Anything Butt ideas

there was a post i started a few weeks ago about this issue.... I think the rules vary. It doesn't have to be meat. Some people do dessert. The people that I've seen as judges for this are not the KCBS or MBN judges but people from the community and event organizers... gives them something to do I guess.... yes they supply the box.

I've done NY Strip Steak the past few times but I'm thinking about getting away from meat and trying desserts or something with bacon.

The best one i've ever seen/tasted was deer sliders. little deer sandwhiches with cheese and peppers. it was amazing. the guy got 1st and we got 2nd to him...

We've done a few things, and so far no success. We did shrimp tacos one time, a corn salad with a crab cake once, and a fried grit cake with shrimp and a sarachi cream sauce. The shrimp and grits got 3rd I think, and the other two did pretty bad. We usually don't take it to seriously and just try to turn in something we'd like to eat for dinner on Friday night.

That's the key... Cook something you wouldn't mind eating for Friday dinner

I got 2nd place last year with my Peach Bourbon Baked Beans.
Haven't done an anything but since.

Anything But rules are entirely up to the organizer. At most KCBS contests, those entries will be judged by the same judges that score the main categories. That saves the organizer the problem of rounding up enough extra judges to rate just that category.

A good set of reps will also help the organizer with the rules to keep the category fair for the partipipants and manageable for the judges.

What may be submitted is up to the organizer. If it's wide open, Anything But becomes a de facto Dessert category. After already going through several categories of meat, most judges are naturally going to be ready to try something that isn't meat. This is a case where prime rib would likely rate far behind cheesecake, pie, banana pudding, etc.

Presentation rules are also up to the organizer. Some insist the entries must fit within a standard 9x9 clamshell and that box must be closed. Other organizers will have an anything goes philosophy and entries may be submitted in anything from a clamshell to a silver platter.

Before you commit to participating in the Anything But, make sure the organizer is absolutely clear about all that category's rules. If he or she is hazy or tells you those details will be determined later, I would take that uncertainty as a clear signal to skip it.

Hope this helps.

If they allow Dessert, no matter what, cook dessert. I would wager for any Anything Butt category that allows dessert, 8 of the top 10 will be desserts if not all of them.

That being said - a lot of great choices but you really need to know who your audience is. If the locals are not used to upscale cooking, you could have the best food in the world but it becomes lost. One team I know served a rack of lamb they cooked whole, then served as chops. When the judges looked at it they refused to eat something cooked to a medium / medium rare as it was raw, not knowing you can't cook lamb to done without ruining it. Likewise, if its a beer and wings crowd, cook to a beer and wings crowd.

We have done well with blackened salmon or catfish.

Shrimp, lobster. I shy away from steak as some judges may not appreciate rare beef. Just takes one.

Need to be careful with shellfish or other allergens (like peanuts), the organizer then needs to find out who's alergic and what tables not to send those things to.

we (my wife) turned in mac and cheese twice.
we won 1st twice :becky:

I swear it's the plowboy's yardbird dusting on top that makes it special, not trying to plug Todd's stuff, but it's awesome product.

Careful with shellfish (coming with someone with an allergy). Just competed last weekend and they specifically outlawed shellfish, as well as steak. We did Beef Tenderloin took 4th with all 9's and one 8 (177.7). Simple rub and herbs on the outside, cooked to med rare, and turned in. It was refreshing to have a "pure" piece of meat after all of the sanctioned categories. It was KCBS and I think it was only meet but could not be a category meat.