What Do You Do in the Off-Season?

Jeff_in_KC · 10-24-2006, 08:37 AM

Some of us are now in the off-season for competitive BBQ. Last year, I kept really busy with BBQ related stuff such as doing our Web site, going to a CBJ class, attending the KCBS Awards Banquet and ordering my smoker among other things. What types of BBQ stuff, if any, do you do to prepare for next spring?

This off-season, I plan to re-do our Web site, attend the rules meeting, attend the awards banquet, have my wife attend a CBJ class, take inventory of equipment and evaluate what worked well, what was junk and what I might need to purchase before April. I also plan to experiment with a new chicken rub and try to find something that works well.

SP · 10-24-2006, 09:19 AM

Im working on my new smoker which should be finished soon. Then I will do alot of cooks to dial it in to how I cook. Ill work on new sauced and rubs. I cook for Chief games, Super Bowl etc. Im thinking about a web site so I can share my 3 sentences of BBQ knowledge. My wife and I are expecting are second in the begining of April so my season may start a little late this year. I hope I wont miss Osage but we'll see.

Roo-B-Q'N · 10-24-2006, 09:28 AM

As next year will be our inagural year for competing, Char and I are going to focus on our sauces, rubs, and techniques. On top of that we will be practicing several times throughout the winter months. We also need to go over the several helpful checklists and ensure we have everything we need.
Then we will start looking over competions to see which ones we will do and more importantly which one we cut our teeth on. We had hoped to hook up with a mentor team this year work with them, but that did not happen. If it doesn't happen early next season our first comp will be nerve racking.
So after thinking this through we are going to be fairly busy.

cmcadams · 10-24-2006, 09:30 AM

First, after last weekend, we'll be doing a lot of crying. Once that's done, we're going to be taking a cooking class finally somewhere, probably Dr BBQ's if he's doing any within a reasonable distance.

We'll keep trying to better what we're doing, and I think my teammate and his wife are going to get their CBJs. My wife and I have discussed finding an early season event down south to judge as an excuse for a trip.

Other than that, we're working on getting our catering area up to speed to get licensed to do more than personal chef stuff, and we'll be supplying probably 2 burger joints with pulled pork on an at least monthly basis.

Equipment-wise, we've already begun paring things down to what we really need, but we want to add some things for hot weather like powerful fans and some sort of misting device. We're also going to make up a sink with counter and steel legs to use at comps, and we want to upgrade some of our equipment. We're going to work on the smoker to further tweak it by adding oven roping around the door and potentially insulation in the walls, and a stoker unit. I have a thermo from Jay, and I will likely buy 2 more and have them mounted at different levels on the door of the smoker.

And I'm going to relax and enjoy the fact that we actually did get walkups this year, and we had a LOT of fun!

Smoker · 10-24-2006, 10:37 AM

I drive to Willie B's

Bigmista · 10-24-2006, 10:47 AM

Off-season? I'm sorry, I don't understand. Barbecue has no season, especially in Southern California.

BBQ_MAFIA · 10-24-2006, 10:54 AM

There may be an off season for Comps but not for eating. So for me,
I will cook whenever I can and when I can't, I reheat the stuff in the freezer.

MoKanMeathead · 10-24-2006, 11:32 AM

Re-building my margarita machine - faster, stronger, better.

HoDeDo · 10-24-2006, 11:55 AM

Well planning for next season is in full swing... And Mista is right.... it's just comp season that is over.... not BBQ season :o)

I'll also try some new recipes out, update our site, set out on a sponsor quest for next year, etc....

HoDeDo · 10-24-2006, 11:55 AM

Did I mention drink lots of toasts and enjoy some holiday cheer?

SP · 10-24-2006, 11:57 AM

Get one of those eveloution disposal that I've seen on TV where the throw a pineapple top and rib bones in it. If you have the disposal kind of margirita machines Wayne.

spicewine · 10-24-2006, 12:19 PM

We will do periodic practice runs and try to fine tune a few areas that could be better. We will review all of the comp scores from last season and decide which contests that we want to attend. We will have the cooker doors sandblasted, repainted and doors adjusted and basic tooling up for next season.

ique · 10-24-2006, 12:26 PM

I'm thinking about selling my Backwoods and trailer and buying a Horizon pit. And then of course practicing all winter on the new pit. I need a new toy!

