dmprantz
is Blowin Smoke!
I'm planning to do a backyard competition attached to a pro MBN event in a few weeks, and I was hoping to get some thoughts. I've never really done an MBN Backyard, so there are some differences from KCBS, one of them being that there is no garnish allowed. Of course, last time I did a backyard they started out saying KCBS garnish rules and then changed them the day of, so we'll see. I can probably cook my way through the categories, but as has been discussed many times around here, and I had to "teach" some one at the last backyard comp I did, it's not about cooking the best food, it's about cooking the food that the judges expect and will score well, so keeping that in mind.....
For ribs, I was planning on doing my standard competition ribs, but since it's no garnish, making sure that I fill the container. Do MBN teams usually do single bone or double bone when turning in blind box? Double bone may help fill it out, as would putting in 7,8, or more individual servings.
For chicken, I was once again planning on doing my standard fair, thighs, but I was also planning on putting in some legs for "garnish" to help fill out the box. I figure this will help it look better filled out, I buy quarters anyway, and as has been said on TV before, some judges like food they can hold on to. The only downside I can see is that I probably won't get six of each in the box, so if all six want legs, they may be SOL, but I think it's worth it for a full box. Any other thoughts or suggestions, remembering this is no-garnish MBN?
And finally, there is the beef category. This is a real "beef" category, not brisket, so the field is wide open. I could do brisket like I do for KCBS, but I could also do pulled beef chuck, or sliced beef loin (a la money muscle) or tri-tip, or whatever. On the one hand, I'd hate to turn in anything besides brisket if that's what the judges expect, but on the other hand, if they are open, I want the best BBQ beef product out there, and I think that's not brisket. Any one have any thoughts or advice on what to do for a beef category in a backyard comp attached to MBN? I suppose I could try to contact the organizer to try to find out from where he's getting his backyard judges, but I've worked with this organizer before and the honest truth is that he sucks at this. His eMail replies take a while to come, when they do they are short, cryptic and barely answer the question, and in my experience, the things he tells me are usually just not true (See garnish situation above). I'd rather not depend on him, and get other brethren to help.
So, lemme know please. Any other thoughts on this comp, I'd appreciate it. It's hard to really plan out because they don't have turn in times, and that changes the beef I cook, but again, this organizer sucks. Last time I didn't get turn in times until a few days before the event, and several teams never got them.
dmp
For ribs, I was planning on doing my standard competition ribs, but since it's no garnish, making sure that I fill the container. Do MBN teams usually do single bone or double bone when turning in blind box? Double bone may help fill it out, as would putting in 7,8, or more individual servings.
For chicken, I was once again planning on doing my standard fair, thighs, but I was also planning on putting in some legs for "garnish" to help fill out the box. I figure this will help it look better filled out, I buy quarters anyway, and as has been said on TV before, some judges like food they can hold on to. The only downside I can see is that I probably won't get six of each in the box, so if all six want legs, they may be SOL, but I think it's worth it for a full box. Any other thoughts or suggestions, remembering this is no-garnish MBN?
And finally, there is the beef category. This is a real "beef" category, not brisket, so the field is wide open. I could do brisket like I do for KCBS, but I could also do pulled beef chuck, or sliced beef loin (a la money muscle) or tri-tip, or whatever. On the one hand, I'd hate to turn in anything besides brisket if that's what the judges expect, but on the other hand, if they are open, I want the best BBQ beef product out there, and I think that's not brisket. Any one have any thoughts or advice on what to do for a beef category in a backyard comp attached to MBN? I suppose I could try to contact the organizer to try to find out from where he's getting his backyard judges, but I've worked with this organizer before and the honest truth is that he sucks at this. His eMail replies take a while to come, when they do they are short, cryptic and barely answer the question, and in my experience, the things he tells me are usually just not true (See garnish situation above). I'd rather not depend on him, and get other brethren to help.
So, lemme know please. Any other thoughts on this comp, I'd appreciate it. It's hard to really plan out because they don't have turn in times, and that changes the beef I cook, but again, this organizer sucks. Last time I didn't get turn in times until a few days before the event, and several teams never got them.
dmp