Pit Masters – The UK’s Only Real BBQ Competition Circuit
Pit Master is a little known term in Britain. However across the Atlantic it’s a different story. In the USA a BBQ is a pit, but this is not the kind of semi disposable grills we have over here, BBQ pits are wood and charcoal burning ovens set up for slow cooking meat over several hours. The British BBQ Society was set up for people who love to BBQ, and particularly the protagonists of Pit BBQ in the UK. In 2009 we launched our pit BBQ competition series based on American (KCBS) competition standards. In 2010 with the circuit thriving, this series of competitions has become the Pit Masters series.
Our competitions are fun family affairs which take place over the course of a whole weekend. Friday nights are all about socialising with a some good friends and a few drinks, then on Saturday the meat is handed out and the serious business begins. Food is prepared and cooked over night and presented for judging around midday Sunday. teams cook four categories, chicken, pork ribs, whole pork shoulder and brisket. There are also bonus categories for BBQ sauces and desserts.
In 2009 and 2010 the British BBQ Society has had the honour of being offered places at the Jack Daniel’s Invitational BBQ World Championships and the American Royal BBQ Championships. These are two of the most prestigious competitions in the world and our presence there is representative of the fact we are quickly becoming the driving force behind real BBQ in the UK. We send a BBBQS team made up of Pit Masters competitors to Kansas City for the Royal and we offer the place at the Jack as the ultimate prize for our national champion, i.e. the team that accumulates the most points over the course of the season. This year we’re set up for an exciting finish with only a couple of points separating the leading teams going into our National Final. Over August Bank holiday weekend our national champion will be decided at Rudgwick Country Show. This is going to be a cracker of a competition with our best teams primed for a fiery battle.
