September 23, 2025

Tammy Kelly

Our BBQ community once again mourns a legend.  North Carolina Whole Hog Master Judge Pat Lee Adams, passed away on September 5, 2025.  Pat and her husband John spent many years dedicated to the perfection of Eastern North Carolina BBQ. 

Agriculture was in Pat’s blood as she grew up on a tobacco farm in Four Oaks, NC.  She furthered her love for the land at North Carolina State University where she met her husband, John Adams.  Pat had a love for all things livestock and taught her daughters how to raise pigs, heifers, horses, and lambs, as well as how to cook up a southern spread.  She enjoyed a friendly competition and encouraged her family to participate in the North Carolina State Fair and various other area and local competitions. 

Pat, a strong believer in education, served on the Greene County Board of Education for 28 years, 24 of which she was the chair.  Always the public servant, she served on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Advisory Council for many years. 

Pat injected humor and fun into every occasion telling some of her best tales while coordinating and judging the Blind Taste competition for the Whole Hog State Championship for many years. 

Fellow Master Judge, Brownie Futrell said of Pat Adams that “she was one of the kindest people I have ever known and she was completely devoted to her barbecue family. Her example of dignity and grace will be greatly missed by all those she touched.”

September 2, 2025

By Tammy Kelly

In the words of Lee Meeks, Mr. (Captain) Charlie Meek’s son ,”We lost our Chief Cook this morning” and truer words were never spoken.  Mr. Charlie Meeks, often called Captain Charlie by friends, passed away early this morning surrounded by his family.  His family will carry on the tradition of competition cooking in his memory.

Mr. Charlie was a legend, the Barbecue King, He grew up watching his father cook whole hogs in their backyard and took that knowledge and spent years perfecting his competition cooking methods.  Mr. Charlie was the “cook to beat”, but was also the kindest, and gentlest competitor, always happy to share his knowledge and cooking to anyone who asked.  He loved the Whole Hog Competition life so much that he kept every one of his weight tags on all of the pigs he cooked throughout the years.  Mr. Charlie was declared Whole Hog State Champion in 2001 and was super excited to receive his Championship Ring.  He was also In honored as the first ever Pitmaster of the Year in 2015, signifying he accumulated the highest number of points in 17 contests that year and placed first in at least 6 of those competitions.  Mr. Charlie holds the title of NC Pork Council Sportsmanship Award, an award that is determined by peer Chief Cooks.  Mr. Charlie, along with only one other competitor was also awarded the Inaugural Grand Slam Award.  The Grand Slam quilt is awarded to the Chief Cooks who have placed first in State Championship, Newport, Kinston, and Washington. 

Mr. Charlie retired from the NC Correctional System after 39 years of service as a prison captain, and he served as a Volunteer Fireman and a member of the Newport Pig Cooking Committee.  At his retirement celebration he was inducted in the Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine which is North Carolina’s highest civilian honor. . 

Kevin Peterson, current Whole Hog State Champion said he asked Mr. Charlie for advice and Mr. Charlie said “You just need to cook a better pig”.  He would never share his secret sauce recipe, but let’s hope he whispered into Lee’s ear!