Prescott Porkers can now say its barbecue is “award-winning.”
The team placed ninth in pork shoulders at the 2023 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which was held May 17th through 20th in Tom Lee Park.
“This is our first placement right here,” says Garrett Sapp, 23, Prescott Porkers co-head chef with Chase Smith. “Finally, we got our first trophy for our team.”
One thing that sets them apart besides their barbecue is their age. “Our median age is 23, 24,” Sapp says. “I think the youngest person is 22.”
Sapp grew up around barbecue. His dad, Roger Sapp, co-owner/co-founder of Central BBQ, also participates in the Memphis in May event. “I’ve been going to barbecue fest since I was about two,” Garrett says. “My dad would bring me there in a wagon.”
Garrett was familiar with the grill at a young age. “Probably when I was younger, backyard barbecuing. Burgers and stuff like that. Grilling by the pool.”
He began smoking meat during his freshman year of college. “Dipped my toe in that. I had a small smoker attached to the side of my grill. Eighteen. Nineteen.”
The time then came for Garrett to make the break from his dad’s team. “Once I got old enough I said, ‘Why don’t we start a team for the new generation?’”
As for why they chose the name Prescott Porkers, Garrett explains, “About five of us lived on Prescott Street during college. We all knew each other and watched football games and all that stuff and cooked meat and grilled.”
Garrett didn’t give away any secrets, but, he says, “We injected this year to get some flavor inside of that meat.”
He injected the shoulders with a mixture of apple juice and their seasonings.
They also added a glaze to “add some moisture on the outside. It gives it a really good bite.”
Garrett says they also tried commercial sauces made by other award-winning barbecue teams before coming up with their own sauce this year. “Seeing what they do and modeling it after that.”
He described their sauce as “smokey and sweet. And it’s got a tail end of heat.”
Their sauce is “not too spicy,” but, he says, “That’s something we might add in the future. We might end up doing two sauces.”
That’s to give the judges some options, he adds.
Garrett and Smith focus on the shoulders and wings. They let other teammates, who want to get involved, barbecue the seafood and turkey.
And, Garrett says, “We do have fun and like to party, but we are very focused on the meat.”
The day before the judging, Garrett and Chase are “all in the back of the house prepping and getting ready. We’re trying to earn a little respect from the older guys. I know that we’re young.”
So, is the idea in the back of Garrett’s head to maybe one day open his own barbecue restaurant? “Not for me. But our other head cook, Chase Smith, mentioned to me about doing a Texas-style barbecue and mixing Texas and Memphis styles together.”
The Prescott Porkers’ goal for the 2024 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest isn’t surprising. “We want to place again. And place every year if we can.”
