Murphysboro’s Praise the Lard cook-off is back. Next week, Sept. 18-20, barbecuers and judges from across the United States and beyond will gather for the 38th year of competitive barbecue tradition. 

As the only tri-sanctioned barbecue competition in the country, this year’s contest is at full capacity, with teams and judges from 20 states as well as Costa Rica, Canada and Switzerland on the roster.

The event is hosted by 17th Street Barbecue, which has long been considered a popular destination for barbecue lovers. The restaurant, owned by Amy Mills, carries on the legacy of her late father, Mike Mills. 

The Mills family is often called the first family of barbecue, and in 2015, the Illinois State Legislature officially named the town the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois,” cementing Mills and Murphysboro’s reputation as standard-bearers of Illinois barbecue. 

The city’s reputation is what helped Praise the Lard grow into a nationally recognized cook-off.

“17th Street Barbecue was started by my dad in 1985, so we’re celebrating our 40th year this year, and this is also the 38th year of our cook off,” Amy Mills, the current organizer of the event, said. “He and a group of friends started this cook-off as an economic driver to bring other people to our town.”

The competition’s popularity has increased over time. This year, the contest reached its participant limit by mid-August, so they opened a waitlist for hopeful teams.

“This started happening last year,” Mills said. “We were full by Sept. 1, and this year we were full before Aug. 15.”

Teams will compete across Memphis Barbecue Network, Kansas City Barbecue Society, and Steak Cook-off Association categories.

“We are the only tri-sanctioned contest in the country,” Mills said. “The teams cook in one, two or all three of these contests. There’s no other contest quite like this on the competition circuit.”

Each sanctioning body brings a different set of rules and expectations to the table. The Kansas City Barbecue Society is known for its blind judging, where entries are scored on appearance, taste and tenderness without judges ever knowing whose food they are eating. The Memphis Barbecue Network does things differently, sending judges to the teams’ cooking sites to evaluate not only flavor, but also technique, cleanliness and presentation during in-person finals. The Steak Cook-off Association focuses exclusively on steak, with judges looking closely at doneness, texture and flavor. 

Behind the scenes, judging is valued highly. Each of the sanctioning bodies produces judging classes, and anyone who wants to judge must complete one of these classes and be certified by that organization.

“It’s taken very seriously, because the teams have spent thousands of dollars to be here and participate. Every organization and every organizer wants the judging aspect of this to be at the most professional level,” Mills said.

The weekend also features events that will incorporate those who may not be participating in the contest. 

“We have evening events for the public to come out and be able to walk around and see the teams. We have a fish fry on Thursday night, a grand champion meal on Friday night and that’s followed by free live music. We have two different bands on the stage, and people are able to walk up around and meet teams and just enjoy all the festivities that are going on,” Mills said.

“Friday night’s event really is designed for the public, and you can buy tickets at the door,” she said. “It’s $30 per person for a big barbecue spread and draft beer, and then people just spill out into the street and enjoy music. It’s really a beautiful night. It almost always has some crisp fall weather, and it’s a great night to smell the barbecue in the air and really just enjoy the atmosphere.”

For many teams, the appeal goes beyond the competition itself. 

“People love our trophies,” Mills said. “A lot of people have just beer can trophies, but our trophies are glass-blown trophies by the Douglas School Art Place in Murphysboro, and they’re beautiful glass apples. They’re a trophy that you would put on a shelf and display at your home.”

She also says that the welcoming atmosphere has set Praise the Lard apart from other BBQ competitions.

“One thing that draws the teams to us, besides those trophies, is the hospitality and the setup that we have, because we had a barbecue team for many years, we know what makes a good contest,” Mills said. “Our sponsors help us put together these amazing hospitality baskets. They have to bring a wagon to get all of their items back to their campsite, because they get a bag of charcoal, six packs of beer and soda, a 5-gallon bushel basket filled with all kinds of gifts, and 5 pounds of apples from the local orchard. People love that.”

The competition continues to engage and support the local community.

“This event showcases really the very best of Murphysboro and of southern Illinois, and it gives back to the community,” Mills said. “It is bringing 1,000 people into the area who eat in our restaurants, purchase gas, stay in our hotels and Airbnbs and spend their money in our community.”

For Mills, the memories remain personal. 

“My favorite memories are producing this side by side with my dad, and also just the legions of people whom we’ve welcomed to southern Illinois and who have added to the texture and the culture of this contest,” she said.

Among this year’s competitors is Darren Warth, owner of Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, Iowa. Warth and his wife, Sherry, started competing in 2003 as a way to escape their corporate jobs.

“It was combining cooking, what I loved to do, and tailgating, what we both loved to do, into one,” Warth said “We became good fairly quick, winning our first grand championship in 2004. One championship led to two and by 2007 we had won 27 state BBQ championships.”

Their early success led to the launch of Smokey D’s BBQ in 2006, which quickly grew into multiple restaurants. 

“From Day 1 there were lines out the door,” Warth said. “Catering exploded and the BBQ business was good enough that I left the corporate transportation world in 2008.” 

Today, Warth runs several locations and spinoff concepts, including The Ornery Chicken, The Crafty Mac and Its My Jam Cafe.

Warth’s competition record is unmatched. 

“Winning the Jack, The American Royal (three times) and the Houston Rodeo is something that only we have done, nobody else has accomplished that feat,” Warth said. “Winning those titles has brought so much credibility to our brand and our restaurants, giving us the opportunity to meet and feed hundreds of thousands of people from around the world.”

Despite his national recognition, Warth said Murphysboro’s contest holds a special place.

“Praise the Lard is a small-town contest with big town fun,” he said. “The 17th Street gang has always rolled out the red carpet for all the cooks in a big way. It brings in top competitors from around the country and I always look to beat the best.”

He added that winning in Murphysboro is no easy feat. 

“Winning Murphysboro is sort of like winning a mini major,” Warth said. “It’s usually a stacked field and to come out on top you not only have to be good but you have to be lucky. We’ve been lucky enough to win it twice, once in 2014 and again in 2018.”

Preparation for competitions is a time-consuming process. 

“Competition BBQ is a seven-day-a-week hobby,” Warth said. “Running multiple restaurants can be quite busy during the day so most of the prep has to happen at night. I try and break our prep up so I’m doing sauces and injections one night, trimming chicken and ribs one night, pork and brisket one night, shopping and restocking the BBQ trailer with supplies one night, and then most times we are leaving out on Thursday for a competition to travel. Let’s just say there is no time for much sleep in the competition world.”

After decades of competing, Warth said he’s less focused on trophies and more on the experience. 

“I love the people and I love to cook,” he said. “I really don’t care if I win anymore as long as I’m competitive. I love the atmosphere and camaraderie that goes along with competition BBQ.”

For more information about Praise the Lard, visit the 17th Street BBQ website. 

For more information about Praise the Lard, visit the 17th Street BBQ website at https://17bbq.com/cook-off/ 

Staff Reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at [email protected].

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