PatioDaddio
Babbling Farker
Competition BBQ, Pit Barrel-style!
The weekend before last I competed at the Northwest Ribfest across town
in Meridian, Idaho. I hadn't competed since 2010 because, quite frankly, it
had gotten to the point to where it was more drudgery than fun.
Fortunately for me, like riding a bike, you never forget how to compete
once you've done it a few times. This time out I had an interesting and
very welcome twist.
Back in March I reviewed the Pit Barrel Cooker (here and here). Well, the
founder and president of the company, Noah Glanville graciously offered to
bring a load of four barrels all the way from the Denver area and hang out
for the competition. I typically cook on my homemade Ugly Drum Smokers
(UDS's), but I was very eager to cook an entire competition on the Pit
Barrels. Noah had competed for the first time using his barrels just the
weekend prior. He did very well for a first-timer, including taking eight place
in pork among a very solid field of competitors. I was blown away,
especially when he told me that he had never cooked a pork butt on a PBC
before then.
Noah arrived Friday afternoon (after a 13-hour drive with only a short nap
along the way) and we set-up for the traditional cook's potluck. Noah
brought tri-tip and chicken and cooked it all in the Pit Barrels. The three
barrels cooked enough meat to serve about 80 people. The meat was
outstanding as always, so we had some seriously happy eaters.
I always enjoy changing things up a bit at each competition. I don't think
that I've ever cooked the same way twice, and this was certainly no
exception. I had cooked three of the four competition meats (chicken, pork
ribs, pulled pork, and brisket) on my barrel at home, but I had never done a
brisket. Brisket is widely considered the most difficult of the competition
meats to cook, so I was a bit concerned.
In addition to using new competition cookers, I decided that I was going to
stay true to the vertical cooking method of the PBC and hang all four
meats. As if there weren't enough variables, I also decided to cook Cornish
game hens (12 halves) for my chicken turn-in. Although I had cooked a
bunch of chicken on the barrel, I'd never cooked hens. All of this variation
caused me to pretty much throw my entire known timeline out the window.
Noah's experience the week before really helped provide some valuable
reference points as we guesstimated the new timeline. We were almost
literally making it up as we went along.
As for the cook, I was amazed at how smoothly it went given that I was
rusty. Things just fell into place and the timing was right on the money,
with the exception of starting the chicken a little late, which rushed the
first turn-in box prep.
I wish that we had taken a picture of the chicken box. I was able to fit
seven whole leg quarters in the box, and it really looked great. The flavor
and juiciness were outstanding, as Pit Barrel chicken always is.
The ribs were really good, and it showed in the scoring. I hung three racks
of St. Louis spareribs for two hours, wrapped them in foil for a little over an
hour, then glazed them on the grate that's included with the Pit Barrel. Like
the chicken, I wish that we had taken a picture of the finished box.
As for the pork, my family said it was some of the best that I've ever
cooked. That amazed me since it was only the second time that I'd cooked
a pork butt in the barrel. It was eight pounds raw and it took five hours to
cook, which included wrapping it in foil and finishing it on the grate. The
crust (bark) was outstanding and the texture was dead-on.
We hung the brisket (about 11 pounds trimmed) in the same barrel as the
pork and it was done in less than six hours (also wrapped and finished on
the grate). I was tending other things and forgot to check the temperature
as often as I should, so it overcooked by a few degrees. The color and
tenderness were great, the flavor was good, but it was a touch dry.
Noah and I sampled, analyzed and discussed each meat as I was cutting,
boxing and turning in. We were very pleased with the results and we
thought that we had a good shot at some calls to the stage during the
awards ceremony. My family was there sampling and offering moral support.
Our girls really dig hanging out at competitions and they are great
cheerleaders.
After the cook Noah cleaned and re-boxed the three cookers that we
used. He very graciously gave a cooker to each competitor that took first
in a category, and one to the overall grand champion. Cooks really love
extra spoils like that, and I thank Noah for offering them. He is a serious
class act, and I'm blessed to call him a friend.
In the end we took 10th in chicken, 7th in ribs, 10th in pork, and 14th in
brisket among a strong field of 25. It was a solid showing and I was very
happy with everything that I turned in. The Pit Barrel Cooker is no joke in
competition! I had a great time hanging out with Noah and I certainly
appreciated all of his help and company.
I still consider myself to be in Brett Favre-style retirement from
competition, but I really did enjoy seeing my friends and being in the
familiar competition environment. That's the part that I'll always love.
There are no people like barbecue people.
