Who else is cutting back?

[rescue_ranger]

On competitions this year due to the skyrocketing cost of fuel and the higher cost of meats and supplies. I was looking at CostCo’s ribs yesterday and they were $26.00 a pack compared to the $18.00 I paid last year I’m afraid if things keep spiraling out of sight I will only be able to afford 1 or 2 events this year instead of the 4 or 6 I normally do. ( if ya need to move this thread I understand not sure if this is the right form or not)

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't do comps but I'm having to cut back. I wanted use the first part of 2011 to practice on doing briskets. I'm not very good at them, mainly because I haven't hardly cooked them. But with these beef prices I simply can't afford to "practice".

My neighbor is a store director for a local Brookshires and he said don't plan on "practicing" anytime soon if I was waiting on the prices to go down.

[swamprb]

Take a look at vegetable prices too. $2.99 for a head of green leaf lettuce and its s'posed to go up more!!

[landarc]

Well, everything is going to go up, it is the cost of energy. Unfortunately, over the past 10 years, I have been cutting back pretty steadily. Such that it really doesn't feel bad anymore.

[energyzer]

What sucks about all this, is I'm just starting out. Built my first UDS last fall. We are fortunate that we get lots of beef at no cost, but the roasts can go quickly. I wanted to do a lot of smoking, but won't be able to.

[MariettaSmoker]

It all has to do with the cost of fuel. I drive a truck and when our fuel prices go up, those prices get passed on to the customers in the form of a fuel surcharge. Ours is now at 47 cents per mile. Think about that. The average load goes 1000 miles at 47 cents per. Fuel goes up, surcharge goes up. Fuel goes down, surcharge goes down, food prices go down.

[OneHump]

It's more than the cost of energy folks. Energy is part of it, but the weather has not been kind to many exporters while demand in China continues to grow.

Food prices started the unrest in Tunisia that moved to Egypt, under a different pretense, and now engulfs much of the Middle East.

[42BBQ]

Food inflation is a real a terrible thing. Commodity prices are even worse. The consumer has not even felt the true sting yet. Growing a garden this year.

[Lake Dogs]

2006 was 16 chili cookoffs and 8 barbecue cookoffs, all sanctioned. Last year was
down to 2 and 2. This year, probably just 1 and 1.

[Big Jim BBQ]

Originally Posted by rescue_ranger

On competitions this year due to the skyrocketing cost of fuel and the higher cost of meats and supplies. I was looking at CostCo’s ribs yesterday and they were $26.00 a pack compared to the $18.00 I paid last year I’m afraid if things keep spiraling out of sight I will only be able to afford 1 or 2 events this year instead of the 4 or 6 I normally do. ( if ya need to move this thread I understand not sure if this is the right form or not)

I agree. I don't do comps but this week I bought a pkg of Baby backs (3) and a pkg of butts (2) at Sam's...............$68. Gettin' tough.

[Schraufy]

The costs are rising but I look at it like this, its my hobby and passion. I dont play golf or go on expensive vacations so my disposable income is spent on bbq. Everyone has something that they are into, like all of us are here.

[Dr_KY]

After the last three years if I cut back any deeper I'll be in the marrow!

[got14u]

One good thing about living in Wyoming is you raise your own meat or shoot it, and you grow your own veggies and can them. People around here don't feel it like city folks do. Also when gas prices are high everyone here is working, only good thing about that

[FltEng]

Funny thing is I got into smoking several years ago to save money. I could stretch out a butt or couple of racks of ribs for the entire weeks lunches. Can't do that anymore...

[expatpig]

Originally Posted by Schraufy

The costs are rising but I look at it like this, its my hobby and passion. I dont play golf or go on expensive vacations so my disposable income is spent on bbq. Everyone has something that they are into, like all of us are here.

This is also my take on it. Maybe it's time to get back to the basics of BBQ. Taking a less desirable cut of meat and turning it into a tender, juicy, flavorfull protein. Forget the choice briskets, the Berkshire pork. I just ordered a 1/4 beef, while most want steaks roasts and ground beef, I told him I wanted the brisket, tri tip, shortribs and shanks which normally get ground up. Go bargain hunting, think outside the box. Now I need to figure out what I'm going to do with these oxtails!