Solidkick · 10-24-2006, 12:34 PM

Well....competition season may be over for us midwesterners....but I'll still be cooking, it fact, I'm having withdrawals now, been thinking of firing up the 'dera this weekend.

Ique wrote:

Quote:

I'm thinking about selling my Backwoods and trailer and buying a Horizon pit. And then of course practicing all winter on the new pit. I need a new toy!

Just step on up to a Geer pit, buddy.......you can handle cooking on it just fine!

ique · 10-24-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solidkick

Just step on up to a Geer pit, buddy.......you can handle cooking on it just fine!

You have one for sale? I read a few places he wasnt building them anymore.

10-24-2006, 08:37 AM	#1
Jeff_in_KC somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-04-05 Location: Pleasant Hill, MO	What Do You Do in the Off-Season? Some of us are now in the off-season for competitive BBQ. Last year, I kept really busy with BBQ related stuff such as doing our Web site, going to a CBJ class, attending the KCBS Awards Banquet and ordering my smoker among other things. What types of BBQ stuff, if any, do you do to prepare for next spring? This off-season, I plan to re-do our Web site, attend the rules meeting, attend the awards banquet, have my wife attend a CBJ class, take inventory of equipment and evaluate what worked well, what was junk and what I might need to purchase before April. I also plan to experiment with a new chicken rub and try to find something that works well. __________________ KCBS Member #14287

10-24-2006, 09:19 AM	#2
SP is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-20-06 Location: Kansas City	Im working on my new smoker which should be finished soon. Then I will do alot of cooks to dial it in to how I cook. Ill work on new sauced and rubs. I cook for Chief games, Super Bowl etc. Im thinking about a web site so I can share my 3 sentences of BBQ knowledge. My wife and I are expecting are second in the begining of April so my season may start a little late this year. I hope I wont miss Osage but we'll see. __________________ [COLOR=blue]Clay[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]The Original Sauced Pigs BBQ Team[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]2 Homemade Smokers (1 for Sale) [URL]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f265/123sauced/Smoker.jpg[/URL][/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Weber Kettle[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Brinkmann Smoke n Pitt[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Charbroil Gasser[/COLOR]

10-24-2006, 09:28 AM	#3
Roo-B-Q'N is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-06 Location: Arlington, Nebraska	As next year will be our inagural year for competing, Char and I are going to focus on our sauces, rubs, and techniques. On top of that we will be practicing several times throughout the winter months. We also need to go over the several helpful checklists and ensure we have everything we need. Then we will start looking over competions to see which ones we will do and more importantly which one we cut our teeth on. We had hoped to hook up with a mentor team this year work with them, but that did not happen. If it doesn't happen early next season our first comp will be nerve racking. So after thinking this through we are going to be fairly busy. __________________ ________________ www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS CBJ 9831 Large Spicewine, Backwoods Smoker (Party), WSM, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Wood Fired Oven

10-24-2006, 09:30 AM	#4
cmcadams Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-15-06 Location: Waynesville, Ohio	First, after last weekend, we'll be doing a lot of crying. Once that's done, we're going to be taking a cooking class finally somewhere, probably Dr BBQ's if he's doing any within a reasonable distance. We'll keep trying to better what we're doing, and I think my teammate and his wife are going to get their CBJs. My wife and I have discussed finding an early season event down south to judge as an excuse for a trip. Other than that, we're working on getting our catering area up to speed to get licensed to do more than personal chef stuff, and we'll be supplying probably 2 burger joints with pulled pork on an at least monthly basis. Equipment-wise, we've already begun paring things down to what we really need, but we want to add some things for hot weather like powerful fans and some sort of misting device. We're also going to make up a sink with counter and steel legs to use at comps, and we want to upgrade some of our equipment. We're going to work on the smoker to further tweak it by adding oven roping around the door and potentially insulation in the walls, and a stoker unit. I have a thermo from Jay, and I will likely buy 2 more and have them mounted at different levels on the door of the smoker. And I'm going to relax and enjoy the fact that we actually did get walkups this year, and we had a LOT of fun! __________________ Curt McAdams Livefire Blog Livefire Whisky CBJ, some comps, a few awards, Certified Artisan Steak Taster. XL Big Green Egg, Bubba Keg Convection Grill, Weber Kettle, Charbroil Infrared and mad livefire cooking skillz! :)

