Heath Hall and Brett Thompson, widely recognized for creating the award-winning all-American BBQ sauce and spice rub company and their reality TV show appearances on ABC’s Shark Tank, are offering to fork over $1,000 immediately and $5 from every Picnic Pack or Party Pack sold on its website from November 18th through December 10th in exchange for the town changing its name to “Barbecue, Texas” for 16 hours – split evenly between three Turkey, Texas Charities:

1)    Bob Wills Foundation (providing scholarships to local students)

2)    Turkey Restoration Project (restoring Turkey, Texas school)

3)    Turkey All Volunteer Ambulance and Fire Department

“It’s not that we have a beef with PETA,” said Thompson. “We like BBQ veggies as much as the next person. We’re just not sure the people of Texas are ready to embrace Tofu in the shape of a Turkey. We hope that folks will join us in pledging to support the people of Turkey, Texas via donations to these charities. In the spirit of democracy, we think the American people should have the opportunity to cast their vote in support of Barbecue or Tofurky.”

Americans – carnivores and vegetarians alike – can cast a vote in support of Turkey, Texas temporarily changing its name to either Barbecue, Texas or Tofurky, Texas in an online poll at http://www.PorkBarrelBBQ.com/vote or on Twitter by tweeting #TofurkyTX or #BarbecueTX to @peta and @porkbarrelbbq.

According to Hall, a respected pitmaster in the competition barbecue circuit, the temporary name change would occur for 16 hours, the approximate amount of time it takes to properly smoke a Texas brisket.

“As we approach Thanksgiving the great people of Texas have a lot of things to be thankful for, including access to some of the best slow smoked barbecue in the world,” added Hall. “If barbecue can claim to have a power, it is the power to bring people together and we hope our efforts to raise funds for these worthwhile charities will do just that.”

For more information, visit the Pork Barrel BBQ website www.porkbarrelbbq.com and read about their latest updates and adventures on Facebook, Twitter (@porkbarrelbbq) and the company’s blog.

About Pork Barrel BBQ

Pork Barrel BBQ was founded in December 2008 during the peak of the economic crisis to prove that a company not owned or operated by the federal government could succeed, and that if you had a good idea, it was still possible to grab a piece of the American Dream. Pork Barrel BBQ founders, Heath Hall and Brett Thompson, ran the company out of the basement of their houses, selling their award winning BBQ products one bottle at a time. In less than one year, their Pork Barrel BBQ Sauces and Spice Rub were carried in over 1,000 stores in 40 states. Throughout their journey, they have stayed true to their mission – to unite the nation through the great tradition of BBQ, and bring bipartisan flavor to your next meal. The Pork Barrel BBQ Competition BBQ Team entered its first contest, The Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle, in June 2009, and walked away with two trophies – Second Place in the “Nations Best BBQ Sauce Contest” and Fourth Place for their pulled pork in the Memphis In May portion of the contest. Since then, the team has won multiple awards, including the 2011 Perdue National Chicken Championship, the Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle in 2011, the “Chinet People’s Choice” award for best BBQ sauce in 2010 and other notable Memphis in May and Kansas City Barbecue Society BBQ competition accolades as well as having their Pork Barrel BBQ Original BBQ Sauce named Best Sauce in America and one of “The 125 Best Foods for Men” by Men’s Health Magazine in November 2010. For more information, visit http://www.PorkBarrelBBQ.com or follow Pork Barrel BBQ on Facebook and Twitter (@porkbarrelbbq).

###