Competition BBQ Secrets

Archive for January, 2010

Hi Bill,

Great book – received it the other day and have already learned a few nice tips that I’ll try once it warms up a little here in NJ. I cook on a Weber Smoky Mountain (original size) rather than a traditional offset. Is there anything specific you’d recommend that I should do differently on that type cooker that may not work on an offset (or are there techniques for offsets that won’t work on the WSM)? I’d say 80% of the time I’m doing back ribs and chicken the rest of the time; I don’t think I’m ready for KCBS for at least a year!!

Thanks again for all the great advice.

Sincerely,
Peter

Yes, Stump and I have enjoyed the videos. He is liking the content as I am. I plan on doing another cook this weekend and maybe another next weekend to get ready for the GBA contest in dublin GA.

I am really liking what I have seen so far. Some of that tube stuff I never did before till now and it made my practice box look dang good. It was really different compared to what i was doing before. I am looking forward to trying it too.

Tell me something though: Do you ever get concerned about when you are doing your pork box as far a the pork getting cold. I figure when you are looking for the tubs and putting them to the side, surely the temp may drop on them. How do you deal with that? What do you do to keep the pork warm if not hot.

I do not cook IBCA unless its close and I just want to practice however I am a member only just to get their news letter to see who wins at different cookoffs.
I cook Lone Star BBQ which I am also a Member,The few times that I have cooked IBCA the head judge was unprofessional and they do get the judges off the streets.
Lone Star head judge is trained and very professional.They also get the judges off the street which I personally prefer because you are getting honest people with different taste and I think you will find that the winners entry is the best.
I don’t know if you can do this in the Royal or other cookoffs where your at But in Lone Star after all the awards have been prsented the top ten winning entrys are in their turnin boxes where you can taste which ever one you would like.And in most cases you will usually agree with the judges.The public is still the best judges.
Question last year in the Royal you said it was more or less like a crap shoot.Did you go up and taste the winning entry to see if the judges made the right choice.I bet they wouldn’t let you.
In Lone Star you cannot touch the food with your hands You have a fork and a knife and you cut one bite and judge that bite place your score on your card with your name on it, then you throw the fork away and pass the entry to the next judge then you eat a grape,cheeze,and cracker to clean your palate before you taste the next entry.Its about the fairest judging that I know of.
I wish you could come and cook sometime.The ones that I see on TV looks more theatrical than anything.

I have noticed on bbq pitmasters on tlc channel some of the
teams cook with the butts on a wire rack in a aluminum pans. Seems like a good idea for moisture if you put liquid
in the pan. Will this hurt the smoking of the meat?
Maybe they do this after its cooked? Just wondering
what you thought nothing in your book.
Great book by the way hope to enter first comp.
sometime this year.

THANKS
David

Bill,

Great piece on the judging. I agree with all of your comments except the second bullet point pertaining to non-disqualification for late entrees. Look, everyone knows the turn-in times ahead of time and the correct procedure for submission. I watch some of my competitors and these crazy TV shows about guys falling asleep and waiting until the last minute to prepare their boxes. Give em an inch and they will take a mile.

Incidentally, I see that you attended Myron Mixon’s cooking school. Me and my team are heading there in a few months. Did you find it worthwhile?

Again. Great piece.

Michael

I agree 100% !!! I just did two small cook-offs in east Texas. The
first, I took first in brisket and ribs, second in chicken and fajitas
and first in cooks choice. The second, two weeks later against the
same cook teams using my same pit, wood, and rub, I did not even
place. They let the judges pick up the entries so they knew exactly
what each team was turning in. It just so hapened that thier beer
drinking buddies took it all. THINK MAYBE IT WAS RIGGED???

J

re: BBQ judging newsletter

Bill,

I like all your suggestions regarding judging. You’ve been thinking about this for a while.

I especially like the idea of teams judging. I think it will really open their eyes (and taste buds) to what goes on in judging. I also think it should be a requirement for judges to cook at a competition or at least mentor. This too would be an eye opener. As you say a lot goes into being a contestant. A couple people ion the New England curcut put their heart and soul into one of NH cookoffs and came in next too last and realized how much that went into a cook off and decided it was not for them..after just one cook off.

A judging friend of mine has complained about the cleanliness of the whole judging scene. Not keeping hands clean while handling food. And seeing how some of the fellow judges don’t use better sanitary procedures and has complained to KCBS but no one as far as I know has gotten back to him about it.

Your ideas are great but you have to sell them to the BBQ public atlarge and off course KCBS, Fba, and Memphis.

Good luck with them.

I love your news letters and love your BBQ book

It’s wonderful of you to take time to provide this service to we “amateurs”

Nick “Griller” Diller
Great Barrington Ma

re: barbecue judging newsletter

Hi Bill,

I’ve been a fan of yours for the last few years, after downloading your book on “competition” barbecue, which helped improve my output immensely. At least I think so! I’ve also watched you grow your business and applaud your success. You’ve worked hard and deserve it.

Well, enough with making nice. Let me get down to my reason for emailing you Read the rest of this entry »

re: newsletter on barbecue judging.

DAMN good write up on the judging. It’s for the reasons you outlined that we don’t compete anymore. We sell our BBQ sauce and we vend concessions at events….but no more competing.

The judging is just too up and down from one judge to another to ever really figure out how to improve.

Thanks,
Niki

really likel enjoyed your article on barbque judging i agree with you 100% have you been keeping up with what is going on with the scba which i am a member south carolina is ripe for a new and better association are you ready to start one i am like to hear from you on this subject

re: http://www.bbqsuccess.com/barbecue-judging/