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Registration for the 2027 Suds & Swine Whole Hog Pro Team Cooking Competition is open!!  If you have any questions, please email Cory Hughes at [email protected] 


Registration for the Local / Backyard Competition
will open at a later date. If you have any questions, please email Cory Hughes at [email protected]






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Whole Hog Sanctioned Cooking Team Entry. This is a 25 Professional Team Field.

This competition is for those pros competing on the Whole Hog North Carolina Circuit. - $100 Entry fee waived for the 25 teams that sign-up. HOWEVER, this fee will be reimbursed when the team arrives for the competition

Note: Recently, we have had a few teams cancel after we have ordered the hogs. Consequently, we will need to initiate the entry fee/reimbursement approach. In essence, you sign-up and show-up – your fee is reimbursed. Additionally, if your team cancels prior to March 26th (Good Friday, two weeks prior to the event), your entry fee will be reimbursed. Summary – Fee Program:

$100 entry fee – upon signup
$100 reimbursed if you have to cancel prior to March 26 or
$100 reimbursed when you arrive for the event on April 9
$100 forfeited if you cancel after March 26 or do not attend the competition


$100.00
Total: $0.00
$0.00

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5th Annual Suds and Swine BBQ Festival
in Laurinburg, NC.

2027 Official Rules and Regulations
Whole Hog Sanctioned Competition


On Site Judging

1st -   $800 & prize

2nd - $500 & prize

3rd - $300 & prize

  1. All cooking spaces will be numbered and pre-assigned by the Contest Director. No changes will be allowed.  Space is very limited, sign up early.
  2. A Contest official will direct you to your site. Each team is required to be checked in no later than 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 9th, 2027
  3. Teams will be permitted to begin setting up their equipment any time after 12:00 noon, April 9, 2027. Neither the Suds & Swine BBQ Festival Committee nor the City of Laurinburg shall be responsible for any cookers or equipment brought to the grounds before this time. 
  4. Each cooking space will be limited to a 20’ x 24’ area.  For each 20’ x 24’ area one pig must be cooked. 
  5. Chief Cook’s meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m., Friday evening April 9th, and will be led by our Head Judge, location will be announced upon registration.  Attendance is mandatory.
  6. Each cooking team shall have one person designated as Chief Cook. The Chief Cook shall be the only person permitted to present the pig during the judging process.
  7. The Contest will provide a 125-135 lb. Pig. Pigs will be distributed on Friday, April 9th, 2027 between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm and the contest will officially begin at that time.
  8.  All pigs must be cooked in an above ground cooker. Should a gas cooker be used, it must meet the safety standards such as proper regulator, tanks must be secured to prevent accidentally being overturned and any other requirements the Festival Director deems for safety precautions.  Cook Teams must display a Fire Extinguisher
  9. The USE OF GASOLINE FOR ANY REASON IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
  10. Cooking teams are requested to keep their cooking area free of trash. Please use the trash containers provided at various locations. Each team is responsible for site cleanup at the end of the contest.  Please pay special attention to the containment of grease, as you will be cooking on a paved surface!!
  11. All cooking teams are requested to be discrete with any alcoholic beverages consumed on the contest premises. Law Enforcement Officers will be present.  
  12. All cooking teams are requested to respect the rights of others in attendance for the contest and event, with special emphasis from each team member relating to loud music, loud or profane language or infringement on adjoining sites with any equipment, cookers, cars, campers, vans, pickups, etc. Curfew for quiet time will be midnight. Security will be provided throughout the evening.
  13. Food, beverages, and entertainment will be available on Friday night and Saturday.
  14. Gloves are not mandatory, but a basin of water and soap is mandatory for cleanliness purposes.
  15. A Contest official will be assigned to accompany the judges while the pigs are being judged. The staff person will collect score sheets. The score sheets will contain no information that will in any manner identify the cooks or sponsors. The Festival staff or secured CPA, not the judges, will total and grand total the score sheets.
  16. Pigs should not be sauced inside or out.  Those pigs that have been sauced will be disqualified.  (Please refer to the Core Rules).
  17. No external heat source may be used other than the grill.  Some examples might include but are not limited to, heat guns and torches.  Those using external heat sources will be disqualified.    
  18. Injecting pigs will not be allowed.  Some examples might include but are not limited to, sauce and product drippings.  Those injecting pigs will be disqualified.  
  19. Following the judging for On Site Judging, all pigs, except for the ribs, must be chopped and turned in not sauced, and ready for packaging to the Event Tent.
  20. In the event of a tie, Contest Staff will refer back to the judging sheets and the winner will be awarded by the highest points in category, meat taste, if still a tie, then skin crispiness,  then moisture.
  21. Contest officials maintain the decision to distribute or mail the score sheets, following the announcement of winners.   Score Sheets will be given or mailed to the Chief Cooks. 
  22. Contest winners will be announced at approximately 10:30 on Saturday, April 10th, 2027. (or as soon as judging is completed and results are calculated).
  23. All checks for product quality and showmanship will be given to the Chief Cook the day  of the Contest. Prizes will be presented to the Chief Cook on Saturday, April 10th, 2027.
  24. Each team will receive six complimentary BBQ sandwich tickets.
  25. All cookers and equipment must be removed no later than 5:00 p.m., April 10th, 2027. unless special permission is granted.   The Town of Laurinburg shall not be responsible for any cookers or equipment left on the premises after 5:00 p.m., April 10th, 2027.






