So, why is it that.....

jbrink01

jbrink01

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even though i cook constantly for our catering business, I get all geeked out about contests? I sat down to trim meat tonight excited about our first 2011 contest this coming weekend? Full range of emotions from "why do I bother" to "what the heck, I stand a chance" (albeit a small one). BTW - I hate chicken!!
 
Thats because its like Christmas morning everytime we go to a contest. You work and slave all week, take a few vacation days, and battle fatigue and beer farts, for that glimmer of hope. That one moment when they announce 3rd...Pause...2nd...Gasp, self doubt sets in...1st HOLY CRAP!!! There is that childhood wonder, that hope, that Santa left us a bright new shiny trophy up on that stage, and he just delivered. Dunno bout ya'll, but thats why I do it :)

and by the way...Poultry is the devil!

Neil Gallagher
Too Sauced To Pork BBQ
 
TooSaucedToPork said:
Thats because its like Christmas morning everytime we go to a contest. You work and slave all week, take a few vacation days, and battle fatigue and beer farts, for that glimmer of hope. That one moment when they announce 3rd...Pause...2nd...Gasp, self doubt sets in...1st HOLY CRAP!!! There is that childhood wonder, that hope, that Santa left us a bright new shiny trophy up on that stage, and he just delivered. Dunno bout ya'll, but thats why I do it :)

and by the way...Poultry is the devil!

Neil Gallagher
Too Sauced To Pork BBQ
Click to expand...

That is a great description!!!
 
I just know that I am in my first Pro division cookoff this weekend. We are in there against the likes of Lotta Bull, Quau, Smokin Triggers, and more! If I can hear our name called for anything just once among these guys I will be ecstatic!

If we win I will need to be hospitalized.
 
My first comp is this weekend and all I can say is that I haven't been this nervous about anything in a long time. I have alot of indecision going into this. The only thing i was worried about cooking was trying to cook a great piece of 'competition' chicken until I practiced a pork butt yesterday to get things 'dialed-in' and... well, the meat itself was fine, but it seems my rub devoloped a burnt flavor for the first time and i can't figure it out. I went out and bought turbinado sugar today and now I'm trying to work out my recipe with this instead of dark brown sugar. It could have been an isolated incident, but I'm bound and determined to make things harder on myself than they need to be... oh, and 3 people that were going with me as of last week had something else come up this weekend so i may be flying solo at my first comp.:pray:
 
Been there, done that. Now I pretty much stick to judging and cooking for myself, friends, and caters. Contests are great if you take them for what they are (3 days to goof off and enjoy fellow Q'ers).

Unless you think you REALLY plan on winning the Royal or MIM, just relax and enjoy 3 days of friends, food and beer.
 
TooSaucedToPork said:
Thats because its like Christmas morning everytime we go to a contest. You work and slave all week, take a few vacation days, and battle fatigue and beer farts, for that glimmer of hope. That one moment when they announce 3rd...Pause...2nd...Gasp, self doubt sets in...1st HOLY CRAP!!! There is that childhood wonder, that hope, that Santa left us a bright new shiny trophy up on that stage, and he just delivered. Dunno bout ya'll, but thats why I do it :)

and by the way...Poultry is the devil!

Neil Gallagher
Too Sauced To Pork BBQ
Click to expand...

I read the opening, and thought to myself "it's the closest thing to being a kid on Christmas morning as we get at this age", and darned if you hadn't said it. Well done, and yeah, Chicken at competitions are EVIL.

Oh, please please PLEASE dont read too much in to your scores. If you're in the top 1/3rd you did great, regarless of placement, and dont change a thing. Middle third, you did very good (remember, everyone is trying to bring their A game), and you may want to review those things that might've brought a score or two down. Last 3rd try to look category by category and see where you made mistakes. More than anything, dont take one or two judges scores and read too much in to them. Judges and judging can be a painful subject.

And, if you compete enough, there truly is the Christmas morning factor. A few back we really nailed chicken, and I mean just heaven on earth, and the ribs were so-so at best. I actually expected a walk in chicken, didn't happen. Ribs I figured for bottom 3rd (we had a bad day, everything went wrong), and yet we walked with a 2nd place. I guess everyone else had a bad rib day too... :) It was like a Christmas surprise!
 
^^^what he said...

we have found that, if we think we did good, that means you didnt...if you think its farked, then you will probably get a walk...maybe we're onto something here, mess up on purpose and get a walk!!!!! :crazy:
 
If you already hate chicken, it means you are ready for the pro division :) We do pretty good at chicken, but nobody likes doing it.
 
