Wood only comps

M

mking7

Knows what a fatty is.
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Messages
187
Reaction score
83
Points
0
Location
West, TX
Well, it's winter, we need something to argue about to keep us occupied....

I honestly don't compete that much (4 or 5 a year) but I cook a ton. I was reading an old thread about whether gas or electric cookers should be allowed in competition. It got me to thinking, if I was starting a sanctioning body I might make it stick burners only.....and no gurus or other thermostatic devices and no pellets. Not sure where I would draw the line but I have always thought that a decent part of being a good bbq cook is being able to build and tend a good fire for even heat and smoke density (defined as good by the cook).

To me, all these devices and cookers that don't just burn wood are making it easier. I'm all for it at home but if I was going to build a true competition I think I'd make you tend a fire. Not sure where I fall on charcoal (currently use it to start my fire/build a coal bed) but I'd be fine if it wasn't even allowed for that.

Keep it friendly, share your opinions. :)
 
A stickburner only comp is different than a wood-only comp. KCBS comps are wood only. No gas, no electric. Charcoal is wood, pellets are wood.
 
Ron_L said:
A stickburner only comp is different than a wood-only comp. KCBS comps are wood only. No gas, no electric. Charcoal is wood, pellets are wood.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I meant stick only. :)
 
Being able to tend a fire doesn't mean that you can cook good que. The good cook is the one who has mastered his tools of choice to turn out the best product he can.
 
Sawdustguy said:
Being able to tend a fire doesn't mean that you can cook good que. The good cook is the one who has mastered his tools of choice to turn out the best product he can.
Click to expand...

How true. However, I suppose the reverse could be said. Being able to cook good que doesn't necessarily mean you can tend a good fire. I think the question the OP is asking is should both be required? If this is the question there will probably be as many opinions as there are.... well you know.:becky:
 
Sorry just seen your answer above. Thanks for playing.
 
Last edited:
kihrer said:
How true. However, I suppose the reverse could be said. Being able to cook good que doesn't necessarily mean you can tend a good fire. I think the question the OP is asking is should both be required? If this is the question there will probably be as many opinions as there are.... well you know.:becky:
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the question to debate. Again, I could totally see myself adding guru to my BGE or even getting a pellet cooker at some point. I'm not saying they're not bbq or anything like that.....I just think having to tend a fire adds a layer to it. I mean that's pretty obvious, right? Pellet cookers and gurus are marketed as making it easier. Of course you have to know how to prepare and cook your meats. Just thinking that throwing in tending the fire makes it more difficult.

Maybe I'm just bitter because I cook by myself and if I had a team I'd be a happier person. :)
 
mking7 said:
Maybe I'm just bitter because I cook by myself and if I had a team I'd be a happier person. :)
Click to expand...

Ah, West, TX. Birthplace of Willie Nelson. You must not be using the same stuff he smokes with or you would be a happier person:becky: Seriously, as a hypothetical, I think it is fun to discuss this issue but I doubt the rules regarding this will ever change nor do I think they should.

Obviously you could have chosen pretty much any pit you wanted based on the fact you own a J-3. For me, the fire management hits something deep inside me on a level that is hard to explain. It's a big part of why I love to que. I can remember the excitement of cooking stuff over fire and coals since my dad first took me on a camp out when was 6 years old. For others, maybe the heat source is only a means to an end.

I like the stick burners and I probably always will. Now if I were doing this as a business then that might be a different story. For me it is all about the fun and the fire tending is part of that fun.
 
If you eliminate gurus, pellets, and charcoal, you should also eliminate insulated smokers, any smoker with thicker than 1/8" steel, lights, ez-ups, chairs, beverages, and anything else that makes for a convenience. Oh, and all of the cooks that use the items just mentioned.
 
kihrer said:
Ah, West, TX. Birthplace of Willie Nelson. You must not be using the same stuff he smokes with or you would be a happier person:becky: Seriously, as a hypothetical, I think it is fun to discuss this issue but I doubt the rules regarding this will ever change nor do I think they should.

Obviously you could have chosen pretty much any pit you wanted based on the fact you own a J-3. For me, the fire management hits something deep inside me on a level that is hard to explain. It's a big part of why I love to que. I can remember the excitement of cooking stuff over fire and coals since my dad first took me on a camp out when was 6 years old. For others, maybe the heat source is only a means to an end.

I like the stick burners and I probably always will. Now if I were doing this as a business then that might be a different story. For me it is all about the fun and the fire tending is part of that fun.
Click to expand...