10-24-2006, 10:47 AM	#6
Bigmista somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-24-04 Location: Long Beach, CA	Off-season? I'm sorry, I don't understand. Barbecue has no season, especially in Southern California. __________________ Wait! Bigmista wrote a cookbook? Rec Tec RT-700 Bull Pitmaker Vault Remembering Scott

10-24-2006, 10:37 AM	#5
Smoker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-19-05 Location: Long Island NY	I drive to Willie B's

10-24-2006, 10:54 AM	#7
BBQ_MAFIA somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-10-05 Location: NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY	There may be an off season for Comps but not for eating. So for me, I will cook whenever I can and when I can't, I reheat the stuff in the freezer. __________________ Guido Lang 60 Lang 84 Deluxe Warmer with Chargrill Large Spicewine Large BGE XL - BGE Med. BGE ( Bought it for my son Vincenzo) Brinkman Snp Brinkman ECB GOSM Weber Kettle Kenmore Elite Gasser Camp Chef Outdoor Stove Blackstone Pizza Oven Blackstone 36" Griddle 1-Banjo

10-24-2006, 11:32 AM	#8
MoKanMeathead is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-02-05 Location: Grain Valley, MO	Re-building my margarita machine - faster, stronger, better.

10-24-2006, 11:55 AM	#9
HoDeDo Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-19-06 Location: Kansas City	Well planning for next season is in full swing... And Mista is right.... it's just comp season that is over.... not BBQ season :o) I'll also try some new recipes out, update our site, set out on a sponsor quest for next year, etc.... __________________ Andy /Smoke on Wheels Competition BBQ - www.smokeonwheels.com

10-24-2006, 11:57 AM	#11
SP is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-20-06 Location: Kansas City	Get one of those eveloution disposal that I've seen on TV where the throw a pineapple top and rib bones in it. If you have the disposal kind of margirita machines Wayne. __________________ [COLOR=blue]Clay[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]The Original Sauced Pigs BBQ Team[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]2 Homemade Smokers (1 for Sale) [URL]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f265/123sauced/Smoker.jpg[/URL][/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Weber Kettle[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Brinkmann Smoke n Pitt[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]Charbroil Gasser[/COLOR]

10-24-2006, 12:19 PM	#12
spicewine Babbling Farker Join Date: 09-13-04 Location: Columbia Missouri	We will do periodic practice runs and try to fine tune a few areas that could be better. We will review all of the comp scores from last season and decide which contests that we want to attend. We will have the cooker doors sandblasted, repainted and doors adjusted and basic tooling up for next season. __________________ The "Sauce Whisperer" SPICEWINE IRONWORKS Award Winning Smokers, Sauces and Spices Columbia Missouri www.spicewineironworks.com PERFECT 180 CHICKEN 2011 1ST. PLACE PORK AMERICAN ROYAL (OPEN) 2012 PERFECT SCORE180 IN RIBS 2013 BEST SAUCE IN THE WORLD ( BLUE COLLAR ) AMERICAN ROYAL 2009 & 2017 BEST RUB IN THE WORLD ( HEFFER DUST ) AMERICAN ROYAL 2007 MOFO Chapter CISC Master BBQ Chef

10-24-2006, 12:26 PM	#13
ique is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 12-14-05 Location: New England	I'm thinking about selling my Backwoods and trailer and buying a Horizon pit. And then of course practicing all winter on the new pit. I need a new toy!

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