PORT ALLEN — Sixteen teams lined up their smokers last Saturday under the shade trees at the Oldies But Goodies Fest, turning in half chickens, racks of ribs and slabs of brisket for blind judging in what organizers say is the longest-running barbecue competition in Louisiana.

The BCA Championship Cook-Off, now in its 19th year, drew competitors from as far as Slidell, Lafayette, Marksville and parts of Mississippi and Alabama. But for Nakia White, chairman of the BCA board and pitmaster for Red White and Brew Barbecue, the turnout wasn't enough.

"We did not make our 25 teams," White said. "So we always ask more cooks to sign up, and they do not need to be a member of the BCA to cook here."

That 25-team mark matters. Hitting it qualifies the contest as a feeder event for the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue, one of the most prestigious competition circuits in the country. White said heat, gas prices and scheduling likely kept some regulars home.

"We definitely have 10, 12, 13 people that are active members," White said. "We want everyone to know that they can sign up by going to BCABBQ.org."

Membership runs $50 a year, one of the cheapest in competitive barbecue, and the organization draws teams from five states.

Blind judging, honest feedback

Unlike restaurant reviews or popularity contests, BCA events use blind judging with volunteers pulled from the crowd.

"It's free to judge," White said. "All you have to do is give us honest feedback. You have to have no skills except for honest feedback."

Teams turned in their products across three categories: half chicken first, seven ribs second and seven slices of brisket third. After a "rigorous process" to keep judging blind, awards were announced around 4:30 p.m.

'It's not magic'

For competitors like Brandon Hunt, the pitmaster behind Home Grill Advantage, the cook-off is about more than trophies — though he took home first place in chicken.

"I started this off about 15 years ago because I wanted to make good barbecue and I wanted to teach other people how to make really good barbecue," Hunt said. "Because the things that you have in the restaurant is not magic. It's all about technique and skill and then also just repetition."

His advice for backyard cooks tackling chicken — the same category he won — is simple: stop overcooking it.

"Everybody's afraid of chicken, so they cook it to 180, 190. You're overdoing it," Hunt said. "Let it get to 160, pull it. That carryover temperature, never underestimate the carryover temperature. It's gonna bring you right where you want it."

Weekend warriors

James Cruse of Arabi has been competing for 21 years, longer than the contest itself has been in Port Allen. He seasons with Stockyard Landing, his own line of barbecue rub he said is named for the original settlement name of his hometown.

Others travel from across the region with families in tow. One competitor from Morbihan, near New Iberia, said he hauls his rig to cook-offs across Louisiana and Mississippi with his wife and son most weekends.

"Most people out here do this at least once a month through the association," he said. "All of us have full-time jobs. It's not an expensive hobby, but it's not the cheapest."

New blood

Not every team at the cook-off was a seasoned veteran. Alex Hatcher and his wife make up Frothhound Barbecue, one of the newest crews on the circuit, balancing the hobby with full-time jobs and leaning on each other to make it work.

"If it wasn't for her, I'd be lost," Hatcher said of his wife, who mixes the team's sauces and manages the fire. "It's a team."

Frothhound doesn't have a logo yet, but they have an Instagram and Facebook page and a name inspired by craft beer culture. Hatcher said they cook the same recipe almost every weekend, dialing in their process through repetition.

Growing the field

White, who joined the BCA board after the organization began sanctioning the contest about 11 years ago, said the competition's biggest challenge isn't the food. It's getting the word out.

"What we need is more BCA publicity," White said during a judging session. "If there's any way to get words out there, put that sign on the website, put that sign on the media. We're looking for people to sign up to be cooks and judges. Family, kids."

Bob Zanine, president of the BCA, was working the pits himself, a reminder that even the people who run the show still cook.

The BCA holds sanctioned competitions across Louisiana and neighboring states throughout the year. For information on upcoming events, membership or signing up to compete, visit BCABBQ.org.