Whole Hog Barbecue Series Rules

PREPARATION AND COOKING RULES

Pigs should NOT be sauced inside or out. Pigs that have been sauced will be disqualified. Salt and baking soda may be used to draw out blood in the cleanup phase.
The ONLY ingredients allowed in the preparation and cooking in a sanctioned event are:

  • Pig

  • Water

  • Baking soda

  • Salt (Only plain table salt or kosher salt may be used; no flavored salts allowed.)

  • Oil

    ANY other ingredients will result in disqualification.

    Injecting pigs will NOT be allowed. Some examples might include but are not limited to sauce and product drippings. Those injecting pigs will be disqualified.

    You can use any portion of the pig that is cut away.

    NO external heat source may be used other than the grill. Some examples might include but are not limited to heat guns and torches. Those using external heat sources will be disqualified.

    Removing soft spots will be deducted under the appearance category on the score sheet.

    Pigs should be inspected upon receipt and any abnormalities should be documented before the pig is put on the grill. Problems should be reported to the event organizer to be reported to the judges.

    Each contest may also need to add rules specific to their venue such as set up time, space allotment, parking, consumption of alcohol, event schedule, etc.


REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL NC CONTESTS
TO BE SANCTIONED BY THE NC PORK COUNCIL

  • The contest must have on-site judging AND use on-site judges from the NCPC’s approved on-site judges list, which may be obtained from the NCPC office. On-site judges that are not on the approved list must be pre-approved by the NCPC. Must use a minimum of 3 judges.

  • It is not required that local contests have blind taste judging, sauce, showmanship or people’s choice.

  • Do not combine culinary and blind taste scores to create an overall score if you are sending a winner to the state championship.

  • Due to the fact that on-site judges are trained on the basis of whole hog contests, contests sanctioned

    by the NCPC must be whole hog contests.

  • The contest must use the official NCPC score sheets. Additionally, the score sheets MUST be tallied according to the numbers given on the score sheets.

  • If a local contest would like for its winners to be eligible to compete in the Whole Hog Barbecue Championship Cook-off., at least 10 cooks need to be participating in the contest.

  • Contest must be announced on Whole Hog Barbecue website at least 60 days before the contest and the reporting form must be filled out within 14 days after the event ends. Contest must be open to anyone.

  • Local events may offer a “People’s Choice” category, but it cannot be mandatory.


    REPORTING REQUIREMENT

    After the event is completed, event organizers MUST provide a reporting of the event, including judges’ names, winners and a full list of participants to determine if the event met qualifications for the winners being eligible for the championship. If the organizer does not provide this information, the qualifying individuals cannot participate in the championship. The full list of participants should be sent in in order of placement (first place through last place). We will update the website as soon as possible with the winners and everyone will be awarded points in the Pitmaster of the Year scoring. The reporting form can be found at the bottom of this page: www.wholehogbarbecue.com/series/.


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