ASBEE Kosher BBQ Festival returns after four-year hiatus

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a four-year break due to COVID, teams were back competing in the 33rd Annual ASBEE Kosher BBQ contest .

Former Memphis mayor and contest judge Jim Strickland was one of the judges.

“It’s fun and it’s good food,” Strickland said.

Which is what keeps him coming back year after year to judge the Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth Kosher BBQ Festival at Baron Hirsch Synagogue.

“It’s really cool. I just judged beef BBQ,” Strickland said. “In Memphis, we think so much of pork BBQ but because of the faith here, they don’t eat pork.”

Each participant is required to cook under strict kosher requirements outlined in the Hebrew bible – which means no dairy or pork.

“All the preparation takes place at the Synagogue and under strict supervision,” Jacob Samuels said. “Everybody is on a level playing field. All the grills are provided (and) all the ingredients are provided. It really is a level playing field and a stiff competition because of that.”

Samuels is a three-time champion and has participated in the competition since 1999.

That’s why the past four years have been particularly tough since the festival had to shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

So, when he learned that the festival was returning, Samuels said he was more motivated to smoke the competition.

“There’s a couple of different secrets,” Samuels said. “Just cooking it well and keeping control of your fire is the main thing. And everybody has their secret blend of rubs and spices and sauces. So, that’s a secret every team has.”

But he’s not the only seasoned chef competing.

Margolin Hebrew Academy has been participating in the contest since day one.

“Of course we have ribs and we have hot wings,” Rabbi Gabriel Brown said. “We even have a contest where I interview students, alumni and parents (with) different questions and every question, they have to eat a really spicy hot wing and they can’t drink anything in between. We’re having a great time here.”

But perhaps beyond the great time and great food, the contest is an opportunity to combine Memphis culture with Jewish culture.

“Jews have a 3500-year history of BBQ with the temple and this is one way of celebrating that.” Rabbi Brown said. “Then, of course, combining that with Memphis’ deep culture of delicious BBQ.”

“This was one of the first kosher BBQ contests, if not the first,” Samuels said. “I believe it was the first and now, there are kosher BBQ contests all over the country. And just having Memphis as the nexus of that is really special.”

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