BBQ Throwdown One of the Highlights of End of Summer Bash

The itinerary for the tomorrow would be plenty full even without a BBQ Contest. Not only is a BBQ Contest planned, it’s a Throwdown featuring 13 of the finest barbecue chefs in South Carolina.

Audrey Lorence, an ambassador for the South Carolina BBQ Association, said fans of barbecue are in store for event that is meant to show why South Carolina is the unofficial BBQ Capital of the World.

Lorence said painstaking efforts will be made to assure blind judging and that the chefs are kept anonymous, known only by their food.

Judges will evaluate the food based on taste, texture, presentation and aroma.

For the cooks, taking part in the competition is a grueling process that should not be taken lightly. “Cookers are up all night,” Lorence said. “They don’t sleep because they are watching the food.”

The average person is unaware of the commitment level required to be a high-level cook, Lorence said.

After the barbecue is judged, the judges then sample four to eight servings of food which they did not have the opportunity to judge. Once that concludes the meat is made available to the public.

Lorence, who was at the Shriner’s BBQ event in Mauldin in April and is also a Senior Certified Judge, has a tip for folks trying out the food.

“It’s important to keep an open mind and when they do try a new flavor they should let it rest on their tongue for a moment,” she said while encouraging people to sample all the flavors.

Anyone interested in becoming a judge can contact the South Carolina BBQ Association.

*Correction made to Audrey Lorence's last name, originally listed as Evans.