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Barbecue Means Pork at Memphis In May
At about this time every year I really start to miss Memphis. Why? One word: barbecue. The lineup for the music portion of the Memphis in May celebration was announced today, and this announcement automatically got me thinking about Memphis barbecue. My hubby and I lived there for three years before we had kids, and it ranks as one of my favorite places I have ever lived. Living in Memphis was a culinary education. Growing up in Southern California, to me the word barbecue meant anything that was cooked on a grill. In Memphis I quickly learned that if you said the word barbecue, this could only mean pork. And boy do they know how to cook a pig in Memphis! Memphis In May is a month long celebration of all things that make Memphis unique, one of which is the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Hundreds of teams compete in this contest for cash prizes and titles. Teams compete in categories depending on what part of the pig they are serving up: the whole hog, shoulder, rib, or patio porker. Teams can also win prizes for other things like best booth, best sauce, or best coleslaw. But for me, the thrill of every year was the pig. Part of the fun was the naming of the teams. Teams came up with creative names to make them memorable, like Lord of the Swine and Pork Fiction. Since I’ll be missing out on all the fun this year, I’ve been rounding up some recipes to try out so that we can have a bit of Memphis In May barbecue here in Southern California.
- Memphis Style Barbecue Sauce: A sweet and tangy sauce made with tomatoes, vinegar, and array of spices. Memphians like their sauce poured over pulled pork, or served with dry ribs.
- Memphis Style Pork Ribs: Pork ribs are coated in a rub, then cooked in a smoker until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone.
- Memphis Style Barbecue Rub: A highly flavorful rub made from with a rub made from a mix of ingredients like garlic, paprika, onion, and cumin.
- Memphis Style Pulled Pork: Pork shoulder that is cooked long and slow in a smoker until the meat can be easily pulled apart with your fingers.
Photo Credit: Memphis In May
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1 Comment
bellalimento commented on Mar 03 11 at 9:32 pmI miss the barbeque too! This is such a fantastic event!
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