bbq at outdoor events

Let me start my statement by saying I AK no caterer and don't plan to be, nor have I ever cooked for a group of 20 to 30 people and i am sure that it is a lot more difficult. But the last 2 weekends I have found myself at outdoor function, the 1st being a local carnival and the second being a tractor pull, and both events had bbq vendors. The folks at the carnival were charging 4.50 a sandwichand there Que tasted as if it had been frozen for a while and reheated which as you can guess was not a pleasant taste. The second event the vendor was charging 4.00 per sandwich and it tasted like a wad of tissue covered in hot pork fat. Now as I said in the beginning of my post I don't do this for living but I really think I would feel guilty for charging money for the swill that they were serving. There really should be some type of police force to prevent people from doing this to people. I don't guess there is really a point this post other than to rant about it a little.

I understand exactly what you mean about having to pre-cook for these types of events but, the freezer taste was not a weeks worth of freezer it was more like a years worth of freezer taste. And the second event where the BBQ tasted like a wadded up napkin covered in grease, well there is just no explanation for that nasty foolishness at all as far as I'm concerned. I know that am no judge, caterer or anything else of that nature. But, what I do know is that I am a fat man who loves BBQ and I have good and bad both at these types of events. All I was saying I don't understand how anyone with a conscious could serve that and charge what they charge and not think that their doing wrong. My other problem with it is that when someone does that at one of these types of events it makes some folks that are from parts of the world that BBQ is not as popular as it is in the state which I live (NC) think that all BBQ taste like that. I hope this post does not come off as combative because that is not how I mean for it to be but I can't seem to re-write to sound ay better to me.

It can be really bad at times. I've come across the same several times. I saw a post on here not long ago, Am I a bbq snob... I think I'm not.... but several friends of mine compete, (mine is not that quality by no means yet) but I know good Q from bad and some of these vendors just don't seem to care about their product. Most people don't know the difference. But those that do, walk away shaking their heads...wondering What The .. did I just eat.. :doh: Most I've gotten at outdoor events hits the trash pretty quick!

Not Just Vendors...

There is plenty of lousy BBQ to go around. Take Mickey D's "Pork Rib" Sandwich for example. Not to mention the BBQ restaurants that have no fire or smoke of any kind. As for BBQ teams; just beause they can do 4 meats for judging, does not mean they can cook for the general public. Too much lousy food, period.

I can't see how trying to sell PP sandwich @ $6-8 and making it taste good, without cooking it any other way but low and slow, would taste good.

McRibs.... is that even real rib without the bone?

Learnin Querve said:

Did you take the sandwich(s) back after you tasted them? Did you ask for your money back?

I'm not doubting that it was lousy, but some people are under the impression that they cook up pretty good food when they could screw up a slice of toast. On the downside, there will always be vendors that whatever gets served is good enough.

Also, keep in mind that taste is very subjective. Some people think that a fine Italian meal comes from Olive Garden.

And I love McRib's...

Chris

Click to expand...

Hey its OK that you like McRibs as you are right, taste is subjective. However, the fact that a McRib sandwich which is flaked and formed pork that is warmed and covered with sauce is objectively not BBQ, much less good BBQ. Yet many will think of it as BBQ.