Not a lot of convo when the barbecue was hot and ready to eat. No speech and a full mouthful speaks volumes.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
SWELTERING TEMPS AND SIZZLING RIBS
The North Carolina weather was bordering on 90-degrees and the spicy barbecue teamed up to turn faces red and caused sweat to flow.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
The very young, the very old and everyone in between sunk their teeth, gums or dentures into the multiple racks of ribs available at the second annual Smithfield Cup held at Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
Hillary Shelton from Heal the Land Farm enjoyed the rib luncheon with her family at Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, Oct. 5.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery’s owner, Alex Munroe and Border Belt Independent’s Les High enjoy the festivities that took place Oct. 5 in Elizabethtown. The event had a little bit of everything including live music, a bouncy house for kids, a trendy gift shop, various food and other vendors. And of course, the incredible pitmaster’s grills cooking up the ribs for this second annual Smithfield Cup competition.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
Some of the vendors at the Smithfield Cup 2025 were very welcomed by a crowd who had been baked by the hot North Carolina sun and filled with VERY spicy ribs. Ice cream was the perfect dessert to cool off.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
Sunset Slush lines were almost as long as they were at the barbecue stations where people enjoyed the competing cuisines of Carolina BBQ pitmasters.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
David Droschak, co-founder of the Smithfield Cup shows off the coveted crystal trophy just before announcing with winner between the North Carolina pitmasters and the South Carolina pitmasters. Hot temps, hot barbecue and hot music.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
The south certainly did rise again as Unity BBQ from Bennettsville, South Carolina, captured the crystal trophy where it will abide for the next year. This was the second annual Smithfield Cup held at Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery. The trophy spent a year in North Carolina as Southern Smoke from Garland, North Carolina was the 2024 winner.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
ELIZABETHTOWN – The Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery was filled with a barbecue Civil War, Oct. 5 on a day where the temperature was hot and the meat was sweltering.
Hundreds of participants were on hand to watch North Carolina go against South Carolina for the second annual Smithfield Cup. As they dug into the delicious concoctions prepared by some of the top pitmasters of the Carolinas you could see the beads of sweat began to form and the skin tones turned bright red as rack after rack of ribs began to disappear.
The south certainly did rise again as Unity BBQ from Bennettsville, South Carolina, captured the crystal trophy where it will abide for the next year.
Title sponsor Smithfield Foods, which operates the world’s largest pork processing plant in the world in nearby Tar Heel, donated more than 2,000 pounds of pork for the barbecue festival as three award-winning pitmasters from each state cooked ribs, pulled pork BBQ and pork tenderloin and a Southern side for patrons to sample.
North Carolina failed to defend its title from the inaugural Smithfield Cup in 2024 as the South Carolina team captured the People’s Choice Award and the crystal Smithfield Cup trophy, which was presented to South Carolina team captain Allen Williams Sr. of Unity BBQ in Bennettsville, S.C., by Nancy Oros of Smithfield Foods.
“Team South Carolina showed up with heart, and Unity BBQ was honored to be part of it,” said Williams, who cooked ribs for this team. “Our family business was built on service — bringing people together, lifting spirits and celebrating where we’re from. Winning the Smithfield Cup says that small-town dreams travel far when you keep your purpose clear and your pit steady.”
As the competition concluded and all the team members were cleaning up and getting ready to head back to their respective homes, Williams was all smiles under his tent.
“This was amazing,” Williams went on to say. “First of all, thank God for such a beautiful crowd, beautiful weather, some great pitmasters… it was truly amazing and the atmosphere was electrifying. And the competition? It was great.”
William’s journey to the Sunday venue actually started the preceding Wednesday.
“We prepped our meat, seasoned it and got it ready to smoke,” he said. “We started smoking on Friday and got half of it done and then smoked the rest Saturday and finished it up. We got everything wrapped up – and then got here today and did what we do best.”
The activity began at sunrise as barbecue pitmasters began pulling in and getting ready for the battle.
“We served some great people,” he said. “I don’t know how many people we served, but we did 72 racks of ribs, so you do the math. Now we go home and just kick back. We just love the craft. You got to love this and when you love it, you don’t really get tired. You just get ready for the next event.”
The team headed back to Bennettsville, South Carolina, about 90 minutes away from Elizabethtown with trophy in tow.
“I had three in my crew today,” he said. “Three amazing guys on my team (Scott Malachi and William’s son TJ Williams). I handled the grill and those guys they served the people. It went smooth. We moved fast, served the people, had no lines and our operation is second to none.”
John Haney of Alveron BBQ Co. in Summerville, South Carolina, and Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig Farms in Dorchester, South Carolina, joined Williams on the winning South Carolina pitmaster roster.
Keith Henning of Black Powder Smokehouse, which has restaurant locations in Jamestown, Asheboro and High Point, was the North Carolina captain. He was joined by Jeff Groce of Raleigh-based Oink ‘N Moo by Two Brothers and local favorite Walt Munroe of Cruzers Drive-Thru in Whiteville, North Carolina.
“BBQ and pork in general are staples across the Carolinas and it is fun to see an event like this start to gain favor among both patrons in and around the Town of Elizabethtown, Bladen County and beyond, and award-winning pitmasters who want to come here to compete with pride for their respective state,” said David Droschak, co-founder of the Smithfield Cup. “It’s humbling to see the community embrace the festival.”
The town of Elizabethtown, Texas-based food distributor Ben E. Keith, Campbell Oil, Minuteman Food Mart, Metcon and Warren Insurance Group were presenting sponsors of this unique culinary experience, held on the grounds of Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery.
“I thought the 2025 Smithfield Cup event was well organized and received,” said Pat DeVane, the interim town manager of Elizabethtown. “Everyone I have talked to had a great time and the cookoff was the best yet, with the crew from South Carolina hitting a home run. Those collards and dirty rice were fantastic. Best ribs I’ve ever had. I’m ready for some more.”
The Smithfield Cup is operated by Tarheel Festivals, which also staged the 5th annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival over Labor Day weekend in the Village of Pinehurst and the upcoming 7th annual Festival D’Avion on Nov. 22 at the Moore County Airport.
More pictures can be seen of this event from the Oct. 7 issue of the Bladen Journal and also can be seen at the Bladen Journal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bladenjournal/posts/the-first-batch-of-memories-from-the-smithfield-cup-2025-where-the-team-from-sou/1428320285968301/
Mark DeLap is an award-winning journalist, photographer and the editor and general manager of the Bladen Journal. To see more of his bio, visit him at markdelap.com or email him. Send a message to: [email protected]