I sure wish comment cards were given to me

Fat Freddy

Fat Freddy

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I competed in the Whiting,IA contest July 3-4 and I have given a few days before saying anything. I have been trying to figure this out and cant. As a judge I am not slamming judges especially new ones because as far as I know it may have been more experienced judges that got me and the good teams were as consistent as ever. Big Tz won GC.

Saying all of that here are my chicken appearance scores 9,9,9,8,6,6 and my chicken taste scores 9,8,9,9,6,5. I have been working very hard on my chicken and to see this wide variance bothers me. If I would have gotten a comment card or 2, I may not have agreed with but at least I would have known someones thinking. I also understand taste is subjective but really shouldnt the appearance scores be more similar?

To be honest my pork scores were all over the place as well, however it was just one judge that got me on pork, and if I understand correctly that score was thrown out so I actually got my first KCBS walk in Pork.

My ribs and brisket scores were disappointing but deserved so I dont question any of those scores but I just cant wrap my brain around my chicken scores especially chicken. I dont know if we are way off or on the right path.

There have been a few other teams I have talked with that are also saying the scores were all over the place and they wish there was comments but like I said the top teams were still the top teams so there had to be consistency somewhere and these cooks just know what they are doing way better than I do.

Again I am not throwing any judges under the bus, I just wanted it out there that I really wish I would have gotten comment cards so as a new team I would know kinda what I did wrong.
 
My last chicken Appearance scores, 9 9 9 7 7 6 umm ok, i just have another drink and try again.
Its chicken in a box, dont over-think it, try it again before deciding what to do..
 
Couldn't agree more. Brisket last weekend had 5 judges with all 9s and 8s, judge 6 gave it 555, no comment card.
 
It's my policy as a judge that if I give a "5" I will always give a comment card. It may not be too informative but it will explain why I rated it the way I did. On the other end of the spectrum, if I give three 9's I also write a card..you've earned it!
 
something was off in your box? got a picture of the box?

same with the taste. Something was out of balance.
 
QorDie said:
Couldn't agree more. Brisket last weekend had 5 judges with all 9s and 8s, judge 6 gave it 555, no comment card.
Click to expand...

I think they should require judges that give a 5 or less to fill out a comment card. My only worry with this idea is that lazy judges might give 6's just so they don't have to.
 
DawgPhan said:
something was off in your box? got a picture of the box?

same with the taste. Something was out of balance.
Click to expand...

No pic of box because my photo taker forgot.:rolleyes: But I agree something could have been off however if something was off why did I get 3 9s and an 8?

On taste I know it is subjective so I will take it as best as I can.

But your question hits the nail on the head Was there something off in the box to those 2 judges? A comment card would have explained it.

Just to be clear i am not complaining about the judging I just feel this would be a ideal time for comment cards to have been used especially for a new team. I may have had 4 new judges and 2 master judges for all I know and it was the master judges that found issue or maybe it was new judges scoring all over the place. I have no idea I just wish there was comment cards with the wide variance of scores. My ribs and brisket were a disaster and the scores were all over as well but were at least more consistent ribs 999,865,877,787,866,888
 
We got the same thing 2 weeks ago. All 9's and 8's then a 6, 5. Another box got all 9's and 8's then a 6, 6.

If one judge dings you, it's no big deal because they throw it out. But when you get two low scores you're farked.

So frustrating.
 
Welcome to competition BBQ!!
You may have had a judge who always scores low like that, you may also had a couple judges who always score high.
Don't try to figure it out, just cook your best and hope for the table full of like minded judges.
We're out there.
Ed
 
I've only got one comment card, and I was very grateful to get it. I wished they still did it.
 
You don't say if it is full thighs or a cupcake version. I do a cupcake "style" and regularly get 8 and 9's for all thee categories. So when I get that judge that give's me three 6's I know it is a judge who doesn't like that style and does grade down. I know it is not me, it is them.

I'm also a CBJ with 15 contests judge. Early on while still trying to learn what winning Q taste like and what was winning and other more experienced judges thought I learned this. A few judges most decidedly do not like that style. Doesn't matter the taste looks or texture, it is not real chicken pieces to them and they do score low.

My hope is to not hit that table, knowing if I do my other 5 scores better be good, and I'm dead if I hit a table with two bad judges like that
 
You always have more of a chance with ribs and chicken to have that one off piece. We had the same thing happen on ribs last weekend. I did however recieve 2 comment cards. One said our ribs were over done, the other said they were under done. Not much help there. So much for comment cards.
 
Smokey Bones said:
I do a cupcake "style"...regularly So when I get that judge that give's me three 6's I know it is a judge who doesn't like that style and does grade down.

A few judges most decidedly do not like that style.
Click to expand...

Judges don't have, nor get that "right"...

I post this question in a serious manner and this is most certainly not tongue n cheek..

As a Proud MCBJ and and even more so as someone who has been competing 10 years...

How do we correct this and educate this type judge so they are productive and unbiased?
 
I received a comment card at my last comp. It said they had trouble getting the sauce out of their mustache.
 
First I agree with you Big T's is cheating some how. But so far I have not been able to catch him. I can say I have learned a lot spying on him. :)

You are right sometimes it is a judge but it happens both ways. I have recieved better scores than I deserved. Its not just BBQ ...its scoring and opinions.

What you see from the winners is that they are turning in almost perfect food every time. To use your example of Big T's ... the guy won three contests in a row ... against good competition. He is not giving the judges any reason to score down. Where you had 4 judges that over looked that black speck on the third piece of chicken ... the other 2 did not. (an example not saying you had a black speck on your chicken) Remove the little imperfections and you will start winning more consistantly.

I have never recieved a usefull comment card.
 
It is frustrating when scores vary so much. From what I've experienced, I'd say that local judges who ONLY judge that one, single competition each year - even if they have judged it 15 years in a row - well, they simply don't have the exposure that more experienced judges do. I have seen this happening a lot at competitions where they use 'local' 'celebrity' judges instead of (in addition to) 100% KCBS CBJs. Not that KCBS CBJs necessarily avoid that variance, but it is less likely to happen, from what I've seen.
Receiving a comment card, no matter what it says, is definitely better than no feedback at all.
 
They should all be mandatory 5-9 cooks spend too much time and money not to get feedback. IMHO
 
also dont always assume that the high scores are "right" and it was the low judges that got it "wrong"..you might have gotten 2 gift 9's or hammered on 2 6's.

I am guessing that on taste it was either too salty, spicy, or sweet or something like that..you get a judge that loves heat and you get a 9 from him and 6's from the tender mouth judge....in that example you can't assume those 9's weren't actually gifts.
 
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