1st Judging experience

[BBQ_Mayor]

Hi all - I wanted to inform you of my first judging experience. This was at Mason City today.
I wanted to know what the judges see when teams turn in boxes. Boy there were a lot of different boxes.
First was anything butt. we got beans and a dilled fish of some sorts. Both were pretty good.
Chicken - I was amazed at the amount of fruity sauces we had on all the chicken entries. Had one chicken that was breaded?
Ribs - all were good. of coarse some were better than others. Had a mix of loin backs and spares.
pork - a lot of sauce was used on the pulled pork. I mean one I couldn't see a piece of pulled the sauce was so heavy. Most of them had slices.
Brisket - not as many boxes with burnt ends as I would expect. some over done, one cut with the grain, but all in all they all had good flavor.

I'd say this opened my eyes to what is sent to the judges and kind of what the judges look for. I but the people at my table were getting tired of me asking questions about how they would like to see and entry and what would make in great.

If you haven't judged a contest, I would recommend it.

[Bentley]

Yeah Ray, I think anyone who cooks in competition should become a CBJ or MIM or FBA or whatever your affliation is based! It tends to give you a little insite, but we still seem to suck, so I am not sure how it helped us!

Do like to try and judge 1 or 2 each year. Haven't been able to do any this year!

[peculiarmike]

It's SO easy to blame not so good cooking on bad judging.
Everyone who competes should judge.
It's hard to play the game if you don't know the rules.

[KC_Bobby]

I'm taking the class in 2 weeks and I hope to judge somewhere before my next comp.

[Rookie'48]

Oh, yeah, my brothers; it sure is a different view being in the judges' tent than it is from under the EZ-up. Admittedly, I've only judged two comps & only helped at three comps as unskilled labor, but it's a whole 'nuther world.
At the Ducks contest, we had a judge who was going for his "Master" certification on the team for the whole cook. He saw, took part in, and busted his butt for the whole process, beginning to end. This judge has about 27 or 28 comps judged under his belt so far, so he's not a newbee. He got to see the finished boxes just as they were closed up for turn-in. He tasted each & every meat as it was sent to the turn-in table. He stayed for the awards & got to see the sheet with all of the stats. He could not figure out how two judges can give 8s &9s and another judge can give 5s & 6s at the same table for the same meat.
He had a whole 'nuther view at the Ducks contest.
Dave

[ericoask]

Was there too with the spicewine. I guess it would be illigal to swing by if your a judge though?

[BBQ_Mayor]

Had a master judge in my group. She was quick with her judgments but I feel they were fairly accurate. I think I was pretty much in the same league as she was and this was my first comp.


Oh, yeah, my brothers; it sure is a different view being in the judges' tent than it is from under the EZ-up. Admittedly, I've only judged two comps & only helped at three comps as unskilled labor, but it's a whole 'nuther world.
At the Ducks contest, we had a judge who was going for his "Master" certification on the team for the whole cook. He saw, took part in, and busted his butt for the whole process, beginning to end. This judge has about 27 or 28 comps judged under his belt so far, so he's not a newbee. He got to see the finished boxes just as they were closed up for turn-in. He tasted each & every meat as it was sent to the turn-in table. He stayed for the awards & got to see the sheet with all of the stats. He could not figure out how two judges can give 8s &9s and another judge can give 5s & 6s at the same table for the same meat.
He had a whole 'nuther view at the Ducks contest.
Dave

[Mo-Dave]

Had one chicken that was breaded?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That sounds nasty, did it do any good and did it have sauce on it?
Dave

[BBQ_Mayor]

Had one chicken that was breaded?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That sounds nasty, did it do any good and did it have sauce on it?
Dave


It didn't score very well. Presentation was sloppy and the taste just wasnt' there. No sauce that I can remember.