My rib cookoff today.

[forktender]

I started this morning with a pancake bacon and egg breakfast, and lots of coffee. I knew I wouldn't sleep much last night.

Started trimming up 5 racks of St Louis ribs, man there is a lot of scrap to figure out what to do with.

Weapons of choice for today.

Forgot to take a picture after applying the rub.

Into the Black Hole, I have a fire basket loaded with Blue Hogs brickets, some lump B&B, a few chunks of cherry and hickory, and a smoke bomb with cherry and hickory chip and some random pellets I had in the RT hopper.
Waited for the white smoke to clear and set the stoker for 250*.

Now I can clean up my mess inside.

This cook off is at a local pub.
So the fire department won't let us cook in the parking lot. So you cook at home and turn in at 4:00 PM.
The ribs need to get turned in, 2 full uncut racks. The owner does a good job of cutting the racks so the judges each get 2 nice bones. There are some great judges from the French Laundry in Napa CA judging today.

Then the contestants each get a bone chew on from each contestant so they can vote for the peoples choice award.

I'm the defending champion of both people's choice, and the judges.
I hope I don't choke today. LOL!!!!

I'll try to get some pictures when I wrap. And when they are sauced at the end.

Dan.






Thin blue smoke rolling out of. the "Black Hole" my pet name for my barrel cooker.

 

[kilo charlie]

That's a shame you can't cook in the parking lot, but it does give you the home field advantage so to speak.

Can't wait to see the results!

 

[babydocsmoke]

In for the ride!

Weird you can't cook in the parking lot. Half the fun is chewing the fat around the smoker with everyone else. Wonder if the FD might be willing to spare a man who could hang out with you all and enjoy some free Q while "monitoring the danger" .

 

[JLinza]

Im in... good luck

 

[thirdeye]

I'm the defending champion of both people's choice, and the judges.
I hope I don't choke today. LOL!!!!

Sounds like a fun day, turning in full racks seems like a good idea. Good luck.

Earlier last week I realized our County Fair has several "broad" categories for BBQ/smoked meats and cheese. You sign up just like you were entering a jar of pickles or jam. And like your contest, we cook at home and deliver to the Fairgrounds before 5PM. However, minimum portions are for 4-judges only. I've sent in some questions about "specific" rules, so I may give it a try next year.

 

[forktender]

That's a shame you can't cook in the parking lot, but it does give you the home field advantage so to speak.

Can't wait to see the results!

They could do it, but the cost of the permits is cost prohibitive.
I like that I don't have to load and unload smokers, food, gear, and ice chests. I most likely wouldn't do it if I had to these days.
Just cooking at home tears up my back, but my hot tub is 4' from the Black Hole, so I can soak my bones while smoking rib bones. LOL!!!

 

[kilo charlie]

They could do it, but the cost of the permits is cost prohibitive.
I like that I don't have to load and unload smokers, food, gear, and ice chests. I most likely wouldn't do it if I had to these days.
Just cooking at home tears up my back, but my hot tub is 4' from the Black Hole, so I can soak my bones while smoking rib bones. LOL!!!

I hear that! I'm in the pool between tasks!

 

[forktender]

In for the ride!

Weird you can't cook in the parking lot. Half the fun is chewing the fat around the smoker with everyone else. Wonder if the FD might be willing to spare a man who could hang out with you all and enjoy some free Q while "monitoring the danger" .

There are 3 firefighters cooking in the contest today, they couldn't even pull the right strings, they tried. It's all about the permit money the city wants to collect. They say it's because of fire danger, but what's going to burn in a paved parking lot?

There are 20 to 30 people entered from what I heard, it sounds like a lot to me, so I'm not really sure.

I just sprayed the ribs after the first hour, they weren't cooking as fast as I would like to see, so I bumped the temps up to 270*.
Normally I like two hrs unwrapped, 45 mins wrapped, then sauce and uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. I normally cook my ribs to 185* between the bones then sauce and bring them up to 195*. Today I'll pull them at 190* due to the longer holding time. I'll prob. have to hold them for at least 40 minutes to an hr. So I won't cook them to my normal doneness, that part is messing with my head a little. LOL!!!

I hear that! I'm in the pool between tasks!

I have the hot tub turned down to 85*
Cuss it's been hot.
Today was nice though, only 85* it still got hot with all the running around.

I have to apologize, I got totally slammed after they came out of the wrap. I thought I had plenty of time, and mywife comes out and tells me I have to turn in , in 20min. I live 15 minutes away. I thought turn in was at 4:00, nope it was 3:30. I made the cut off with 2 minutes to spare.

