DALLAS, Texas (FOX 44) — At the High School BBQ National Championship, Temple High School and Chilton Middle School both placed in the top five overall in the nation.
Over 110 teams from ten different states descended upon Dallas for this year’s SLAB High School BBQ National Championship. Teams competed in six categories.
- Pork Shoulder
- Chicken Lollipops
- Ribeye
- Pork Ribs
- Grilled Cheese
- Upside-down Cake
The top five teams in each category were presented with medals, followed by an overall best team in the nation. Chilton Middle School had two teams, who placed in the top ten. The Big Back Barbecue team placed 4th among middle schools, and Pirate Smokers landed in 6th overall. In the high school championship, Temple High’s Pit Masters placed 5th in the nation. Chilton High, Belton High, Bryan High, and La Vega High also competed. All the local teams combined for over 15 awards across all categories.
Temple BBQ Coach Joe Medrano put this team together in 2022 and has led it ever since. Although they didn’t take first, he says what really matters is the work they put in to get here.
“I don’t know who got more out of this year. Me or the kids? Simply being around the young adults, kiddos, just keeps me going, you know? And so, I’m proud of them. They did a great job,” said Medrano.
The Pit Masters took 2nd in ribeye, 5th in chicken lollipops, and 11th in pulled pork. Graduated senior and team captain, Alex Mungia says he’s happy with the way his last year with the team went…