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BBQ Champs Academy

I'll have to agree with being able to re-watch the videos as needed. I took a class in person about 4 years ago and to this day I wish I could see a couple things done again. It's one thing to have something described to you but to see it close up is great.


I think BBQ classes are a little different for everyone, for some - especially beginners it becomes their bible on how they do everything, for experienced cooks it can be a new twist on something they already do or a recipe they never imagined would/could work. Quite often people will combine what they learned to what they already know and do.. which is probably the best takeaway IMO.
 
Rescuesmokers said:
Benefits Both Ways without a doubt. I personally teach two live classes per year. I can see the argument as to which is best either way. I agree with being able to taste and feel proper tenderness at a live class is great, but going to a class can easily cost two to three times what the online classes costs. With class entry, travel (airline or fuel costs), meals, two nights in a motel can run that cost way up. I have had folks come to middle Georgia from California, Canada, New York, and so on...with their round trip airline cost, rental car, and two nights motel the cost was easily in the $2000 range.
I think the Tell All video classes have added benefits also with being able to watch the processes over and over as much as you want. It's very hard for students at live classes to take the notes they need while at the same time watching everything that's going on. Then every time you can't remember something you have to contact the pitmaster that did the class. It can easily take a couple of days to get that detail communicated, that's where I see online classes having a huge advantage. With the high deff 4K video used in the BBQ Champs Academy classes, you can literally see the desired tenderness of the products. Taste, well that's a different story for sure. If you use exactly what the pitmaster does in the videos you will get that taste in the end to know what he or she desired.
I addition one of the great things about BBQ Champs Academy videos is that Mike Steele, the founder of BBQ Champs is right there asking those questions for you. Is it exact, probably not but in advance each of us made up a long list of questions that are asked in live classes and Mike does a great job of asking those at the right times.
Thank you for your thoughts and have a great night.
Kind regards,
Robby
Rescue Smokers
Click to expand...

Maybe offer 50% discount on video if you attend the live class....best of both worlds.
 
Interesting idea. Bit pricey though for an online class.
Although to be able to access the info at home is nice. Plus no travel expenses. Plus no dragging my wife with me to help get notes. She would be happy.
If anyone tries these classes out let us know what you think.

I wish some classes would have either copies of notes already printed out to go along with it or a book or a website you get access too.
 
BBQ Champs Reviews Information

Rusty Kettle said:
Interesting idea. Bit pricey though for an online class.
Although to be able to access the info at home is nice. Plus no travel expenses. Plus no dragging my wife with me to help get notes. She would be happy.
If anyone tries these classes out let us know what you think.

I wish some classes would have either copies of notes already printed out to go along with it or a book or a website you get access too.
Click to expand...

I agree Rusty Kettle, I have attached a link below to the BBQ Champs Academy Facebook Reviews page that you referenced above. I do have digital handout available with recipes, cooking processes, and many, many turn in box pics.
Truly appreciate your input!
Robby
Rescue Smokers

https://www.facebook.com/pg/bbqchampsacademy/reviews/?ref=page_internal
 
JS-TX said:
I'll have to agree with being able to re-watch the videos as needed. I took a class in person about 4 years ago and to this day I wish I could see a couple things done again. It's one thing to have something described to you but to see it close up is great.


I think BBQ classes are a little different for everyone, for some - especially beginners it becomes their bible on how they do everything, for experienced cooks it can be a new twist on something they already do or a recipe they never imagined would/could work. Quite often people will combine what they learned to what they already know and do.. which is probably the best takeaway IMO.
Click to expand...

This is actually what I am hoping to accomplish in that I take what I already know, and has gotten the occasional call, and add to it. There is something that I am missing and I am hopeful that the videos could provide me with what I am missing.
The biggest issue in my opinion that I am having is achieving the correct tenderness. When I nail the tenderness I have gotten a call. The problem is that hitting the correct tenderness seems to be hit or miss with the majority of the time being a miss.
 
eap0510 said:
This is actually what I am hoping to accomplish in that I take what I already know, and has gotten the occasional call, and add to it. There is something that I am missing and I am hopeful that the videos could provide me with what I am missing.
The biggest issue in my opinion that I am having is achieving the correct tenderness. When I nail the tenderness I have gotten a call. The problem is that hitting the correct tenderness seems to be hit or miss with the majority of the time being a miss.
Click to expand...


I know what you mean.. for me to nail my tenderness, I have to be really consistent in maintaining certain temps and timing. One of these is missing you can end up being too under or over.. fortunately here is TX where IBCA is most dominant it's better to be a little over than under. Judges use a plastic fork and knife to sample. I've found myself adding time to my timelines this past year.. it hasn't hurt me any :wink:
 
eap0510 said:
This is actually what I am hoping to accomplish in that I take what I already know, and has gotten the occasional call, and add to it. There is something that I am missing and I am hopeful that the videos could provide me with what I am missing.
The biggest issue in my opinion that I am having is achieving the correct tenderness. When I nail the tenderness I have gotten a call. The problem is that hitting the correct tenderness seems to be hit or miss with the majority of the time being a miss.
Click to expand...
You aren't going to learn to achieve the correct tenderness watching an online video. But you can get that by going to one of the classes offered from some of the top cooks in the country and actually feeling it with your own hands and tasting it.
 
tduffy said:
You aren't going to learn to achieve the correct tenderness watching an online video. But you can get that by going to one of the classes offered from some of the top cooks in the country and actually feeling it with your own hands and tasting it.
Click to expand...

