W
wsm
Guest
For the open they gave the judges name tags with a blue ribbon that said "JUGDE"
They have their chit together!
They have their chit together!
wsm said:
Lets hope they spell check next year
If they spell it that way in Key Largo, I'm punching someone
I aint no jugde
Roflmao!
Ron_L said:
Holy chit Ron
Didnt see you on
LMAO
quick response mod
Just popped on! I've got a belly full of spare ribs, roasted redskins and fresh sweet corn. Topped it off with a couple of Hacker Pshorr Octoberfest! Thanks!
Back on topic mod...
No, WSM, I didn't judge at the Royal... Aside from the badge with the little ribbon, what did you think of the experience?
Back on topic mod...
No, WSM, I didn't judge at the Royal... Aside from the badge with the little ribbon, what did you think of the experience?
Yes, WSM, what did you think
I will judge my first comp next month, so I would like to know your experience
I will judge my first comp next month, so I would like to know your experience
W
wsm
Guest
Judging at the Royal (long)
I am a new judge – took the class spring ’05, judged about a dozen contests since then and "cooked" with the Mo-Kan Meatheads at Hermann.
As most you know, the Royal is divided into TWO contests – the Invitational, and the Open. To compete in the Invitational, (as I understand it) you have to earn your way in by winning a qualifying contest – to compete in the Open, you have to register and pay an entry fee. Thus, the Invitational is the Crème de la crème, and the Open is open to all comers. There were about 100 teams at the Invitational and about 500 at the Open.
The Royal is farken IMMENSE!! – I had wanted to say “Hi” to a lot of folks – only way I got to Jeff in KC’s site was by hitching a ride on a golf cart driven by a firefighter – that place is BIG!
As requested, I showed up at the judging area at 10:45 AM where they fiddlefarked around until 11:30 when they played the CD and administered the Superman Oath. Then we judged the Invitational.
Judging the Invitational provided me with the overall best food I have judged – it was all good. Usually when judging, you get a mixture of good and bad (but even bad BBQ is good) – here it was ALL GOOD. The judging conditions were pleasant and we want to judge the Royal Invitational again.
The next day we judged the Open. MONSTER BIG event – there were an obscene number of judging tables – and folks screaming into the PA trying to get six judges and a table captain at each table – then they screamed into the PA some more separating spouses and close friends. Finally, they got things going played the CD and did the oath.
The food was not very good – previously, we had judged a contest where it rained in the middle of the night, and the food was disappointing – but that was better than this. For the first time the Fragile Flower and I gave scores of 3 and 4. I had heard that some cook one contest a year – the Royal - and are really there to party and to be able to say “We cooked the Royal”. In addition there were constant disturbing announcements on the PA and crowded conditions. I don’t think we will judge the open again.
willkat98 said:
I am a new judge – took the class spring ’05, judged about a dozen contests since then and "cooked" with the Mo-Kan Meatheads at Hermann.
As most you know, the Royal is divided into TWO contests – the Invitational, and the Open. To compete in the Invitational, (as I understand it) you have to earn your way in by winning a qualifying contest – to compete in the Open, you have to register and pay an entry fee. Thus, the Invitational is the Crème de la crème, and the Open is open to all comers. There were about 100 teams at the Invitational and about 500 at the Open.
The Royal is farken IMMENSE!! – I had wanted to say “Hi” to a lot of folks – only way I got to Jeff in KC’s site was by hitching a ride on a golf cart driven by a firefighter – that place is BIG!
As requested, I showed up at the judging area at 10:45 AM where they fiddlefarked around until 11:30 when they played the CD and administered the Superman Oath. Then we judged the Invitational.
Judging the Invitational provided me with the overall best food I have judged – it was all good. Usually when judging, you get a mixture of good and bad (but even bad BBQ is good) – here it was ALL GOOD. The judging conditions were pleasant and we want to judge the Royal Invitational again.
The next day we judged the Open. MONSTER BIG event – there were an obscene number of judging tables – and folks screaming into the PA trying to get six judges and a table captain at each table – then they screamed into the PA some more separating spouses and close friends. Finally, they got things going played the CD and did the oath.
