Competitions in NC.....

Gary,
Missed you all in Jackson last weekend..
I spent last year on the coast in NC. near the outer banks. the state on NC definately likes vinegar sauce. It is extremely heavy on the vinegar almost to the point of being just vinegar, pepper, and water... I personally did not like it that way but that is the way they seem to like their sauce there.. hope this helps brother

As a CBJ who has judged lots of comps in NC, I can tell you that vinegar is NOT what the judges are looking for. A hint is acceptable, but if you try using what is normally found at Q-joints in eastern NC (vinegar with red pepper flakes and a wee bit of sugar) you won't walk. As in MOST comps that I've judged (NC, SC, VA, GA, & AZ), thin sauce slightly sweet on pork seems to be what walks most.

Just saying...

Just keep it pretty much neutral...sweet and tangy is the sway to go...I wouldnt try a traditional NC vinegar sauce (unless u wanna give away the contest :doh...u cant go wrong with 50/50 blues hog regular/blues hog tennessee red as a base and add to it to make it how u like it....

bbq.tom said:

As a CBJ who has judged lots of comps in NC, I can tell you that vinegar is NOT what the judges are looking for. A hint is acceptable, but if you try using what is normally found at Q-joints in eastern NC (vinegar with red pepper flakes and a wee bit of sugar) you won't walk. As in MOST comps that I've judged (NC, SC, VA, GA, & AZ), thin sauce slightly sweet on pork seems to be what walks most.

Just saying...

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How do you know which boxes judged get walks?

smalls65 said:

Just keep it pretty much neutral...sweet and tangy is the sway to go...I wouldnt try a traditional NC vinegar sauce (unless u wanna give away the contest :doh...u cant go wrong with 50/50 blues hog regular/blues hog tennessee red as a base and add to it to make it how u like it....

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Hey, good to know, I may have to try that!!:grin:

Tarheel said:

Hey, good to know, I may have to try that!!:grin:

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lol lol!!!!!!! lol :thumb:

Y'all DO NOT tell Gary about Blues Hog!!! I'll have to compete against him, possibly this fall sometime, and I'd rather him not know about such things...

Gary, it's a secret. And, it sucks. Yeah, that's it, it sucks. It's TERRIBLE. Doesn't even taste like BBQ sauce at all.


Tom did pretty much hit what I've seen walk here in GA, SC, and my little experience in NC. It's pretty much the same as here, Gary. Dude, you can cook. You know better than to over-think this!!!

Rick Hamilton said:

How do you know which boxes judged get walks?

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Multiple sanctioning bodies. Some have on-site, like MIM and MBN. Also, if you're a finals judge in something like GBA you'll know (after awards); if you're a judge watching over their shoulders you'll know too. Even in other contests, if you hang with teams that win consistently you'll find out. Of course, it requires that you hang around for awards (most judges dont).....

LOL. I'm surprised no one has recommended mustard sauce to you.......yet.

holysmokes said:

Well if others are using this Blues Hog I had better join in so I can blend it with the pack:wink: Thanks for all of the good info. Gary

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From someone who's liable to be a competitor of yours down the road, let me take this opportunity to recommend slathering your meat in the thickest, nastiest globby excuse of a sauce possible.

That aside, there are probably only 2 or 3 of us in this region using Blues Hog. The only time I've seen it as a judge was in Tennille last year. They'd take BH Original and cut it about 50/50 with honey for a rib sauce.

BH Original is candy sweet but is really a great starter for a rib sauce. Some might use it straight up, but I'd suggest to you as a judge that it's probably too thick and too sweet for this region. Mix it, thin it, it's GOOD.

BH Tenn Red is IMHO about the best vinegar red sauce I've ever had. It, to me personally, is the ONLY sauce I'll use straight up when I'm eating BBQ. Nice balance of heat and vinegar. I mix it in with my/on my pork sauce and I found out by accident that it mixes in nicely with the sauce that I use sparingly on brisket.

Some Piggly Wiggly's in our area carry them, in small jar.

Best of luck.

By the way, your brisket entry at Tennille last year has been the best brisket entry I've seen in any contest, sanctioned or otherwise, in probably 5 years. AWESOME!!!

Market Hunter said:

LOL. I'm surprised no one has recommended mustard sauce to you.......yet.

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I'm hoping that this comment was meant in jest!!! That yellow/brown stuff that they use in South Carolina is NOT welcome up here in North Carolina for use at competitions!!! While I've had mustard sauce on pork a time or three in SC restaurants, I've NEVER experienced it on competition meat.

Just saying...

bbq.tom said:

I'm hoping that this comment was meant in jest!!! That yellow/brown stuff that they use in South Carolina is NOT welcome up here in North Carolina for use at competitions!!!

Just saying...

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I disagree. It is welcome at ALL contests that I am cooking in here in NC. Don't let one judge tell you what to do. Hopefully, 40 of the teams use it at King's Mountain this weekend.

Go ahead...slather it up good. Heard it goes well with chicken in comps too.




(Yes, to clarify the original comment, Yes, I jest.)

Absolutely not!!! Although vinegar based sauce is a Carolina style, competition judges come from all over and most are smart enough to judge to standards and guidelines, not to their own preferences. Regionalism in competition barbeque is relatively insignificant (KCBS).