Question about Competition ribs

[div]

I drive for a living and lately I have been using my iphone to listen to so radio shows with competition pros and the latest one was a 2 part segment about Ribs. Aside from the fact that some of them put down the little people with phrases like "guys from the internet" and "Internet noobs" and then want you to buy their products, the shows have had some good information that I intend on trying to make my nooby backyard ribs better.

My real question here is that multiple times I hear them all pretty much say that 90% of people dont know what ribs are supposed to taste like and that they all think they are supposed to be fall off the bone and sloppied up with sauce. Now who else beside the judges get to taste what a competition rib tastes like ? The judges are trained and told what to look for and what they should taste like according to lets say the KCBS becuase you know when some of these competition cooks are going out and catering 100-200 people that they arent taking the same care in 50-100 racks of ribs as they are with 3-4 competition racks. I am not saying all of them now but when you start dealing in mass quantity like that you cant put the time into every rack like u can during a competition.

Now heres my dilema, If 90% of lets say the people in America think that ribs are supposed to be fall off the bone and sloppy with sauce wouldnt that percentage say that, that is the way ribs are supposed to taste ?

 

[rickw]

Interesting post. I don't have an answer but sure do look forward to one.

 

[fired up]

90% of the people also think that Olive Garden is fine dining Italian food too.
And just the fact that Rachel Ray is a cooking superstar should tell you something.

 

[ronp]

The ribs at my restaurant were pretty much fall off the bone, well the bones were clean, basted with BBQ sauce and seared just before serving under the broiler, but they were done in the dreaded oven.

Oh well, they went over very well anyway and Bon Appetit' thought so also, but then what do they know.

 

[bigsteve]

Works for me. We love them falling off the bone, and slopped up with sweet BBQ sauce. That's how they're supposed to taste, at least at Bigsteves' barbeque joint.

 

[bbq engineer]

Hey Div,

I think the majority of people think they should fall off the bone, and there is not a darn thing wrong with that. I like them that way too, but if I'm cooking for a comp, I make sure there is a slight tug to the ones that go up for judging. I think it is all about knowing your audience and then altering your technique to get the best result for them.

I seriously believe that you could turn out bad BBQ for the majority of people, and they wouldn't know the difference. It is people like you, me, and all of the others here that are constantly trying to improve our skills, techniques, and flavors that you would have a tough time putting something over on.

Also, if you haven't volunteered to judge a contest, they are usually looking for judges, and that way you get to look inside the white styrofoam boxes and taste the fare of other competitors. Contact the organizers and ask...it's not a bad gig!

My $.02

 

[daddio]

good question and alot of it is a matter of your own taste . but anyone can take a kcbs judging class and become certified to their standards,my wife and i went and are both certified,and it gives you a real insite as to what competition bar-b-q is judged by. that said your right most people don't make as big a fuss over their regular q that they may serve to the public.we on the other hand do,we're still real small outfit and we cook the same for competition as we do for cutomers.but i'm sure when you gey into really big volume you may not be able too. as per kcbs standards falling off the bone ribs are over cooked....but most people always judge q they get at a bar-b-q joint as good if the ribs fall off the bone. so it all goes back to what you or the people your serving wants. hope this helps some

 

[div]

^^^ LoL ya my wife like olive garden for the chicken fett alfredo but when she gets the urge for it I just whip up a batch of it for about 6 bucks instead of spending 60$ lol


Some interesting answers so far, look fwd to reading some more opinions on this.

 

[tasunkawitko]

i prefer the slight-tug-dry style rib, but my wife likes falling off the bone sloppy. who's right? we both are (except of course being a woman, she is just a little more right than me, right?

anyway, engineer's post and daddio's post both sum up my feelings on the matter, so i thank them for writing those posts so i don't have to!

 

[rivet]

Well there ya go...all kinds of tastes for all kinds of folks. I prefer mine with a tug- fall off the bone is overcooked to me. Also prefer saucy over dry rub Memphis style.

Why? Dunno, because I want to like a dry memphis-rib~maybe I've never had a good one, or a good memphis-style rub.

I suppose that's why there are so many restaurants out there....so many different tastes.

 

[tasunkawitko]

rivet - that comment got me thinking....if you get the chance, slip me an email before you leave work tomorow....i might have something for you and if it works, you might have found your good memphis rib!

 

[desertlites]

to each there own-I like a slight tug but have had some great fall off the bone with Great flavor.don't comp with the pro's but who I cook for likes the in-between-slight tug and good pull back.don't think I have heard a negitive bout my ribs.sept from myself.

 

[pignit]

I shoot for a rib that when you pull the meat with your teeth, it comes cleanly off the bone. I have also found that to get to that exact spot is something you have to learn on your cooker with your rub and your sauce and your smoke at your temp. Ten or 15 degrees can make the difference in smoking 5 hours or 6 hours. I use three different smokers and they all have a different method. Once you find that spot... and you take notes and you do it again... you'll get the same results. I'm also finding the more I smoke ribs the more I look for perfection according to me. I'm almost there...... but I have to say... fallin off the bone or not... dang they are shweeeeet! You'll have to excuse me now... I have to go buy some ribs.

 

[beer-b-q]

I think it is kinda like the government. The minority gets its way and the majority sucks hind tit.

However if you run a restaurant, I believe the 90% would be who I tried to please. Unless you were wanting to change vocations.

 

[smokeys my pet]

Thats just a standard for the KCBS judges to go by. I also love the fall off the bone!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[smokin' dick]

I think it is kinda like the government. The minority gets its way and the majority sucks hind tit.

Ribs are kinda like music. Just because it's popular, doesn't mean it's any good.

Up here in the Northeast we have a very successful smoking team which augments its income by giving cooking classes. They also do judging classes.
They set the standards which they have perfected, and get the judges to go along. So fall off the bone will not do well in the comps. In a restaurant, yes.
If you want to compete, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

[chisoxjim]

brilliant post, I couldnt have said it better myself.

I prefer my ribs with no sauce(i want to taste the meat and the rub), and with a tug(still tender, but in that fine line before fallin off the bone). maybe some sauce on the side for dipping though..

 

[bigsteve]

The way I have it figured, if you show up at a modern art show, with impressionist paintings, you ain't going to do well. That doesn't mean your art is bad.

If you present falling off the bone ribs to judges that expect them differently, you won't do well. That doesn't make the ribs bad.

Fall off the bones ribbers unite!

 

[fourthwind]

This is one of the things that has to get chalked up to "opinion" everyone has one. Most contests have a standard set by someone who liked enforcing theirs standards and it never got changed. This is true for everything including game calling contests where the sounds they make are nothing I would use in the field. With Ribs my family prefers the dry style. I use a version of the "pigs worst nightmare rub" on mine, and mop with apple juice. I dont do the long smoke method. I do a smoke / grill with lump coal and wood. It's just what my family and I like in a rib. tender, but not falling apart in your hands. I would like to see a contest done and have it sampled by a large groups of guys and gals that are not "trained" judges. Just what rib appealed to more of the folks on an average. Then let it loose to "trained" judges and compare. I am sure the results would be interesting. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[smokebuzz]

Well, I have won all types of comps, KCBS, Rib fests, Back yard/church/local cook offs. They are all differnt,and depends on the type of judges,KCBS gotta have a little tug and a balaced sauce, Rib fest types can have either fall off or slight tug with a very WOW sauce, and local B/Y it has to fall apart and have the most popular store bought sauce the area carries, such as open pit, KC master peice and so on.

And as far as what type I prefer, I say Yes, I like ribs