The food was not very good – previously, we had judged a contest where it rained in the middle of the night, and the food was disappointing – but that was better than this. For the first time the Fragile Flower and I gave scores of 3 and 4. I had heard that some cook one contest a year – the Royal - and are really there to party and to be able to say “We cooked the Royal”. In addition there were constant disturbing announcements on the PA and crowded conditions. I don’t think we will judge the open again.
Last edited by a moderator:
chad
somebody shut me the fark up.
Rich,
Thanks for the look behind the curtain! :razz:
I guess the Open showed the falicy of that train of thought!! :roll: I've had some monumentally bad que at contests I've judged. Not often, but frequently enough that I don't EVER expect to not be disappointed.
A lot of folks work hard to get there for either contest and they deserve good judging. The "once a year" and partiers deserve their time at the tables, too.
It's good to hear that you had a good time, too.
Thanks for the look behind the curtain! :razz:
I guess the Open showed the falicy of that train of thought!! :roll: I've had some monumentally bad que at contests I've judged. Not often, but frequently enough that I don't EVER expect to not be disappointed.
A lot of folks work hard to get there for either contest and they deserve good judging. The "once a year" and partiers deserve their time at the tables, too.
It's good to hear that you had a good time, too.
Solidkick
somebody shut me the fark up.
Good report Rich!
Thanks for the perspective!
Thanks for the perspective!
W
wsm
Guest
The sauce competition / Royal Invitational Contest
While judging the Invitational we were told that there would be Sauce Judging after the meat and we should tell our Table Captain if we wanted to stay. I didn't want to stay.
Later we were told that everyone was to stay and judge sauce. I didn't want to judge sauce - would you want your stuff judged by someone who didn't want to be judging?
IMHO sauce should not be judged alone, it is made to complement meat, sometimes a specific meat, and the flavor is tailored to be tasted with that meat, NOT off a little spoon. I like Tabasco, soy, worcestershire and sriracha chile sauce but I don't want to taste them alone.
While judging the Invitational we were told that there would be Sauce Judging after the meat and we should tell our Table Captain if we wanted to stay. I didn't want to stay.
Later we were told that everyone was to stay and judge sauce. I didn't want to judge sauce - would you want your stuff judged by someone who didn't want to be judging?
IMHO sauce should not be judged alone, it is made to complement meat, sometimes a specific meat, and the flavor is tailored to be tasted with that meat, NOT off a little spoon. I like Tabasco, soy, worcestershire and sriracha chile sauce but I don't want to taste them alone.
chad
somebody shut me the fark up.
I disagree - though I hate to judge sauce - it's gotta be judged stand alone to gather in the nuance of the ingredients! 
There's no meat worth eating that's "neutral" enough to allow a fair judging of the sauce.
Some folks like chicken, others don't, some like white meat, others prefer dark, some really don't like brisket, etc. There is no way under the tent that you could put the load on the sponsors to provide meat for the sauce contest and no way would the contestents agree - some sauces are better on beef, pork, chicken, etc.
Often you just have to suck it up and judge - I was talking with a judge yesterday that's allergic to nuts but still, if she must, judges desserts and spits out the nuts - now that's a courageous judge! :biggrin: She is also allergic to seafood and so must sit out "anything but" competitions!
If you can't deal with the parameters of judging the event you just don't participate - or you get on the board and push for changes. Trying to get things stirred up in a forum like this is counter-productive - heck, we still fight the garnish/no garnish wars! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: One battle at a time, PLEASE!
There's no meat worth eating that's "neutral" enough to allow a fair judging of the sauce.Some folks like chicken, others don't, some like white meat, others prefer dark, some really don't like brisket, etc. There is no way under the tent that you could put the load on the sponsors to provide meat for the sauce contest and no way would the contestents agree - some sauces are better on beef, pork, chicken, etc.
Often you just have to suck it up and judge - I was talking with a judge yesterday that's allergic to nuts but still, if she must, judges desserts and spits out the nuts - now that's a courageous judge! :biggrin: She is also allergic to seafood and so must sit out "anything but" competitions!