Willie was actually born in Abbott about 6 miles up the road but you are darn close.

I think you summed up my thoughts on it. Believe me it won't shock me if I have an FEC some day. I'd love to set the temp and get some sleep. Just thought it would be a good conversation.

But I'm partial to stick burning for sure. I also heat my home with a wood stove. Maybe I'll start a thread on my wood stove forum similar to this one discussing the merits of pellet stoves vs. wood stoves. :)
 
I've seen Que joints on food channel , and travel channel , that cooked on open firepits with wood only. Virtually everything on the pit.I think it might be interesting to see A COMP per yr. that was stick-only. Jeannie's posts are frequently cooks over an open fire. We all know she turns out some incredible cooks !!!:becky::clap2:
 
Last edited:
maxwell7 said:
I've seen Que joints on food channel , and travel channel , that cooked on open firepits with wood only. Virtually everything on the pit.I think it might be interesting to see A COMP per yr. that was stick-only. Jeannie's posts are frequently cooks over an open fire. We all know she turns out some incredible cooks !!!:becky::clap2:
Click to expand...


Like the episode of pitmasters where they gave them some cinder blocks and tin and said good luck. That would be fun.
 
mking7 said:
Yep, that's the question to debate. Again, I could totally see myself adding guru to my BGE or even getting a pellet cooker at some point. I'm not saying they're not bbq or anything like that.....I just think having to tend a fire adds a layer to it. I mean that's pretty obvious, right? Pellet cookers and gurus are marketed as making it easier. Of course you have to know how to prepare and cook your meats. Just thinking that throwing in tending the fire makes it more difficult.

Maybe I'm just bitter because I cook by myself and if I had a team I'd be a happier person. :)
Click to expand...

You know, it sounds like fun and I'd love to enter a contest like that. I use a homemade stickburner in KCBS comps right now, but I like that "Back to the basics, where it all began" kind of twist you're talking about.
 
Brew-B-Q said:
If you eliminate gurus, pellets, and charcoal, you should also eliminate insulated smokers, any smoker with thicker than 1/8" steel, lights, ez-ups, chairs, beverages, and anything else that makes for a convenience. Oh, and all of the cooks that use the items just mentioned.
Click to expand...

Oh no - Not the beer:mad2: That just makes it more challenging, not easier:becky:
 
Brew-B-Q said:
If you eliminate gurus, pellets, and charcoal, you should also eliminate insulated smokers, any smoker with thicker than 1/8" steel, lights, ez-ups, chairs, beverages, and anything else that makes for a convenience. Oh, and all of the cooks that use the items just mentioned.
Click to expand...

Maybe you're on to something. We should all line up on the plains and fashion weapons from stone and kill a buffalo, then we rub sticks together.....:-D

You'd have to draw the line somewhere and wherever you draw it you could argue that if you're going to do that you might as well do this too. Saying stick only is a fairly easy line to define so I chose that. I'd agree with non-insulated cookers (and I assume that includes insulated fireboxes and I have one of those...and love it).

I kinda like the idea above where once a year there's a comp where you either cook in open pits or at least you don't know how you're cooking till you get there. Problem with that is it would have be something very inexpensive. You can't provide BGE's for each team unless you're on tv. :)
 
Last edited:
mking7 said:
Maybe you're on to something. We should all line up the plains and fashion weapons from stone and kill a buffalo, then we rub sticks together.....:-D

You'd have to draw the line somewhere and wherever you draw it you could argue that if you're going to do that you might as well do this too. Saying stick only is a fairly easy line to define so I chose that. I'd agree with non-insulated cookers (and I assume that includes insulated fireboxes and I have one of those...and love it).

I kinda like the idea above where once a year there's a comp where you either cook in open pits or at least you don't know how you're cooking till you get there. Problem with that is it would have be something very inexpensive. You can't provide BGE's for each team unless you're on tv. :)
Click to expand...

The difficulty of burning sticks in a Jambo isn't rocket surgery.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Has the interest in BBQ contests dried up?
Replies
9
Views
394
BBQchef33
BBQchef33
cayenne
Treating/Preventing Rust on offset lower shelf for wood, etc.
Replies
15
Views
1K
cayenne
cayenne
J
New offset options - OC?
Replies
6
Views
649
bned
B
KC Smoke
KCBS Rules Interpretation
Replies
4
Views
363
fatguy
F
Headgear
I May Have Ruined Some Wood!
Replies
19
Views
1K
Headgear
Headgear
Back
Top