How do I go about entering a barbecue contest?

The world of competition barbecue is one of the most fascinating subcultures in America. There are several ways to get involved. You could start by attending a national or regional competition. The three biggies are the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, www.memphisinmay.org; the American Royal Barbecue in Kansas City, Missouri, www.americanroyal.com/; and the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee, www.lynchburgtenn.com/jack_daniels_bar-b-q.html. But you’ll have a better chance of actually talking to the individual pit masters at a local or regional competition: Contact the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS, www.kcbs.us) for a list of regional contests.