Lots to learn..

[Fishiest1]

So I bought my very first smoker two full months ago and after having that much experience I decided to enter a pro div comp (ribs on the ridge). Since that wasn't a big enough task for a 2 month vet like myself I also decided to do some vending at the event as well (I'm just stupid like that).

Anyway, wow what a weekend and a grind but am very much looking forward to learning how to do this right in time.

And now for the good/bad and ugly.

Good: Got in the top half in the pro div in Chicken and Pork and got over 180 in each. To be honest I didn't even like the pork nor did my teammates compared to what I have practiced cooked and thought it was dry so I think if it turns out like usual we might do well in it someday.

Bad: I stink at Brisket so bad that I was actually happy with our brisket prior to turn in cause it was tender and juicy and thought it was going to be the best scored of everything yet it got a 162! It was exactly the 3rd brisket I ever cooked though and to be honest we didnt even know how to box it or make the right cuts on the damn thing! :)

Ugly: I had to mix and match our ribs!! :) I usually get my ribs at sams or costco but my buddy had a "rib hook up". The ribs came to us frozen solid in a cardboard box with paper seperating them. I'm not sure what was the deal with them but I did my normal procedure with them and they would not cut well at all. The meat would tear so after going through 4 racks of competition ribs we only had 4 ribs for the box and needed four more. We then took some ribs that we were going to vend with that were basically just cooked on the smoker but never foiled or anything and had to use them. It was literally a crap shoot in that box for the judges cause we would have a 9 or 9.5 from one judge and a 6.5 from another that obviously got a vending rib that didnt even have the membrane torn off it! So I guess the lesson there is to never change meats just for a "good deal"!! I was wondering though if them being frozen was the reason they were harder to make a clean cut with or what..

Also have a ton of respect for you guys that make it look so damn easy! There is truly an art to this BBQ Comp stuff!

[CBQ]

Yea, it's not as easy as it looks. The little details make a difference. Welcome to the club of pro devision cookers. Hope you had fun doing it!

[Fatback Joe]

So when is the next comp? :becky:

[Fishiest1]

So when is the next comp? :becky:

Within the next month for sure! Gluttons for punishment, I reckon.

[Red Valley BBQ]

that obviously got a vending rib that didnt even have the membrane torn off it!

:shocked:

[landarc]

How do you know, maybe the vending ribs got the 9's and the comp ribs got the 6's :becky:

Sounds like you did good. It has not been my impression that it ever looked easy.

[Rub]

There is truly an art to this BBQ Comp stuff!
Glad to hear you had a good time! It gets easier with time.
Will you be at Punta Gorda?

[Fishiest1]

How do you know, maybe the vending ribs got the 9's and the comp ribs got the 6's :becky:

Sounds like you did good. It has not been my impression that it ever looked easy.


I meant no disrespect about it looking easy, trust me. Tons of respect for yall that do this cause there is a lot more to it than most will ever realize.

Rub, we hope to do it. I am flying to England that Saturday night so it will be another crazy weekend if we do it but at least I won't be vending!!! :)

[landarc]

No disrespect taken:-D, I am not a comp 'quer like these guys. But, when I watch them, it sure does not look easy to me.

[Lake Dogs]

> ... vending at the event as well (I'm just stupid like that).
> Anyway, wow what a weekend and a grind but am very much looking forward to learning how to do this right in time.

Actually, the best way to learn, competitions anyway, is to get in and
try a few. We could all tell you this and that, but honestly you wouldn't
truly understand it unless you had one or two behind you to appreciate
and fully understand what's being told. So, congrats! And, welcome.
It can be rather addicting.

As to the good, bad, and ugly, more than anything else there's practice,
practice, practice. Practice with turn-in times. What works without a
schedule may not work at all with one. In your practice you'll learn tons
of stuff, like dont change meat suppliers once you find what works for
you. Read the sanctioning bodies definitions and rules and get comfortable
with them. If you have time, take a judging class and judge a few
competitions too. The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"
cannot be more true in this case. I could not have imagined how
wonderful BBQ coming across the table could be if I hadn't judged
first. Funny, a full 1/2 of the attendees at my class were competitors
who had no desire to judge but wanted to understand why with all
their best efforts they only managed to get just above the middle of
the pack.

Know that it's a journey, not a destination. I'm sure even Myron learns
something new most every day. I know I sure do. If when watching
some really great teams it seems easy, it's easy only to them, because
they have it down pat and many have done this many hundreds of
times. Think of it as if you were watching a professional dancer. They
do it because it's part of who they are; they love it. They know that on
any given day they can be the winner or they could be
middle of the pack, or worse.

[wormdrink67]

This will be a great story once you get a few comps under your belt. I've done quite a few, and though I want to vend, it stills scares the sh@t out of me. That took courage though. Congrats.

[Smokin' Hicks]

My first and only comp we did some vending stopped half way through Saturday then that night with our brisket and pork on it poured dropped to 38 degrees and we had one tent no side walls and each had a thin jacket I thought it was over for us didn't think we were gonna see the sun come up it got so cold lol but we learned and we are doing are next comp March 11th in K.C. much better prepared and much the wiser