Hambone Jam

The expanded second annual Hambone Jam Barbecue Cook-Off will be Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7 and 8, in downtown Fort Valley. Check-in is from 5-8 p.m. Friday and judging begins Saturday morning at 9:30.

Due to space constraints participation in the Hambone Jam is limited to 50 Teams. A waiting list will be created in the event a team drops out before the event.

Registration fees are $25 for the backyard level, $50 for the professional level and $25 for the sauce category. Other categories are shoulder, ribs and Boston butt. Trophies will be awarded to the top three teams in each category and the first place team will receive a cash prize. One free grilling apron (with event logo) will be provided to each team.

Judging will be in the Austin Theater. After the meat has been cooked and judged, contestants may serve it to friends or family on site or keep it for their own purposes.

Teams may cook with any type of wood and/or charcoal. Other flammables (propane, compressed or liquid gas, etc.) may be used within the cooker only to start the fire initially. No type of flammable may be used within the cooker once the meat has been placed there. Flammables may be used outside and away from the cooker to make additional coals. Local fire and safety laws may prevent the use of any type of gas anywhere on the grounds at any time, and, if so, these laws shall prevail.

Electrical devices may be used within the cooker as long as they do not directly generate heat. Approved devices include rotisseries, fans and delivery systems for approved fuels (e.g. Traeger grills). Electric smokers, holding ovens or any other devices with heat-producing electric coils are not allowed.

Each team will provide its own meat for the contest. Meat will not be pre-cooked, sauced, spiced, injected, marinated, cured in any way, or otherwise pre-treated prior to official inspection. All meat must be available for inspection at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7. Meat must be USDA stamped and in the original purchase packaging.

Friday Schedule
5 until 8 p.m.: Check in; Teams will receive blind containers for sauce
8 p.m.: Meat inspection

Saturday Schedule
9 a.m.: Team meeting; teams will bring their sauce samples to be judged and receive blind containers for meat. No garnish of any kind is allowed.
9 a.m.: Judges Orientation/Assignment
9:30 a.m.: Sauce Judging Begins
10:30 a.m.: Shoulder Judging begins. Blind samples must contain meat only. Sauces must be in separate containers. No garnish of any kind allowed.
11:30 a.m.: Ribs Judging begins. Blind samples must contain meat only. Sauces must be in separate containers. No garnish of any kind allowed.
12:30 p.m.: Boston Butt Judging begins. Blind samples must contain meat only. Sauces must be in separate containers. No garnish of any kind allowed.
2 p.m.: Awards Presentations at the bandstand

Meat Prizes
First Place: Trophy, plus half the value of the total entry fees for the category
Second Place: Trophy plus refund of entry fee
Third Place: Trophy plus refund of entry fee

Sauce Prizes
First Place: Plaque plus refund of entry fee

Other Information
Electricity (120v) is available at each site at a cost of $10 per team. Access to water is limited, but there will be several water stations available. Contestants are asked to bring two buckets and antibacterial soap with which to clean utensils and other cooking items. There will be shared port-a potties on site.

A local butcher will be on hand at Young's Super Foods downtown. To order meat from Young's, call 478-825-2733.

The 2007 Hambone Jam is the first sanctioned event of the Georgia Barbecue Association. The goal is to make the "Hambone Jam" a highly anticipated annual event in middle Georgia.

Download Hambone Jam Registration Form (41Kb)

The band Cold Feat will perform Friday from 8-11 p.m. at the gazebo in downtown Fort Valley. Visit the Hambone Jam website at www.hambonejam.com for more information.