To Sauce or not to sauce? That is the question.

backporchbbq · 07-20-2008, 10:31 AM

Ok boy and girls here is my hang up. Do you all sauce you pork and/or brisket for competitions? I know at home it is different and what you do is either what you like or you family likes. Do you think the judges prefer sauced pork and brisket? In Berks our pork was the best pork we have ever done, but we did not score as well as I thought.

So enough rambeling, do you boys and girls sauce your brisket and pork or not? If so why? If not why?

butts · 07-20-2008, 01:36 PM

Pork - no sauce but I've had only one top twenty this year in pork...ouch!

Brisket - no sauce, I've finished 15th, 8th, 1st, 8th, and 10th this year.

Smokin Gator · 07-20-2008, 03:33 PM

We sauce the pork. Brisket gets dredged in some au jus with just a touch of sauce before it goes in the box. If burnt ends go in the brisket box they have a thicker sauce on them.

I think you could get by with unsauced brisket, but I think pork is just to blah without some sauce (or maybe that is just my pork!!!).

smokinit · 07-20-2008, 05:58 PM

People are judging sauce these days which is what I have expierenced at the last two comps I have done especialy with brisket. I think they need to go back to the basics of meat judging.

TN_BBQ · 07-20-2008, 06:41 PM

Your average person likes sauce on their BBQ. Judges are normal folks.

PatioDaddio · 07-20-2008, 08:16 PM

Pork - I always season lightly with the same rub I used before the cook, and I always sauce. I use a thin coat of sauce thinned with a little of the resting foil juice.

Brisket - I usually sauce the backsides of the slices. The idea is that the appearance scores (from finicky judges) don't suffer, but the flavor is there for the taste judging. I use a half-and-half mixture of the resting foil juice and sauce.

I hope this helps,
John

Big Mike · 07-20-2008, 08:42 PM

Simple answer, Yes

The Pigman · 07-20-2008, 08:50 PM

I think that is hurt me at Kettering.....I did not sauce my chicken and ribs and was told that is why I probually scored low on the two....because they were done just right and were good but no sauce................

Just Smokin' Around · 07-20-2008, 09:20 PM

Didn't start to sauce pork until this year. Only tried it twice so far, but I think it is helping. Still trying to figure out how (technique - just backside or obvious saucing on the front) and how much.

Usually paint the backside of the brisket with some au jus or beef broth to help keep it moist and give it a little flavor. I have to agree that it seems to be more a sauce competition than meat sometimes.

CivilWarBBQ · 07-20-2008, 09:42 PM

If you sauce before the meat goes in the box, keep it thin - think wash more than sauce. My $.02

-Gowan

Divemaster · 07-21-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatioDaddio

Pork - I always season lightly with the same rub I used before the cook, and I always sauce. I use a thin coat of sauce thinned with a little of the resting foil juice.

Brisket - I usually sauce the backsides of the slices. The idea is that the appearance scores (from finicky judges) don't suffer, but the flavor is there for the taste judging. I use a half-and-half mixture of the resting foil juice and sauce.

I hope this helps,
John

I do the same for pork, never thought about doing the back of the brisket slices... As for the burnt ends... Yes, yes, and yes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pigman

I think that is hurt me at Kettering.....I did not sauce my chicken and ribs and was told that is why I probually scored low on the two....because they were done just right and were good but no sauce................

I do a thinned out version of my sauce on my chicken... Got second at Lone Wolf for it and was told if I had remembered (ok, listened) and put a last layer just prior to boxing I may have taken first... Lesson learned...

Sledneck · 07-21-2008, 02:04 PM

<-------read avatar

07-20-2008, 10:31 AM	#1
backporchbbq is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-28-08 Location: Phoenixville, PA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	To Sauce or not to sauce? That is the question. Ok boy and girls here is my hang up. Do you all sauce you pork and/or brisket for competitions? I know at home it is different and what you do is either what you like or you family likes. Do you think the judges prefer sauced pork and brisket? In Berks our pork was the best pork we have ever done, but we did not score as well as I thought. So enough rambeling, do you boys and girls sauce your brisket and pork or not? If so why? If not why?

