On September 12th & 13th, get ready for some proper ENC BBQ at E.J. Hayes Alumni Center! Please SAVE THE DATE & your appetite for this competition & PIG PICKIN’! Follow the E.J. Hayes Alumni Connection Facebook Page for info and updates. If you would like to compete in the competition OR sponsor and GROW your business + this annual event, download the APPLICATION INFO HERE.
The 3rd Annual E.J. Hayes Pig Cooking Contest is back! It will begin on Friday night, Sept. 12th with a chefs’ meeting at 5 PM. This is a real showdown of some of the best pig cookers in eastern North Carolina. They each will bring their skills, their secret sauces, and family traditions. The prizes up for grabs are: 1st place gets $300, a big trophy, and bragging rights; 2nd place gets $200 and a trophy; and 3rd place gets $100 and a trophy. Bring your folding chair and enjoy live music Friday night into early Saturday morning. Judging will begin at 8 AM on Saturday. Beginning at 11 AM, all the BBQ will be chopped and sold by the plate with sides and a drink for $12. BBQ will also be sold by the sandwich and by the pound. Winners will be announced at 1 PM. Mark your calendar, bring your appetite, and enjoy some good “down east” BBQ!
Registration Fee: $150
Judging starts at: 8 AM
Pig Eating & Entertainment kicks off at: 11 AM
Welcome to the Tradition! This ain’t just about barbecue – this is a showdown of Eastern North Carolina’s best pig cookers and plenty of smoke to see who takes home the title of #1 Pig Cooker.
Pig Cooking Contest – Friday Night to Saturday morning.
Plates on Sale at 11 AM – chopped pork BBQ, sides, and a cold drink ($12/plate)
FREE Entertainment – live music and local performers
Rides and fun for the hole family – bring the kids!
Whole hog, split in half, cooked on a big grill. Propane is most common, but wood or charcoal is welcome.
Hog must be cooked with head & feet removed.
Meat must be cooked all the way through before judging.
Contestants receive their hog Friday evening after the rules meeting. Hog must be ready by 7:45 AM Saturday morning.
Judging begins at 8 AM sharp. Judges go tent-to-tent, looking for flavor, tenderness, and technique. Each judge has their own taste, so contestants better bring their best. Winners announced around 1 PM.
After the judging, the pigs are brought to the chopping tent where the meat is prepared for plates. We expect a crowd — we’ll have two serving lines plus a drive-through at the front of the Alumni Building to make sure you don’t have to wait too long, so you can get home and watch your favorite college football team or take a nap after all the good food.
Want to cook, sponsor, or vend?
We’re looking for contestants, vendors, and corporate sponsors to help make this year the best yet.
Email Mr. Walter Whitfield: WhitfieldC@aol.com
Mark your calendar, bring your family, and come hungry. Let’s have a good time Williamston style and show off the best of Martin County, and Eastern North Carolina!