If you can't deal with the parameters of judging the event you just don't participate - or you get on the board and push for changes.
Trying to get things stirred up in a forum like this is counter-productive - heck, we still fight the garnish/no garnish wars! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: One battle at a time, PLEASE!
Agree, kind of. I only have to suck up if i have to judge liver and onions...But I will do it. Holding my nose, but I will do it.
When signing up to judge.. we signed up... TO JUDGE. We all know what we will be judging when we sign up and we owe it to the guys outside the judging tent who have been up all night to make us the best stuff they can. It not fair to them to say.. sorry, changed my mind... not in the mood for sauce, or had ribs on wednesday dont want any today....we dont have to like the stuff, we have to judge based on a set of certain parameters and those paprameters may not be the way we like to prepare the food for ourselves or the family.
whoa..... Just becase a sauce is made for chicken or pork or beef, or ALL, does not mean it should not be able to satnd on its own merit. Waht your saying is a sauce should not tast good unless its on some meat. well.. My kid eats dreamland sauce with a spoon, no meat... its THAT GOOD by itself.
What happens if you get a ssauce sample with a specific spice you hate. Nutmeg? Cloves? Chinese five spice? parsley? or worse, What if the rub on the meat has Nutmeg, and the sauce DOES NOT. You are no longer judging the sauce. Is it fair to burn the guy because u dont like nutmeg? and its not even in the sauce? I say no.
Experienced chefs know how to balance flavors, where no one flavor over powers another and all the ingriedents compliment each other. The type of flavor may not please everone, but i think as a judge I CAN say,the flavors are well balanced, meld nicley with one another, dont/wont overpower. We should be able to judge based on balance and nuance of the sauce itself.
So, IMO, sauce SHOULD be judged on a spoon, and standing by itself. NOT on a hunk of meat loaded with rub and smoke or other variables that can influence the flavors. Rubs on the meats can and will change the flavor of the sauce as would the meat itself. If I am expected to judge sauce.. I want to judge the sauce, not sauce AND rub AND brisket.
I think it should be voluntary.
I signed up to judge BBQ.
If I have to judge dessert in Largo, and someone enters something with cream cheese, I'll need the decoder ring to figure out what number equals vomit
I signed up to judge BBQ.
If I have to judge dessert in Largo, and someone enters something with cream cheese, I'll need the decoder ring to figure out what number equals vomit
I will concede that MAYBE the dessert part can be voluntary, but Sauce, Sausage, porkchop, steaks, etc... are all part of BBQ. IMO, Sauce is the most obvious fifth catagory that should be expected to be there.
Bigdog
somebody shut me the fark up.
That would be the the ole double O, for double up and go oo....willkat98 said:
BBQchef33 said:
On this note, I think the reason these items are not sanctioned, is because they are kinda all over the place in terms of trying to classify them.
You cannot apply the same type of taste/tenderness thing to any of these added categories.
Brisket should taste like brisket, etc, but what should sausage taste like? Coarse ground or fine ground? Way to many ways to skin a cat with these, including sauce.
These items are part of Grilling, not Barbecue!
Just my opin, but I'll see how it goes once I actually sit at the judging table.
And if I get any of that Alabama mayo based white sauce, its coming over to your table Phil,,, airborne express
W
wsm
Guest
Judging Sauce
Just to be sure folks understand, i didn't want to judge sauce and I could have left - but instead I judged the sauce. Only then did I think about why I didn't want to do it.
Just to be sure folks understand, i didn't want to judge sauce and I could have left - but instead I judged the sauce. Only then did I think about why I didn't want to do it.
R
rbinms33
Guest
willkat98 said:
At that contest I did back in September, for the sauces, sides and desserts, we judged each based on appearance, taste and instead of tenderness, we ranked each item from what we thought was best (nine), second best (eight), and so on.
R
racer_81
Guest
brdbbq said:
So do I. But then, I like rice and Spam too.
A sauce's flavor should be able to stand on it's own AND enhance the overall flavor when applied to food.
