scottm4300 said:
Fascinating stuff. I've never even been to a competition, but there are a couple coming up over the next few months here in New England that I'm gonna go to - just to watch, and learn - and SMELL! Good Lord- what happens if I get the bug!!
Scott, I don't know what contests you're gonna hit, but after my first one as an observer, I was kicking myself for not competing at it (if that makes any sense.) My first contest was the grill kings on Long Island and the cooks had everything from modified garbage cans to Kloses. This was not a KCBS sanctioned event, so there were a lot more backyard cookers then seasoned competitors. But I kept saying to myself as I was walking around, wtf - I can do this.
Now, when I got to CT the next month and saw my first KCBS sanctioned contest, well I wasn't so sure. Lots of big names and big rigs.
Then, cooking with the Poohbah and the ever lovely Chad in NJ, I discovered the dirty little secret of the competetions. Yeah, there's lots of Kloses and Langs and Southern Yankees and every other high end unit out there, but the winning brisket was cooked on a Weber Smokey Mountain.
My advice, unsolicited as it is, if you can afford it and have the time, just go for it! Remember too, you don't have to enter every category. Cook as much as you feel comfortable with.