-----
John
The weekend before last I competed at the Northwest Ribfest across town
in Meridian, Idaho. I hadn't competed since 2010 because, quite frankly, it
had gotten to the point to where it was more drudgery than fun.
Fortunately for me, like riding a bike, you never forget how to compete
once you've done it a few times. This time out I had an interesting and
very welcome twist.
Photo courtesy of Noah Glanville, Pit Barrel Cooker Company
Back in March I reviewed the Pit Barrel Cooker (here and here). Well, the
founder and president of the company, Noah Glanville graciously offered to
bring a load of four barrels all the way from the Denver area and hang out
for the competition. I typically cook on my homemade Ugly Drum Smokers
(UDS's), but I was very eager to cook an entire competition on the Pit
Barrels. Noah had competed for the first time using his barrels just the
weekend prior. He did very well for a first-timer, including taking eight place
in pork among a very solid field of competitors. I was blown away,
especially when he told me that he had never cooked a pork butt on a PBC
before then.
Noah arrived Friday afternoon (after a 13-hour drive with only a short nap
along the way) and we set-up for the traditional cook's potluck. Noah
brought tri-tip and chicken and cooked it all in the Pit Barrels. The three
barrels cooked enough meat to serve about 80 people. The meat was
outstanding as always, so we had some seriously happy eaters.
I always enjoy changing things up a bit at each competition. I don't think
that I've ever cooked the same way twice, and this was certainly no
exception. I had cooked three of the four competition meats (chicken, pork
ribs, pulled pork, and brisket) on my barrel at home, but I had never done a
brisket. Brisket is widely considered the most difficult of the competition
meats to cook, so I was a bit concerned.
In addition to using new competition cookers, I decided that I was going to
stay true to the vertical cooking method of the PBC and hang all four
meats. As if there weren't enough variables, I also decided to cook Cornish
game hens (12 halves) for my chicken turn-in. Although I had cooked a
bunch of chicken on the barrel, I'd never cooked hens. All of this variation
caused me to pretty much throw my entire known timeline out the window.
Noah's experience the week before really helped provide some valuable
reference points as we guesstimated the new timeline. We were almost
literally making it up as we went along.
Photo courtesy of Noah Glanville, Pit Barrel Cooker Company
As for the cook, I was amazed at how smoothly it went given that I was
rusty. Things just fell into place and the timing was right on the money,
with the exception of starting the chicken a little late, which rushed the
first turn-in box prep.
I wish that we had taken a picture of the chicken box. I was able to fit
seven whole leg quarters in the box, and it really looked great. The flavor
and juiciness were outstanding, as Pit Barrel chicken always is.
The ribs were really good, and it showed in the scoring. I hung three racks
of St. Louis spareribs for two hours, wrapped them in foil for a little over an
hour, then glazed them on the grate that's included with the Pit Barrel. Like
the chicken, I wish that we had taken a picture of the finished box.
As for the pork, my family said it was some of the best that I've ever
cooked. That amazed me since it was only the second time that I'd cooked
a pork butt in the barrel. It was eight pounds raw and it took five hours to
cook, which included wrapping it in foil and finishing it on the grate. The
crust (bark) was outstanding and the texture was dead-on.
We hung the brisket (about 11 pounds trimmed) in the same barrel as the
pork and it was done in less than six hours (also wrapped and finished on
the grate). I was tending other things and forgot to check the temperature
as often as I should, so it overcooked by a few degrees. The color and
tenderness were great, the flavor was good, but it was a touch dry.
Noah and I sampled, analyzed and discussed each meat as I was cutting,
boxing and turning in. We were very pleased with the results and we
thought that we had a good shot at some calls to the stage during the
awards ceremony. My family was there sampling and offering moral support.
Our girls really dig hanging out at competitions and they are great
cheerleaders.
After the cook Noah cleaned and re-boxed the three cookers that we
used. He very graciously gave a cooker to each competitor that took first
in a category, and one to the overall grand champion. Cooks really love
extra spoils like that, and I thank Noah for offering them. He is a serious
class act, and I'm blessed to call him a friend.
In the end we took 10th in chicken, 7th in ribs, 10th in pork, and 14th in
brisket among a strong field of 25. It was a solid showing and I was very
happy with everything that I turned in. The Pit Barrel Cooker is no joke in
competition! I had a great time hanging out with Noah and I certainly
appreciated all of his help and company.
I still consider myself to be in Brett Favre-style retirement from
competition, but I really did enjoy seeing my friends and being in the
familiar competition environment. That's the part that I'll always love.
There are no people like barbecue people.
-----
John