I would agree with you. Here are my standard swings

Sunday before contest - giddy cannot wait to take on the world

Wednesday and Thursday before - I am all "why the (insert dirty word here) am I doing this" when I am getting everything together

First arrive at the competition - giddy and ready to go.

Friday night doing the parcely box - This sucks, this is stupid

Saturday monring checking pellets and big meat - I think fishing would be a better hobby

Saturday during turn ins - man I think we have a chance

after turn ins - This sucks, we should just go home, no way we get a call

Saturday at awards no call - I know what I can do next time, Who was judge (insert number here), he doesn't know real BBQ, are you kidding me I hate this contest!

Saturday at awards with a call - On top of the world

Saturday driving home - when is the next one

Sunday doing the cleaning - man this sucks.

Brian thinks I need bipolar medicine - I think he is going to slip it into my drinks.
 
That excitement is precisely why we keep coming back to do it again and again and again. And that two and a half or three hours of crunch time on Saturday morning, when you have to be completely focused and in the moment because every minute a new task is hurtling at you, is one of the best brain drains there is. You can't be on your usual mental hamsterwheel when you're doing turn-ins and still perform effectively (at least we can't).

Add in to that all the friends that we see only at contests, and who wouldn't be excited?!
 
I'm young to the game, so I stay excited between one comp to the next...I stay "geeked-up" even when I'm at home practicing for contests ...my Ole' lady hates me when it's comp/practice time because she say's I'm too focused and I become a pain in the A@#!! (My only teammate feels that way about me too...thank God he's my best friend or I would have to cook solo!! lol) :p The way I see it is....I get to go get away from the office for 3 days and do something that I LOVE TO DO...and compete against some of the best walking the face of the earth when it comes to BBQ'n (and actually be competitive and win awards!!) :clap2:....how could you not get excited?!?!? At least that's the way I look at it!!

p.s. maybe I'm a little crazy..because I'm starting to love cookin chicken!! :crazy:
 
paydabill said:
I would agree with you. Here are my standard swings

Sunday before contest - giddy cannot wait to take on the world

Wednesday and Thursday before - I am all "why the (insert dirty word here) am I doing this" when I am getting everything together

First arrive at the competition - giddy and ready to go.

Friday night doing the parcely box - This sucks, this is stupid

Saturday monring checking pellets and big meat - I think fishing would be a better hobby

Saturday during turn ins - man I think we have a chance

after turn ins - This sucks, we should just go home, no way we get a call

Saturday at awards no call - I know what I can do next time, Who was judge (insert number here), he doesn't know real BBQ, are you kidding me I hate this contest!

Saturday at awards with a call - On top of the world

Saturday driving home - when is the next one

Sunday doing the cleaning - man this sucks.

Brian thinks I need bipolar medicine - I think he is going to slip it into my drinks.
Click to expand...
does brian need an refill on the med i gave him :doh::tape::icon_shy:thumb:
 
You would think after 5 years I'd not be excited. Not so......I wonder if Trigg feels this way every week?
 
It's funny after a couple of years of do'in turnins I'm thinkin I'm on auto mode (ya know calm & cool). The wife say's I think you outta make a drink & calm down befor you screw something up! Probably the shakes from Friday:shocked:

Naturally I'm a good husband and take her advice!!
 
Our first two years I got so knotted up with nerves I could barely function. Stressing over perfect putting greens, timing, etc.

Last year, I quit altogether doing putting greens, and just keep a basic schedule of what needs to be done/checked, and when.

Odd that folks say chicken is the devil...My wife finally noticed that, if I struggle with chicken, I'm kind of off schedule for the rest of the categories, but if chicken is done on time, and looks ok, the rest seems to be a breeze. Our scores seemed to get better when I started going with her on the "shot fairy" rounds. Main reason likely being I was more relaxed and having fun, instead of stressing.

jrbBBQ, I would recommend, if you haven't already decided to, that you take photos of each and every box. It's amazing sometimes when you look at them later that the box you thought looked great was actually a hot mess! Also, be sure to take notes on any tweaks done to your rubs, injections, etc. so that you can repeat if they do well

Your first comp, if you finish and turn in all categories on time, and get no DQ's, you should consider it a success:thumb:

Key is to have fun. Hope it goes well for you! Good luck
 
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