Everyone has told you the most important part - have fun! That's the whole goal, brother. Jason had an excellent suggestion as well, as far as building a schedule. My schedule, on an Excel spreadsheet, starts at 9 am on Friday and runs in quarter-hours through turn-in on Saturday. I started with turn-in time and work backwards, noting every possible task that needs to be done and assigning it to a time slot. If things get hectic, it can save your sanity. Have you done a full walk-through in your backyard? Might be running close on time, but before our first comp I set up in the back just like I would have at a comp, and cooked all four meats. If there was an item that I found I needed but had forgotten, I made note of it. If there were items that I had hauled out that I didn't use, I left them at home. For lights, we've found that one or two strings of Christmas lights, enough to go around the top of the tent at least 3/4 of the way, and one or two clamp-on lights to aim at the work area and the cooker(s) are all we need. And flashlights.
Talk to a lot of folks Friday night, and talk to the rep, too. At most comps these days the rep will ask at the cooks' meeting if there are any first-time teams there. Raise your hand - experienced teams will volunteer to "mentor" you for the weekend and help guide you through the process. And remember, time slows down in between turn-ins and the world disappears. Get someone to block visiting traffic to your "kitchen" during that time, so you can concentrate and you're not feeling like you have to be sociable during those particular times.
BRISKET INSURANCE - a competition trick
Don't worry about the brisket if your temp gets up. I've finally learned that a WSM can cook a 13-lb packer brisket in five hours running at full flat-out heat of 350 or so. Even when running a traditional overnight cook, 260 in the lid won't hurt you a'tall. I've tried all kinds of pan variations for brisket, but I still fall back to water in the pan for a slow cook, and an empty foil-covered pan for a fast cook.
Here's a trick for brisket turn-in, if you're so inclined: make up a mixture of low-sodium beef broth (preferably Swanson's from a box), about 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, defatted drippings from the foil the brisket was in, a little rub, a little of your sauce, a little brown sugar if you like, and tweak it to your taste. You want it thin. Heat it up. Now slice your brisket. While it's still in nicely lined up slices before you take it off the cutting board, glaze the top with a little sweet sauce. Now... VERY CAREFULLY, slide a very large spatula under the slices, still in their nice organized form, and lay the whole batch of the slices down gently into your 9x9 dish, adding or adjusting slices to fit the 9x9 dish like you would your box. Now pour that hot juice into the 9x9 dish, without getting any on top of the slices. Let your slices bathe up to their armpits for a few minutes in those lovely juices while you finish arranging your salad in the turn-in box. Then use your same big spatula, pick up ALL the slices at once again, hold them up and let them drain for a minute or so, and gently set them in the turn-in box. If it's anyways near dry, the meat will soak up enough juices to keep the slices nice and moist until they reach the judges' lips, as well as adding extra flavor. Dry brisket easily averted!
No, I've never won the brisket category doing this, but I have finished right up close to Buffalo, Twin Oaks, and the Head Country II boys with it. (Living in Oklahoma, I can't get around competing against some of the top "big boys" in the nation, darn it... no bottom feeding available around here.)
Just my 2-cents, for whatever that's worth these days. We'll be competing at Art of BBQ in Tulsa that weekend as well, so we'll with you in spirit!
Keri C, 4th year CBJ, 3rd year Chief Cook and Bottle Washer of Hot Wire BBQ
