDER-FINAL-RESULTS-_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Whole Hog Division Final Results

• 1^st – Blues Hog Final Score: 572.65
• 2^nd – Boars Night Out Final Score: 571.99
• 3^rd – Will Be Que BBQ Team Final Score: 571.39

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WHOLE-HOG-FINAL-RESULTS-_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Green Grilling Award

• 1^st – Sweet Cheeks (no info available)

Kingsford Tour of Championships

• 1^st – The Shed BBQ
• 2^nd – Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
• 3^rd – Too Sauced to Pork

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kingsford-Tour-of-Champions_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Patio Porkers

• 1^st – Pork-A-Tude Final Score: 572.92
• 2^nd – Porkside BBQ Final Score: 572.55
• 3^rd – Smokin Hot & Saucy Final Score: 572.51

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/PATIO-PORKERS-FINAL-RESULTS-_WCBCC_2022.pdf

2022 Ancillary Awards – Anything But Categories

Some BBQ items aren’t the average menu foods you’ll find at every BBQ cook-off, but they do make sense when you have the (WCBCC). Here are the entries that took the top wins for each category.

Turkey Smoke

• 1^st – Iowa BBQ Store Corn Cookers Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – Killer Hogs Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Pig Beach BBQ Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Anything-But_Turkey_WCBCC_-2022.pdf

Frank’s Red Hot – Hot Wings

• 1^st – Sweet Swine O’ Mine Final Score: 483.00 (Tie Breaker)
• 2^nd – Killer Hogs Final Score: 483.00 (Tie Breaker)
• 3^rd – Planet BBQ Inc. Final Score: 483.00 Tie Breaker)

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Anything-But_Hot-Wings_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Beef

• 1^st – Boars Night Out Final Score: 483.00 (Tie Breaker)
• 2^nd – The Usual Saucespects Final Score: 483.00 (Tie Breaker)
• 3^rd – Mexico BBQ Team Final Score: 483.00 (Tie Breaker)

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Anything-But_Beef_WCBCC_-2022.pdf

Poultry

• 1^st – Killer Hogs Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – The Shed BBQ Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Blues Hog Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Anything-But_Poultry_WCBCC_-2022.pdf

Seafood

• 1^st – Pure Pleasure Porkers Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – Moe Cason BBQ Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Pigs In Space Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ANYTHING-BUT_SEAFOOD-_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Exotic

• 1^st – The Basety Boys Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – No Name Smokers Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Smoked n Spiced Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ANYTHING-BUT_EXOTIC_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Tomato

• 1^st – Burnt Finger BBQ Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – VoodooQ Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Team Best Damn BBQ Sauce Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Tomato-Sauces-Results_WCBCC_2022.pdf

 Mustard

• 1^st – The Pig Diamonds Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – Firehouse 5 Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Southern Smoke Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mustard-Sauces-Results_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Vinegar

• 1^st – Colonel Rib Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – Boars Night Out Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Smokin with an Attitude Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Vinegar-Sauces-Results_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Best Booth

• 1^st – All Star Ten Pin Pokers Final Score: 632.46
• 2^nd – Pork Illustrated Final Score: 611.68
• 3^rd -Love Meat tender Final Score: 606.55

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Best-Booth_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Best T-Shirt

• 1^st – I Only Smoke When I Drink Final Score: 483.00
• 2^nd – Uncle Murle’s Final Score: 483.00
• 3^rd – Annesdale Pork Final Score: 483.00

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Best-T-Shirt_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Ms. Piggie Idol (Song Contest Winners)

• 1^st – Swinos Final Score: 621.38
• 2^nd – Pigs Gone Wild Final Score: 605.68
• 3^rd – Swine & Dine Final Score: 591.69

https://memphisinmay.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ms-Piggie-Idol_WCBCC_2022.pdf

Once again, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Competition for 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee fairgrounds. Some exciting new updates will make this year’s BBQ competition more exciting with cook-offs, food tasting, and music. There are some things you do need to know that make this barbecue competition very different from others- as you’ll find out.

Archived: Memphis in May 2022 – Upcoming Coverage

CREATED: March 2, 2022

This is not your typical food festival

Unlike many other BBQ festivals, the Memphis in May WCBCC is not actually a place you want to go just to sample great BBQ. Or is it? The truth is very simple. This competition is a limited engagement and allows some perks to watch this competition happen up close and personal. To get close to the BBQ action means that you’ll need to get a VIP-it Pass which is not part of the average price of admission.

What you can get from this specialized pass is quite exciting for barbecue enthusiasts who are curious about the high-stakes world of barbecue competition. This pass is not the final pass that is available, this is typically known as the WCBCC22 VIPit Pass. The regular pit pass will give you access to areas where only the pitmasters are allowed. This special pass gives you extra perks such as:

Several interactions and visits to meet competition teams

This allows the average admission to go behind the scenes to interact directly with the top BBQ teams up close and personal.

Cooking demonstrations

There are many smaller cooking and barbecue demonstrations which include plenty of tastings of the specialty food like side dishes and barbecues items.

Judging class pass

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an official Memphis in May tasting judge? You can also take part in a judging class with a certified judge to learn their secrets.

Blind judging attendance

It’s not a chance to taste the award-winning foods that certified judges get to sample, but gives you direct access to their tasting tent to see them in action while how they judge the competitors barbecued samples.

VIP hospitality suite

These specialty areas also provide free beverages such as wine and beer and also private toilet access. There is also some degree of snacks and food that might be offered.

Kingsford Tour of Championships

All those attending Memphis in May will (of course), have access to this exciting add-on ticket which is a special hour and a half event that is held by competing teams who hold individual BBQ sample tastings. You also get to hear about their personal stories and secrets. This ticket is additional when you buy the general admission at the front gate. Each of these events is a limited engagement reservation and is both held from 2pm to 4pm each day of the cook-off event.

BBQ Alley by Big Green Egg & Friends

If you’re still set on getting some top-quality BBQ at this event, there is only one place you can enjoy it best. BBQ Alley is an exclusive ticket that you purchase before the Memphis in May actually begins. The tickets are purchased online and are also limited in quantity due to the number of tickets that are sold. Over the next three days, you can experience pork ribs, pulled pork, or beef and poultry foods.

Each of these meals is served with small side dishes with delicious offerings such as baked beans, Mac and cheese, and other tasty sides. Each day is limited to up to 250 ticket holders for the entire three days of this event.

General admission perks

Even if you don’t get any of the extra passes to this three-day event, you can still get a chance for a guided tour each day for half an hour into the Pitmaster grilling camp. This also gives you a chance to meet competitors and see their grilling equipment and techniques in person.

Things to know

This year’s event takes place from Thursday- May 12, 2022, to Saturday, May 14, 2022. See the results from last year’s Memphis in May here. You can see the advance tickets being sold at the official website ticket office. This is better if you want to get special VIP passes and event tickets. Since this event is held in May, the competition continues ‘rain or swine’, so bring an umbrella or appropriate clothing as needed on these days.

Since this occurs during the Memphis in May Music Festival, there is obviously plenty more to do while not attending the BBQ cook-off competition throughout the day or night.