January 7, 2008

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--Officials from the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the largest society of barbecue enthusiasts in the world, will soon be in Livingston, Ala., teaching tasters how to rate ribs and evaluate brisket.
 

Prepare your palate as The University of West Alabama hosts a KCBS-sanctioned judging school Saturday, Jan. 26, beginning at 8 a.m. in the Tiger’s Den in the Student Union Building.

The day-long event will teach participants to judge meat in four competition categories: chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. The barbecue, prepared on-site by KCBS competition cookers, will be evaluated for taste, appearance and texture.
 

“We're excited that KCBS has agreed to come to Livingston to conduct a judging school just in time for our first KCBS barbecue cook-off, The Sucarnochee BBQ & Blues, on April 19, 2008,” said Dr. Tina N. Jones, event organizer. “Barbecue is a part of the traditional folkways of this area, and we feel that a cook-off and judging school sanctioned by KCBS will give our great cooks of the region the opportunity to showcase their talents on a larger stage.”
 

With more than 8,500 professional members, KCBS sanctions and judges nearly 300 barbecue competitions in 44 states, promoting barbecue as America's cuisine. Livingston will host the first Sucarnochee BBQ & Blues Cook-off, sanctioned by KCBS, April 18-19, 2008, in conjunction with the annual Sucarnochee Folklife Festival. Newly certified judges will be eligible to judge at this event and other KCBS-sanctioned competitions, including Christmas on the River in Demopolis, Stokin’ the Fire BBQ Festival in Birmingham and many other regional events.
 

KCBS sanctions competitions by providing the most respected form of judging and scoring in the world of barbecue. The organization provides a representative for each contest and an appropriate number of certified judges who have been trained to judge world-class barbecue in a blind judging process. KCBS judges are trained to appropriately judge all types of barbecue, from St. Louis and Texas styles to Memphis and Carolina styles.
 

KCBS members can attend the judging school for $45. A $75 registration fee for non-members includes a one-year KCBS membership and a subscription to the organization’s newsletter. The deadline to register is Wednesday, Jan. 16. All participants will receive judging certification from KCBS and a Kansas City Barbeque Society T-shirt.
 

For more information or to sign up for the KCBS judging school, please contact Monica Moore at 205-652-3497 or mmoore@uwa.edu.