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Favorite PP sauce for competition?

R

Rocco05

Guest
:heh: After pulling my pork shoulders, I'm going to use a sweet and spicy mustard sauce in the next competition. Many folks, up north here, have never had a mustard sauce on smoked pork. I think it's a match made in Heaven. Don't get me wrong, I like tomatoe based sauces too, but most people put mustard on a hotdog right? LOL.
 
Thanks for the encouraging words everyone. The contest is August 27th in Hammondsport,NY. It's sponsored by the Fire Dept. and is their 1st annual contest. There were a few open spots left last week.
 
Ron_L said:
That statement should tell you something.



remember, you're not judging. What you like has nothing to do with what will score well.
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While that can be true, some teams say you should give the judges what they're used to in their region, I compete for the fun of it and I'm not afraid to take a few risks. I usually score pretty well. I like to introduce new or bold flavors in a contest.
 
i put IMHO one of the best mustard style sauces out there on my first KCBS comp pork. landed in the 20's. switched sauce only to a red and placed 4th and 5th since.

just sayin'.

psssst. i think the other guys were pulling your chain above. :wink:
 
boogiesnap said:
i put IMHO one of the best mustard style sauces out there on my first KCBS comp pork. landed in the 20's. switched sauce only to a red and placed 4th and 5th since.

just sayin'.

psssst. i think the other guys were pulling your chain above. :wink:
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I appreciate the sound advise. Maybe I should stick with what folks are used to here- red sauce. I'll introduce mustard sauce to family and friends.
 
Lots of marriages go bad, regardless of where they were made.

Since this will be a contest likely to be judged by locals with very little exposure to competition cooking, I wouldn't present them with anything that challenges their preconceived notions of what great Q should look and taste like.

Pioneers are usually discovered with arrows still sticking out of their sun-bleached bones.

Good luck and have fun!
 
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Pork has been my most consistent winner at competitions. I have - by far - more ribbons and trophies for that than anything else. NONE of them came with a mustard sauce. Eventhough a good, tangy, S. Carolina mustard sauce is my personal favorite, it throws the judges off and makes them stop and think about the entry. Some judges like that; most judges don't seem to though.

Since no one I know invests hundreds of dollars (at a minimum) in a comp to lose, I have to assume that you care at least a little bit about grabbing some good scores.

It just won't happen with a mustard sauce. Probably. Maybe.

But hey... give it a try. Maybe it's just my mustard sauce the judges hate. :wink:
 
I just cooked PP for a Church fund raiser here in Vermont. I made red sauce with highly tweeked Sweet Baby Ray's, a great mustard sauce as well as an Eastern North Carolina vinegar sauce.

I made a point of asking several people which sauce was their favorite. One lady's answer pretty well summed it up. "I liked the barbecue sauce much better than mustard. "
 
I'd advise against your sweet and spicy mustard sauce for a competiton. Stay towards the middle of the road on your sauce with a KC style sweet. I think it will fare much better.

Then again, you won't know how your sauce stands up in competition unless you give it a try. Good luck with whatever path you choose.
 
I wish you well with that, but honestly there's a reason that down here in mustard sauce territory you'll almost never see a mustard sauce come across the table. The reason is that the sauce makes such a strong impression, people either HATE it or LOVE it. Too much polarization of judges. Play to the center my friend.

By the way, I'd never have a party and not have 2 (yes, minimum of 2) different mustard sauces. Some family and friends love it. Save it for the at home use.
 
Rocco05 said:
I appreciate the sound advise. Maybe I should stick with what folks are used to here- red sauce. I'll introduce mustard sauce to family and friends.
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just did that this weekend with family and friends.

I let them know in advance not to expect the ketchup-based Q they were accustomed to, that this was a regional experience.

I used a classic vinegar-based sauce and tweak it with mustard to give it a gin of eastern SC.

My neighbor brought some awesome slaw from a local eatery, and I think they really appreciated some quality food that wasn't the normal fare.

(thanks to the brethren for the recipe ideas)
 
If you wanna win...I wouldn't try the mustard sauce... Just sayin....BH Tennesee Red/BH regular is very consistent!!! :thumb:
 
Great advice everyone! I do appreciate your remarks and I will take them to heart. I'll let you know how I make out.
 
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