Nothing says “thank you” better than 3,000 pounds of pulled pork.

Volunteers dished out a free barbecue meal to more than 6,000 people Sunday during Pigfest, an annual event that started as way for a local chef to thank the community.

“It’s delicious, it’s awesome,” said Scotty Fair of Coupeville, after getting his first bite Sunday afternoon.

Barbecue buffs from around Puget Sound showed up with their grills Saturday. By the next morning, a smokey haze hovered over Pioneer Way and downtown smelled like a giant bacon breakfast.

Seabolt’s Smokehouse and The BBQ Joint cooked 1,000 pounds of meat. The rest was handled by Steve Despopoulos and his team of backyard barbecue experts.

Despopoulos works as a manager at Oak Harbor Tavern, but barbecue is a personal passion.

“I’ve always loved it,” he said. “I just love sitting around and smelling the smoke.”

What makes good barbecue? Patience, cooking low and slow, and special seasonings.

His rub includes sugar, salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, chili and other ingredients that he keeps secret.

He uses pork butt, which isn’t an anatomical description. The pork shoulder cut picked up that name a few hundred years ago when it was stored in casks and barrels known as “butts.”

Some people like to inject the meat with liquids. Despopoulos is a purest and sticks with the dry rub. Real barbecue isn’t slathered with syrupy sauces.

“You should be able to taste the meat,” he said.

Rob Kimmons agrees. He and his wife traveled from Lacey to compete in the pro barbecue competition, which included thousands of dollars in cash prizes.

“It’s just passion,” he said. “You can take a cut-up piece of meat, take your time with it, add some seasonings and it will come out a wonderful thing.”

Often, barbecue involves beer. Not in the recipe, but in the consumption by the waiting cooks. The meat cooks in smokers all night long, while the team of barbecuers take turns tending it.

This is the eighth year for Pigfest, which was founded by chef Scott Fraser, owner and chef of Frasers Gourmet Hideaway on Fidalgo Avenue.

The event happens because of donations from the community and sponsors.

In total, $19,000 was raised for charity.

Dances with Smoke of Renton, a frequent winner on the professional barbecue circuit, won the overall team competition, which was sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association.