The MiM Memphis in May: The World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest, 1978 “Some might say that after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, it spelled the end
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History of American BBQ
When it comes to real barbecue history, much of it gets lost in the sands of time. Had it not been for the challenges and spectacles of what barbecue competitions have given back to history, we might never know where many techniques and innovations had taken place. As odd as it seems, barbecue competitions weren't always as they appear nowadays. Take a peek back in history when classic competitions were paving a road that had no direction.
We might be one of the few websites that provide a rare glimpse into BBQ history and the people who made the headlines. it includes those who crossed the borders of discrimination and were celebrated for creating a movement that brought people together. From St. Louis to Texas and Memphis to Hawaii, there is much to be said about how the earliest competitions were shaped and forged.
History isn't always pretty
If you want to find out how the tragedy of one of the biggest civil rights figures nearly ruined the city of Memphis, it was a barbecue that built back one of the biggest competitions in America that's still running strong. Yet- who would have thought the legendary St. Louis-style ribs were considered garbage until a steamboat cook on the Mississippi in the 1890s would turn them into the unmistakable pride of Missouri.
History is full of stories that couldn't be scripted
But if you're looking for suspense, action, and the ultimate arch enemies that were early models for the wild characters you'll find at BBQ competitions, the Borger BBQ Battle is full of eyebrow-raising twists and turns. Now, if you want big- everything is big in Texas it seems when it comes to BBQ. You'll want to know how a Christmas icon became the symbol of Arama Days in Dallas and how one woman in 1952 became the first winner of a chili cook-off!
Sometimes history takes things into its own hands
Call it a twist of fate, but the 1952 Arama Days cook-off was only the beginning for a lone author who created what is known as the BBQ Bible. If you've heard of the Terlingua Chili cook-off, then you'll want to know how CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) and ICS (International Chili Society) were formed. It's a fiery story of jealousy, piracy, hot rod heroes, and Fritos.
History is written never to be forgotten
if you're not curious just yet, that's nothing when you consider the star-studded chili cook-off that nobody remembers anymore. Just wait until you take a look at who was involved and how it forged the modern-day marriage between aluminum foil and Weber kettle grills. If you've ever wondered why barbecue has become synonymous with Tiki Longue parties, Elvis, and pineapple slices on the grill, you'll want to read about the Kaiser Foil BBQ Hawaiian Cookoff of 1959!
Join us on a continued journey of how the BBQ we love came to be
It's all here friends- with more stories to come! And if there's a history story that's worth being told about legendary barbecue, we'll have it first. Perhaps these stories have been mentioned in smaller portions on other websites, you get the background story that most people never hear at all. But to get a true appreciation how barbecue history is stitched together, you'll have to read them all to see how they connect to each other in modern BBQ traditions.
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