[chad]

I judged the Chillin' & Grillin' cookoff in downtown Wauchula, FL, this past saturday. Good event - I think it was 32 or 33 teams (first year event) and they shut down Main Street and all the competitors and vendors were set up in the street.

Woodhouse Grill to Grand Champion and HomeBBQ.com took Reserve. I love both these teams but damn I wish I could figure out what they do. Woodhouse has dominated since last August and HomeBBQ.com is the FL team of the year the last two years! Good folks all.

The meat at my table was mediocre to good. One chicken entry was real nasty, and none of the other meats were "10" by any stretch. Now, that's just at our table. There were a lot of brand new teams and it showed.

One poor team turned in brisket for the pork entry -- can you say "zero" all the way across. Another pork entry at another table was undercooked - again, straight "zero" for that entry.

The ribs we got were edible but some just barely - LOTS of sauce so I don't know if that's the trend of just an anomoly here at a new event with new teams.

I'm going over to Winter Haven next weekend for another inaugural event. I'm hoping to judge but if not I'll hang and smooze for a few hours. I'm looking at a potential cooker and Bill and the Dixie Chicks use it - I missed seeing it this weekend but did have an adult beverage or two with them and some other teams Saturday evening.

Lot's of fun - heck a bad day at a cookoff is better than a good day at work! :D