The three-day festival, dubbed the "World's Ultimate BBQ Showdown", takes place May 15-17.
In addition to the barbecue competition, fans can enjoy carnival activities like arcade games and a Ferris wheel, watch nightly concerts and enjoy samples of barbecue dishes during the festival’s Live Fire experience.
SmokeSlam’s official spokesperson is Melissa Cookston of Memphis BBQ Company in Horn Lake, MS. She is renowned nationally as the “winningest woman in competition barbecue,” and shared three of her top tips about using smoke to make award-winning barbecue.
Tip #1: Think of “smoke flavor” in your barbecue just like you think of salt or pepper. It’s an ingredient. As such, you want the smoke flavor to be in harmony with your meal, not an overpowering presence.
Tip #2: When selecting wood, look for seasoned wood chunks and logs. They are imperative for a good fire and proper smoke flavor. She warns that wet wood will smolder and keep your fire from running clean.
Tip #3: Melissa says her favorite types of wood to use when cooking pork are peach, apple and pecan. “Just think about it,” she said. “I love to pair all those things with pork, so it makes sense to imbue any cut of pork I’m cooking with their delicate flavors.”
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!
For more information on SmokeSlam, visit smokeslam.com.