The videos I would think would put you at least in the ball park and few a tweaks I would think that eventually I could nail it or get closer. Plus I do have an advantage in that I live in Ga. and have competed again Robby. Maybe just maybe he would be nice enough to help me out in person as well.:biggrin1:
 
eap0510 said:
The videos I would think would put you at least in the ball park and few a tweaks I would think that eventually I could nail it or get closer. Plus I do have an advantage in that I live in Ga. and have competed again Robby. Maybe just maybe he would be nice enough to help me out in person as well.:biggrin1:
Click to expand...

I can’t speak on behalf of Robby’s videos, but my videos go into a great detail about proper tenderness of each cut and I took steps to try and show you visually what to expect. I’ve been to a handful of in person classes and I can tell you that what you get at an in person class where there cooking for 35-40 people to have a bite doesn’t always give you the best representation of what the cook is going after.
 
eap0510 said:
The videos I would think would put you at least in the ball park and few a tweaks I would think that eventually I could nail it or get closer. Plus I do have an advantage in that I live in Ga. and have competed again Robby. Maybe just maybe he would be nice enough to help me out in person as well.:biggrin1:
Click to expand...
Malcom Reed's free videos will get you in the ballpark too. If I'm paying $600 I'm not doing it to get "in the ballpark" of tenderness. I'm looking to learn to nail it perfectly. Every time.
 
Last edited:
tduffy said:
Malcom Reed's free videos will get you in the ballpark too.
Click to expand...

Use the free videos then spend the $700 on meat. I am using California prices, which I know are much higher than Georgia, but you could practice cook with the following meats for $700:

6 briskets (6 x $60) - Costco Prime (you could swap to 2 Wagyus but I wouldn't for practice)
12 racks of ribs (12 x $10)
10 butts (10 x $15)
35 thighs (35 x $2)

If you cook all of that meat you will understand far more about your own process than you can get from a video. I wouldn't shoot for perfect in your early practice cooks. Push the envelope on cook time (overcook the meat then start to dial back until you get perfect tenderness). The bonus is you will have a year's worth of dinner when you are done.
 
I think you can definitely learn tenderness basics and the process top pitmasters use to get that tenderness from a class or video, but from my limited experience in competition BBQ it seems like actually nailing tenderness comes from just doing it over and over and over again until you get it right and continue to get it right. There's a reason why the top guys are the top guys, and that's because they compete week in and week out. No class, whether it's a video or in-person can replicate that tenderness consistency that comes from competing 20 - 50 times a year.

I was actually ready to throw in the towel on comp BBQ, but a good friend's wife bought him a comp class for Christmas and my wife decided to get me out of the house for a weekend and bought the class for me too. We partnered up after the class in March and we've done four comps since then. We've walked seven times in those four comps with 2 top 5's overall (all IBCA).

So just from my experience with a class, I would say that a class can definitely give you the knowledge and principles needed to do well. It's up to each individual, though, to apply that knowledge on actual cooks. It takes a lot of work to convert that knowledge to actual cooks and some people just won't be willing to do the work. Before taking any class, you need to commit that you will be willing to put in the work to master the principles you learn from the class. That was actually my biggest take away from the class - I was not working nearly hard enough to be successful. In fact, it kind of blew my mind how much work is actually required to be successful in competition BBQ.


Sorry for the rambling post.
 
midwest_kc said:
I'm curious about the steak classes. I have struggled in the 2 SCA comps that I've done, but I've got 1 or 2 more this year, and plan to do more next year. I enjoy them, but am really struggling. Being that there's no SCA classes in this area yet, I'm wondering if this would get me headed in the right direction.
Click to expand...

Hey! This is Shawna Roppolo - I have one of the steak videos for sale on BBQ Champs Academy. I am very active in SCA and have cooked the circuit since 2015. If you are struggling my videos would be an awesome boost and help with your cooking. If you purchase the all-access which includes pork chops, you will have access to a private facebook page which allows you to talk to me directly and ask questions and bounce ideas. Let me know if you have any questions!
 
sroppolo said:
Hey! This is Shawna Roppolo - I have one of the steak videos for sale on BBQ Champs Academy. I am very active in SCA and have cooked the circuit since 2015. If you are struggling my videos would be an awesome boost and help with your cooking. If you purchase the all-access which includes pork chops, you will have access to a private facebook page which allows you to talk to me directly and ask questions and bounce ideas. Let me know if you have any questions!
Click to expand...

Or you could be a brethren like so many of us and send him a PM to help?....or you could use our site for "your" self promotion?:caked:
 
Burnt at Both Endz said:
Or you could be a brethren like so many of us and send him a PM to help?....or you could use our site for "your" self promotion?:caked:
Click to expand...

I have no dog in the hunt, but Isn’t this thread asking about the video series? It seems an appropriate place to promote them.
 
Burnt at Both Endz said:
Or you could be a brethren like so many of us and send him a PM to help?....or you could use our site for "your" self promotion?:caked:
Click to expand...

I see lots of teams promoting their classes on here. Why is this one any different?

Someone comes on asking questions about a specific class, and not one but three of the teams featured in said class comes on to answer questions directly. That seems pretty cool to me.
 
Bbq champs academy

I purchased Corey Mikes tell all class back in June. I’ve competed in 3 competition since then with a total bring home of $1900. With my last bring home a grand championship. My only wish is that BBQ CHAMPS ACADEMY would have been available last year when I first started competing.
 
bigD1968 said:
I purchased Corey Mikes tell all class back in June. I’ve competed in 3 competition since then with a total bring home of $1900. With my last bring home a grand championship. My only wish is that BBQ CHAMPS ACADEMY would have been available last year when I first started competing.
Click to expand...

What is the team name you compete under?
 
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