Holy Smoke BBQ-NC
Ayden, NC
Billy Merrill and Robert Merrill, Pitmasters
Team “Holy Smoke BBQ-NC” is the hometown team at the “Kings of Q” BBQ Cook-off and Festival comprised of Head Cook Billy Merrill and son, Robert Merrill of Ayden, Jim Burrell of Smithfield, and (infrequently) Gordon Hubbell of Lincolnton, North Carolina. The team "congealed" about five years ago among friends on the Pelletheads.com online forum, cooking only three or four contests annually but has expanded in cooking frequency, barbeque education, and dedicated cooking equipment. Holy Smoke now participates in ten to twelve contests per year primarily in the Carolinas. Although they have yet to make Grand Champion or Reserve Grand Champion in a contest (made it to 3rd), they've taken a lot of "walks" for 2nd through 10th place in the categories and won "Anything Butt" (the fun non-KCBS Friday night category) for some fabulous flaming dessert (Bananas Foster) and “People’s Choice” pork where the public votes for their favorite. They consider themselves serious competitors, but also compete for the sheer joy of mingling with all the great folks "on the circuit"; and judges, too (Billy is certified and Gordon is a Master Judge and Ph.B./"Doctor of Barbeque"). Often, they are joined by newer KCBS judges who spend the weekend cooking with them to learn the ropes about how the food is prepared in order to ultimately qualify to become Master Judges. Billy has competed on the national level in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, in Kansas City, Missouri, and in the prestigious Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, TN. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolySmokeBBQ.NC/
Q CLUE: king
Ayden, NC
Billy Merrill and Robert Merrill, Pitmasters
Team “Holy Smoke BBQ-NC” is the hometown team at the “Kings of Q” BBQ Cook-off and Festival comprised of Head Cook Billy Merrill and son, Robert Merrill of Ayden, Jim Burrell of Smithfield, and (infrequently) Gordon Hubbell of Lincolnton, North Carolina. The team "congealed" about five years ago among friends on the Pelletheads.com online forum, cooking only three or four contests annually but has expanded in cooking frequency, barbeque education, and dedicated cooking equipment. Holy Smoke now participates in ten to twelve contests per year primarily in the Carolinas. Although they have yet to make Grand Champion or Reserve Grand Champion in a contest (made it to 3rd), they've taken a lot of "walks" for 2nd through 10th place in the categories and won "Anything Butt" (the fun non-KCBS Friday night category) for some fabulous flaming dessert (Bananas Foster) and “People’s Choice” pork where the public votes for their favorite. They consider themselves serious competitors, but also compete for the sheer joy of mingling with all the great folks "on the circuit"; and judges, too (Billy is certified and Gordon is a Master Judge and Ph.B./"Doctor of Barbeque"). Often, they are joined by newer KCBS judges who spend the weekend cooking with them to learn the ropes about how the food is prepared in order to ultimately qualify to become Master Judges. Billy has competed on the national level in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, in Kansas City, Missouri, and in the prestigious Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, TN. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolySmokeBBQ.NC/
Q CLUE: king