07-20-2008, 01:36 PM	#2
butts Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-11-06 Location: landrum, sc Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Pork - no sauce but I've had only one top twenty this year in pork...ouch! Brisket - no sauce, I've finished 15th, 8th, 1st, 8th, and 10th this year. __________________ Stumps GF223CM Weber WSM and Kettle CS 570 7' X 14' enclosed trailer ButtsandBreastts BBQ Facebook: Butts and Breastts

07-20-2008, 03:33 PM	#3
Smokin Gator Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-01-06 Location: Fernandina Beach FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	We sauce the pork. Brisket gets dredged in some au jus with just a touch of sauce before it goes in the box. If burnt ends go in the brisket box they have a thicker sauce on them. I think you could get by with unsauced brisket, but I think pork is just to blah without some sauce (or maybe that is just my pork!!!). __________________ [SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Food! It's the second most important thing to a young man, and the most important to an old one.[/FONT][/SIZE] ______________________________________________ -Brent Smokin Gators BBQ Team Medium Amazin' Blue Spicewine - It's a Swamp Thing UDS Large BGE - Adopted Medium BGE - Adopted Weber 22 inch w/mods Weber SJP Stoker Weber Genesis Silver C Gasser Constant wood lurker FBA CBJ

07-20-2008, 05:58 PM	#4
smokinit is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-16-07 Location: Coxsackie NY/West Chester Pa Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	People are judging sauce these days which is what I have expierenced at the last two comps I have done especialy with brisket. I think they need to go back to the basics of meat judging. __________________ BWS Pro Comp Hog Custom Battle Box Humphrey's Smokers and Accesories http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=154925 Authorized Backwoods Dealer http://www.purpleporkmasters.com http://www.facebook.com/SMOKENIT

07-20-2008, 06:41 PM	#5
TN_BBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-02-08 Location: Knoxville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Your average person likes sauce on their BBQ. Judges are normal folks. __________________ Life's a party with a Backwoods Party!

07-20-2008, 08:16 PM	#6
PatioDaddio Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-04-08 Location: Boise, Idaho Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Pork - I always season lightly with the same rub I used before the cook, and I always sauce. I use a thin coat of sauce thinned with a little of the resting foil juice. Brisket - I usually sauce the backsides of the slices. The idea is that the appearance scores (from finicky judges) don't suffer, but the flavor is there for the taste judging. I use a half-and-half mixture of the resting foil juice and sauce. I hope this helps, John

07-20-2008, 08:42 PM	#7
Big Mike Take a breath! Join Date: 10-12-07 Location: Dayton Ohio Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Simple answer, Yes __________________ ROLL TIDE!!!! Big Mike Eagle River Barbecue Stumps Platinum 5 Trailer Chargriller Duo Grill Members Mark 8 Burner Gasser

07-20-2008, 08:50 PM	#8
The Pigman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-10-07 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I think that is hurt me at Kettering.....I did not sauce my chicken and ribs and was told that is why I probually scored low on the two....because they were done just right and were good but no sauce................ __________________ Smokin Blues BBQ The Pigman (Roger) Pitmaster KCBS CBJ #30390 Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member Lang 84 Custom Longneck with Warmer Char-Griller Pro w/ SFB and Mods Mobil Food Lic. With State of Ohio

07-20-2008, 09:20 PM	#9
Just Smokin' Around Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-13-07 Location: Frederick County, MD Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Didn't start to sauce pork until this year. Only tried it twice so far, but I think it is helping. Still trying to figure out how (technique - just backside or obvious saucing on the front) and how much. Usually paint the backside of the brisket with some au jus or beef broth to help keep it moist and give it a little flavor. I have to agree that it seems to be more a sauce competition than meat sometimes. __________________ Bill Just Smokin' Around Competition BBQ Team www.justsmokinaround.info

07-20-2008, 09:42 PM	#10
CivilWarBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you sauce before the meat goes in the box, keep it thin - think wash more than sauce. My $.02 -Gowan

07-21-2008, 02:04 PM	#12
Sledneck is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-04-05 Location: Wantagh, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	<-------read avatar __________________ BBQ Illuminati Blog Disclaimer: The poster does not take any responsibility for any bad feelings or sense of exclusion that the reader of this post may have-whether real or imagined. Reading threads poses inherent risks. The poster of this thread would like to also remind readers to make sure they have a functional sense of humor before they visit any discussion board.

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