Competition BBQ Secrets

Archive for May, 2009

Bill-

Thanks for sharing your BBQ experience & expertise with rookies like me. I purchased a Klose pit last year that is perfect for backyard smoking (36 inch smoking chamber with off-set firebox). While I have tried on multiple occasions to smoke a quality brisket, I continue to come up short. Here are a few things that I find myself struggling with….

· How much wood to use during the smoke?
· What’s the best way to maintain internal chamber temperature? (Charcoal, wood, how often do you have to reload?)
· Is there a rule of thumb for how long to smoke? 1 hour per pound?
· How do you know when the brisket is done? Ideal internal temperature?

I have read your October 2008 article on Smoked Brisket Test Runs…I found it to be very interesting and helpful.
Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the good work,
GDH

well, i bought the book, i read it cover to cover. Decided to use your Rub, used your sauce recipe, used the 3-2-1 method of cooking. Came in third in a Rib Cook off that had 27 cooks all cooking ribs against one another. Thanks for showing me the way. Now it is all about tweaking to get first next year.

Hello Mr. Anderson,

Congratulations on your WIN!

I live in Oklahoma and purchased a FEC100 directly from Cookshack this
past February. I purchased your book in April of 2007 and was curious
if there were any changes since my purchase. If so, does included
tips on cooking with an FEC100? I’m having trouble with ribs &
chicken. I purchased your $7 chicken tip and was pleasantly
surprised, though I am not getting a consistent result each and every
time. The FEC100 is certainly nice, but my ribs are lacking in every
way. I don’t have access to a quality butcher, so I am forced to
purchase Tyson products.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your
attention to my questions.

Sincerely,
Keith

Bill,

Let me see if I got it!

3 hours of smoke before wrapping in foil (homebbq.com)
1 hour in foil (brown sugar, honey, squeeze margarine)
1 hour of glaze (ole ray’s apple/cinnamon sauce with honey)

Terrance

Bill,
I have been unable to locate CAB briskit here in Chattanooga.
Any suggestions?
Paul

Hey Bill the school district had a cookoff had a about 15 teams it was sanctioned by SCBA, great turn out. My question is do they have a competition for beginners in the South Carolina are, someone told me you had to be a member of SCBA before you could compete or what do i need to do to get started. I would like to stay local until I get some experience under the old belt. i have heard of some competitions having a backyard edition. Any help would be appreciative !!!

Hi Bill,
Wow! Those are amazing. I’ve got to go to one of the competitions so I can see what it is supposed to taste like!
Thanks for sharing.
best,
Neal

Just Read this first… http://www.bbqsuccess.com/bbq-contests/

Thanks for sharing Bill. I slow smoked a brisket over Memorial Day Weekend using your recipe for about 20 people, half who believe they are the best backyard chefs in Texas. It rained all day and I had trouble keeping the pit heat constant but needless to say using your injection marinade from the book and the Southwest rub everyone said it was the best brisket they ever had. Not one piece was left over for sandwiches the next day. Keep up the good work.

Dr. Thomas Polcyn
Houston, Texas

Bill, those turn in boxes look great ! thanks. I agree with you on the judges, I was in my first competition this weekend and placed 17th out of 64 teams, in the RocCityRib Fest in Rochester NY. It was a rib only event for me, and the start of many more thanks to your book and inspiration. I want to do this full time now, and I’ve got the BBQ BUG ! I’ve been smokin for about 6 years now, but now getting serious, all I need now is a big smoker now and a truck to pull it with.

Here is the website: my Team’s name is ” Jack’s Rack’s”
http://www.roccityribfest.com/

Jack

Bill,

Yes, I recently purchased your BBQ book on-line and it has been the best
investment since I purchased my Chargrillin smoker. The secrets of temp and
time came in very handy for Mother’s day. I cooked up 3 whole chickens a 8
pound roast and a 8 pound boston butt. Everything came out perfect and
everyone in the family raved about the food. This past weekend I cooked 5
slabs of baby back ribs, and there were no leftovers. The ribs fell of the
bones, were moist and tender and cooked to perfection.

Thank you for your wonderful book. It is worth every penny and then some.
Send me any updates or whatever you want. I am one happy customer.

Robert