Barbecue competition...apparently it's addictive

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Big Grouch

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Mar 11, 2021
125
117
Did my first competition last month, got ninth place in ribs. I'm happy with that. Now a local brewery decided to have a competition for pork butt. They never had one before, they were informed pork butt can't be smoked in their allotted time. Now it's cook at home and bring in a crock pot of pulled pork, judging is peoples choice. $25 gets you in as a judge and a lot of beer, so we'll see what sort of shape the judges will be in. Doing mine in my Camp Chef pellet grill, working on a Carolina vinegar sauce for judges to apply. Will also offer Sweet Baby Rays sauce, since we're a long way from either Carolina.
 
They are addicting.. I've done a few ...

Have you seen/used @SoFlaQuers finishing sauce... It's what I use when looking for a vinegary sauce

 
They are addicting.. I've done a few ...

Have you seen/used @SoFlaQuers finishing sauce... It's what I use when looking for a vinegary sauce

I made one, blend of Chef Billy Parisi and Joy of Cooking recipes. Apple Cider vinegar, brown sugar, granulated garlic, black pepper, crushed red pepper, Kosher salt, onion powder, and because I was out of ketchup, a little tomato paste. (BTW, the tomato paste in the tube is SO convenient.) This might be a winner.
 
If you are a sausage maker, you might want to consider buying several butts and cutting off the upper 1/3 of each, then freeze the rest of the butt for grinding later. The top end, aka the money muscle end, has the MM and the tube muscles and is the portion that most cooks turn in. Not only will this shorten your cooking time, but all the meat will be the best of the butt.
 
Now it's cook at home and bring in a crock pot of pulled pork, judging is peoples choice.
That's PERFECT for someone with a smoker!

We used to have competition potlucks when I worked. Pulled pork was always a favorite. I was the only one with a smoker. Folks stopped bringing their crockpot PP and demanded my smoker PP served in a crockpot.

Have fun and good luck!
 
Did my first competition last month, got ninth place in ribs. I'm happy with that. Now a local brewery decided to have a competition for pork butt. They never had one before, they were informed pork butt can't be smoked in their allotted time. Now it's cook at home and bring in a crock pot of pulled pork, judging is peoples choice. $25 gets you in as a judge and a lot of beer, so we'll see what sort of shape the judges will be in. Doing mine in my Camp Chef pellet grill, working on a Carolina vinegar sauce for judges to apply. Will also offer Sweet Baby Rays sauce, since we're a long way from either Carolina.
Yes sit they are and sounds likes you've got a good plan ! Good luck!

Keith
 
They are addicting for sure! Some great advice here. Personally, I’d steer clear of the commercial bbq sauce. We do use Sweet Baby rays for chicken n stuff, but I’ve found people who’ve never had PP without tomato based sauce and only finishing sauce are usually shocked at how much more they enjoy it. Good luck!
 
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