Hilltop Supermarket Holds Smoking 2024 Dwayne Byard Memorial BBQ Cook-Off

Clarksville, TN – On a cloudy Saturday, May 4th, the air in Clarksville was thick with anticipation as Hilltop Supermarket held the 2024 Dwayne Byard Memorial BBQ Cook-Off. Despite the looming threat of rain, the barbecue enthusiasts gathered, their grills fired up and their aprons ready.

“The rain held off, and we had some nice weather for the cook-off. Last night was the kick-off party, and today is the actual competition. Our judges are different county officials, like the Mayor, and other local barbecue experts,” Cody Jackson with Hilltop Supermarket said.

The competition was fierce, and the judges had their work cut out for them. Each category—chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork, and beef brisket—was a nail-biter, with razor-thin margins separating the contenders. The aroma of smoky goodness filled the air, enticing both participants and onlookers alike.

“We’ve been doing this for around 14 years now. We’re grateful to everyone who turned out for it. They make this all worthwhile. It’s a lot of work, but they make it fun and enjoyable,” Jackson stated. “It’s something we can do for the community to get give back and let them see all the different barbecuers around the state of Tennessee and this region.”

“I think it’s great. I think it’s great that they’re keeping Dwayne’s memory alive. I’m really proud of that, and Dwayne would have been proud, too.” Debbie Byard said.

Cash prizes awaited the top three finishers in each category, along with coveted trophy prizes. But the ultimate glory lay with the Grand Champion, who would not only pocket $1000 but also earn bragging rights as the undisputed pitmaster of the day.

Twenty teams vied for the title, each with their own secret rubs, marinades, and cooking techniques. The teams were Killer B Backyard BBQ, DC’s Backyard Smokers, Bad Boyd BBQ, Buckshot Malone’s Pig Shack, A&RQ, The Big B Barbeque Company, The Blazers, Shogun BBQ, Big Orange Smokers, Red Bow Barbecue, Newt’s Smokehouse, Novice Smoke, Jerles N’ Em, Electro-Que-Ted, Hogs B’ Hattin’, Dem Smokin’ Boyz, BOARder Line BBQ, RT Que, Holy Smoke, and Blue’s Barbeque.

Judging commenced at 11:00am, starting with chicken. Each half-hour brought a different category to the forefront. And let’s not forget the dessert category—a sweet indulgence that didn’t count toward the grand champion title but satisfied the judges’ sweet tooth.

Big B Barbeque came out on top in the dessert category.

In the Pulled Pork category, ­Red Bow Barbecue claimed first place, followed closely by A&RQ in second and Electro-Que-Ted in third.

Killer B Backyard BBQ smoked the competition for ribs to take the top spot, while The Blazers secured second place and Electro-Que-Ted came out in third.

In the chicken showdown, RT Que soared to victory, with Electro-Que-Ted hot on their heels in second place and DC’s Backyard Smokers claiming third.

The beef brisket battle was intense, but A&RQ emerged victorious, leaving The Blazers in second place and Electro-Que-Ted with another well-deserved third.

And now, the moment everyone had been waiting for—the grand champion.

Brian Ford, representing Electro-Que-Ted, stood tall as the ultimate pitmaster. His smoky symphony of flavors had wowed the judges, earning him the $1000 prize and the respect of every barbecuer present.

Ford with Electro-Que-Ted said after the event, “It’s really exciting to win Grand Champion. We won in three of the categories, and winning is always fun. I think Hilltop Supermarket has a really good event going on there. We’ll be back next year.”

“This was a great event. I’ve eaten more food than I’m gonna eat for the rest of the week,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden. “The food was amazing. It was very hard to judge. Some were so close, and all these teams put so much work into it. They did a great job with dessert. That dessert was next level. You could tell when looking at the faces of the judges. Their eyes lit up as soon as they took that first bite.”

One of the judges, Kenneth Robinson with Robinson BBQ Sauce, stated, “The food was excellent. The barbecue, the ribs, chicken, and beef brisket were all good. All the desserts were really special. This is my first time coming and I have enjoyed it. I am looking forward to coming back next year. This is a good thing Hilltop is doing here for the community.”

“We appreciate all the barbecuers who came out to our cook-off. This was probably one of our closest competitions to date,” said Jackson. “All the food looked and smelled great. Talking with the judges afterward, you could tell it was all excellent.”

“Hilltop has been doing this now for about 14 years, and I’ve only missed one year, and this was some of the best food that we’ve eaten. The barbecue was great, and the desserts were out of this world,” Dalton Harrison stated.

“Plans for a county event are in the preliminary stages right now. We don’t have a date set yet, but it should be in August or September. Mayor Golden was out here today and said he would love for us to do one at Rich Ellen Park. So we’re gonna get more together about it later,” stated Jackson. “Many of the barbecuers here today said they would all be glad to do it, so we’re hoping for a big turnout.”
 
Congratulations to all the teams that participated in this year’s cook-off. We look forward to seeing everyone come out against next year.

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About Hilltop Supermarket

Hilltop Supermarket is located at 400 Highway 149, Clarksville TN. From Clarksville, you would take Hwy 48/13 south across the Cumberland River, turn right on highway 149, and Hilltop Supermarket is located on the left at the top of the hill next to Freds. Hilltop Supermarket serves the grocery needs of the southern Montgomery county area.

Visit their website at: www.hilltopsupermarket.com.