Honoring the birthplace of barbecue this Saturday
When we sit down for a meal, we usually don’t wonder how long ago the first meatloaf was made, or the first time someone mashed potatoes. A delicacy’s history is often forgotten and we’re left with just a delicious dish. But to know the origins of something as Southern as barbeque should be something we take pride in.
The legend of Lamar Johnson’s famous barbeque dates back to the turn of the century, when back in 1903 Johnson was smoking whole hogs in a pit in the ground in Ooltewah and serving it with an elixir mixture of his own making that is known today as honey barbeque sauce.
Historians claim this to be the first barbeque sauce, and whether or not it’s true, from the smoking pit we’ve gained a Southern staple most of us couldn’t bear to live without.
In honor of Johnson’s namesake, this weekend will be the second annual Lamar Johnson Classic at Cambridge Square in Ooltewah, a barbeque smoking event for the best smokers in town to show off their skills and compete for the Grand Championship with their sticky sweet meats.
Starting at 7 a.m., barbeques will be fired up and meats will be prepped for a day of smoking. Come out this Saturday for all the smells, sights, and tastes.