The ribs got darker than I was hoping for, but the taste and texture were what I was after . I have 3 racks at home
I post a picture when I reheat them tomorrow.
Sorry about that, I almost completely choked, in at the wire. LOL!!!

 

[jcam222]

They could do it, but the cost of the permits is cost prohibitive.
I like that I don't have to load and unload smokers, food, gear, and ice chests. I most likely wouldn't do it if I had to these days.
Just cooking at home tears up my back, but my hot tub is 4' from the Black Hole, so I can soak my bones while smoking rib bones. LOL!!!

In for the ride. Despite the fact I am very active in the gym with cardio and weightlifting with no issues standing cooking kills my back too!

 

[forktender]

In for the ride. Despite the fact I am very active in the gym with cardio and weightlifting with no issues standing cooking kills my back too!

I swear, I have yet to figure out why it hurts so much.
It has to be a posture thing.
I bought a bar stool with wheels that I keep in the kitchen, getting old sucks .
LOL!!!!

 

[forktender]

Well'p
I guess I cook best when I'm under the gun. I got a 1st place again with a PERFECT score, zero deductions.
Seriously, I worked extremely hard on my rib game. I was super confident going in, but thought I royally F'd up when the ribs got darker than I was shooting for . All the judges and people's choice all left comments stating that my ribs were perfect, couldn't be any better.
Shoked the shit out'a me once again I thought I choked. It seems like whenever I think I choke, I win.
I need to quit second guessing myself.
I'm my own worse critic.

I have 3 racks at home, I promise I'll take pictures when I reheat them.

The first person to get a call was my Dad, and he started crying because he couldn't be here today, after his surgery. I guess I'll admit, it made me cry as well .

Thanks for all of the support guys, it means the world to me.

I told the lady that owns the bar, that I retired today, and next yr I want to be a judge. She said they would be honored.

Good times, and

God Bless.
Dan.

I brought my lucky charm today, this woman has supported me, and had my back even when things got extremely bad .
This is Miss "C" my little blonde hottie, we've known eachother since the 7th grade.l

She's my rock star wife. I'd be in a bad place if it wasn't for this woman, she made me see the light.

 

[Elf@shore]

Well'p
I guess I cook best when I'm under the gun. I got a 1st place again with a PERFECT score, zero deductions.
Seriously, I worked extremely hard on my rib game. I was super confident going in, but thought I royally F'd up when the ribs got darker than I was shooting for . All the judges and people's choice all left comments stating that my ribs were perfect, couldn't be any better.
Shoked the shit out'a me once again I thought I choked. It seems like whenever I think I choke, I win.
I need to quit second guessing myself.
I'm my own worse critic.

I have 3 racks at home, I promise I'll take pictures when I reheat them.

The first person to get a call was my Dad, and he started crying because he couldn't be here today, after his surgery. I guess I'll admit, it made me cry as well .

Thanks for all of the support guys, it means the world to me.

I told the lady that owns the bar, that I retired today, and next yr I want to be a judge. She said they would be honored.

Good times, and View attachment 737634God Bless.
Dan.

I brought my lucky charm today, this woman has supported me, and had my back even when things got extremely bad .
This is Miss "C" my little blonde hottie, we've known eachother since the 7th grade.lView attachment 737635
She's my rock star wife. I'd be in a bad place if it wasn't for this woman, she made me see the light.View attachment 737636

Congrads Mr. Pitmaster 2.0 !
Must of been the Accent !? LOL

 

[forktender]

That and the lard are my secret weapon. We just got home, I'll clean up the house tomorrow, I'm beat!!!
Thanks a bunch for following.

Pictures to come tomorrow or Monday.
Dan

 

[JLinza]

Heck yeah, congrats.

 

[forktender]

Congrads Mr. Pitmaster 2.0 !
Must of been the Accent !? LOL

Thank you, it's not like it was Memphis in May or anything like that. But I'm feeling old and broken down so I'll take the Martinez CA in July beer house rib cook off any day. LOL!!!

 

[Brokenhandle]

Congratulations on the win again! Pretty sure we'd all let you cook us some ribs as well!

Ryan

 

[thirdeye]

Way to go . We'll have to share lard stories.

 

[yankee2bbq]

Congratulations
Must be an awesome feeling!!!

 

[Gonna Smoke]

WOW, 2 years in a row!! You're the man, Dan! Big hardy CONGRATS!!

 

[912smoker]

There ya go Dan ! Congrats on the repeat victory

Keith