Competition?

[smoker matt 54]

I know theres a lot of people at this forum who go and compete at BBQ competitons. I started smokin about 3 months ago and once I got the hang of it the food was amazing! I know my way around the grill pretty well, about 15 yrs now(I know a smokers dfferent but I got a pretty good method down) . I love to compete, and smoke,but I dont have a $1000 smoker(yet!) so I was wondering if I was to show up with my ECB if im gonna get laughed at? The town im living in is hosting a State Championship in May and Id like to just have some fun and give it a shot(I know I dont stand a chance!) I've never been to a Smoke Off, so im gonna check a couple events out so I can see how its set up and what I'll need. If anybody's got any advice about rules, things I should know, that would be great! Im in training!!! Ribs this weekend and a Butt!

 

[ncdodave]

Matt,
We all have to start somewhere and sometime in competitions. If you do well with an ECB then thats awesome and it's even better if you win the competition! Come and join me in Carson City, Nv in June for the Carson City Rendezvous! June 13 to 15. We do a Dutch oven competition every year and this year we are adding a BBQ competition to be judged on Saturday. I'm new to this BIG scale BBQ and smoking also but what they hey I'm jumping in all the way to have a blast. After all that's what it is all about in my book. If it's not fun then why do it? I love it and will do it when ever I can. I'm just getting my BBQ equipment together but do very well with what I have and nothing like cooking indirect low and slow no matter what you have!

 

[peculiarmike]

Matt, I see you are a KCBS member. Check the Bullsheet, there a bunch of comps around the Lawrence-KC area. Attend a few and check out what goes on. You can smoke on any type smoker you like except gas or electric, and you will see some different ones. The drum is gaining a lot of favor. After you go to a few you can take it from there.
I like your attitude, you should have a lot of fun.

 

[fatback joe]

You see all shapes and sizes of smokers at the comps. Nobody really cares what you are using (as long as it is legal). Just make sure you have the capacity to do the required amount of meat for a the turn ins.

Have a good time, the competion side of things is a blast.

 

[lagogarda]

Good luck!! I have never competed but looked into it and decided I'd rather cook for friends and family than for judges. My observations and discussions with folks at the Jack Daniels World Invitational has enlightened me. Blind draw of judges to go with a blind draw of competitors translates , as more than 1 of the competitors said, like winning the lottery. You have to hope that your Q gets presented to the table of judges where all 6 of them have the same "taste" and their "taste" matches up with your Q..plus the ribs thing where the meat is suppose to stay on the bone and they can see where the bite came from.

haylllllllllllllllllll nah. Mine falls of the bone and haven't had any complaints yet. Then you got the presentation thingy...I've seen it go as high as 40% of the score..again

"Your Q was the best in the world but it was ugly!!" LOL. Maybe one day but right now I'll just Q it up for my peeps on request and I've broke many of folks from visiting a "World Champion" and Memphis in May winner's establishment up the road. Trust me, your Q is probably better than any that gets cooked at a competition. I admit I'm still ignorant to alot of the competition stuff and nothing against the "qualified judges" on this forum but I always wondered about the "judging school" stuff...might be for "consistant" judging.

okay..I've used up my 2 cents.

 

[fatback joe]

Resturant Q and competition Q are not nearly the same. Don't matter who owns the place. No establishment will ever give you competition quality Q it is just too cost prohibitive. The flavor profile might be about the same, but that is it.

 

[foozer]

Can you cook at a competition with a smoker that has a guru pitminder?

 

[bbq bubba]

Certainly!!

 

[gooose53]

I know a number of folks here in South Carolina who do comps and they will tell you their q at a contest is way different (better) than if they were doing retail. Like was said before it's cost prohibitive to cook contest quality for the masses.

 

[fatback joe]

I'll second what Bubba said.

Really if you look around at the contests it almost seems like you would have to ask if you would be allowed to cook at a contest without one.

 

[foozer]

Didn't know if a guru would be considered as using an electric smoker. I didn't think so but thought I would check.

Thanks

 

[nh3b's]

I commend you for asking a question like this. To me its attitudes like this that formed this country and forged ideas....Daring to be different and just plain simply asking why??? Youve got some great answers from some of the forums tops.

 

[allen]

I have only been to 2 comp's last year and 1 comp the year before and u can use charcoal or wood, NO PROPANE unless it is to only START your wood. I have seen the GREEN EGG being used to custom built campers were the back end is custom made/built for competition. your imagination is the key, Temp of meat, sanitation, presentation of veg. or greens and presentation of meat, and timeliness in turn ins, etc