Joe Peterson of Roanoke Rapids is the winner of the 30th annual Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest.
By Craig Ramey
Carteret County NEWS-TIMES

NEWPORT — Rain dumped on the 30^th annual Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest in spurts Saturday but Joe Peterson found a silver lining.  After missing first place by just three points last year the Roanoke Rapids resident took top honors and a check for $1,000 after his prized pork bested a field of 87 pigs in the nation’s largest whole pig cooking contest.

“It’s quite a shock,” said a grinning Mr. Peterson. “We had a pretty pig but you never know.”

Even greater of a feat was topping this year’s second-place finisher Russell Snider, who has more titles than any other cook following his winning streak from 2001-2004. But as 2007 winner Charlie Meeks of Newport knows, it’s anybody’s game once the judges start circling the tents at Newport Town Park .

“It took me 20 years to win the first time,” said Mr. Meeks as he tried to remain optimistic once the judges had taken a look at this year’s entry. “He was a pretty pig. I know I have a good pig but other people have good pigs, too.”

Judges allowed only a couple minutes on each pig before moving on to the next display, where they found some pigs laid on the grill and surrounded by pineapples, while others remained simple setups relying on the most important aspect of the judging process.

 “The weight of it comes down to its taste,” said judge John Adams of Snow Hill. “It’s also how well it was cooked and how does the sauce taste.”

Mr. Adams and three other judges were methodical with each pig. Two judges would stand on a side of the grill, taking a close look beneath the pig before flipping it over.

“It’s usually presented to us rib side up and we look at the bottom side, the skin, for that crispiness people like,” added Mr. Adams. “Then we pull the bones out. If the pig is done, the cartilage is melted and the bones will remove very easily. And then we judge the sauce and there has been some wonderful barbecue sauce here today. Lots of different kinds and it’s each to his own what the best barbecue is. But we look for something acceptable to most people.”

The line of cars backed up on Howard Boulevard and droves of people walking around with stacks of barbecues plates attested to just how experienced the cooks were at appealing to the masses. There were few complaints to be heard beneath the covered dining area as smiling faces gobbled down bite after bite of pork.

“I love it,” said Morehead City ’s John Ellis as he leaned back from his finished plate. “To me it is (the best) because you have so many people cooking so many recipes and they blend it together. But it’s more than barbecue. Newport has something really special to have the old-time, small-town togetherness. And that means a lot to me.”

Perhaps no place reflected that sentiment more than the makeshift assembly line. Nearly 200 volunteers worked together on the contest, many of whom worked to prepare each plate. Some teamed up to crank out about 26,000 hush puppies while others chopped pigs in a gauntlet of cleavers. Several spent the morning and afternoon constantly mixing nearly 90 gallons of vinegar with the amount of meat 87 pigs can produce to match an additional 105 gallons of barbecue sauce that had already been made.

“We’re out here to get the job done and make as much money as we can so we can give it back to the community,” said Jim Bristle, president of the Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest. “There’s plenty of choppers, and they’re going so fast they can’t the get the pigs into them fast enough.”

The hustle and bustle of getting pigs from grills to plates Saturday afternoon was a drastic flip from the night before. While spectators enjoyed beach music, dozens of art vendors and amusement rides, the chefs remained calm as they waited for the pigs to be delivered.

The tents lining Newport Town Park in a semicircle featured chief cooks showing off trophies and homemade grills, many of which embodied a personal flair ranging from five-star chrome rims on the trailer to an air of professionalism when it comes to the art of pig cooking.

Leslie Deaton of Roanoke Rapids stood out among the pack with “The Carolina Cooker,” a rolling kitchen, complete with running water, a grill large enough for a whole pig and a smaller one for half-sized porkers, chrome trim and a wrap-around counter topped with Carolina blue ceramic tiling.

“We’re pretty serious,” said Mr. Deaton. “This is one of my brainstorms. Everything on it took about six months. With the second grill, a lot of times we’ll go somewhere and they’ll have a no show and they’ll need to cook another pig and we’ll cook it up. I can put a half a pig on there.”

An 11-year veteran of the Newport Pig Cooking Contest with two second-place finishes, Mr. Deaton is proud of his rolling culinary creation but remained humble when asked to speculate his chances this year.

“It’s tough out here,” he said. “I cook all year long and the same ones out here are the ones at the state. This is tougher than the state and a lot bigger. Most of the time the state has about 45.”

Newport ’s Michael Hemenway had an intimidating display beneath his tent Friday night, as well. Surrounded by antique cleavers, pots and a rusted rug beater, Mr. Hemenway stood at the helm of a homemade grill topped with dozens of trophies he had won around the state, including fourth in the state and first place in culinary and showmanship categories in Castle Hayne’s contest. The list goes on to show he’s a state-certified judge and recent judge for ECU’s pig cooking contest, but for all his efforts the Newport contest has remained elusive.

“It’s a learned process,” said Mr. Hemenway. “I didn’t learn in one year. And on the road there’s a lot of competition.”

However, no chef has seen as much competition come to Newport as Smokey Colwell of Havelock, who was honored during the award ceremony Saturday as the only cook to participate in all 30 of the contests.

“It’s like a big family now,” said Mr. Colwell. “In the last few years it’s improved a heck of a lot. When I started this, my friends would bring their kids. Now, my friends bring their kids and their kids’ grandkids. Each year it gets bigger and better.”