Would you eat your competition que?

[slowerlowerbbq]

Greetings brethren! Thanks so much for this forum and all the great info (and entertainment) you all provide. Now on to my first post...

Just a quick back story...have done a couple competitions that last couple years...had NO IDEA what the fark I was doing...been queing and cooking as long as I can remember so I always went off of instinct. Though I was never really satisfied with my results...it was OK...but just that, OK. After my last competition, I decided I was going to take it seriously this year. I've been reading online non-stop since November, lurking here and elsewhere, taking in the great knowledge you guys and gals make available for us noobs. Finally, I bought a 22.5 WSM and put that knowledge to use and finally made some que I could be proud of. It was really farking good and I am my own worst critic. Now, I feel more confident to do about 5 competitions in the coming season.

Whew...now my question. For all of you that compete successfully, how do you feel about the taste of your turn-ins? Would you eat it at home? Do you turn in and win with que you wouldn't eat yourself? I keep reading about how a lot of competition cooks cook differently at home than they do at competition. I am really curious to know if you do and why. So much of what I am learning about comp BBQ goes against everything I do when I cook otherwise.

Sorry if this has been asked before ...I am a n00b

[MilitantSquatter]

This was one of the three reasons I stopped competing on my own.

I quickly learned that what I enjoyed cooking and serving to family/friends was not going to to please the judges frequently enough to justify spending $1000/weekend. I switched to employing different rubs, sauces, injections and cooking techniques just to win a trophy or cash. Getting the high placings was exciting at first but after a while it began to feel like a bad job.

[Jacked UP BBQ]

I do not enjoy my comp food, it is too sweet for my liking, I do love the taste for one bite, but there is way too much flavor for an entire rack, or a pulled pork platter if you know what I mean.

[PimpSmoke]

Unfortunately, no.

Never mind you said, "compete successfully", that takes me out, sorry.

[Alexa RnQ]

I have refused to eat our competition chicken for over a year. Too much practice killed that bird off.

Ribs and pork are big favorites with family/helpers/fans, so those generally get bagged and given away.

We always bring home our brisket for consumption, though. *wonders idly if there's a vacuum-pack in the freezer still*

[watg?]

I can only eat it after the Wednesday following the comp. The day of and day after the comp, I want nothing to do with que!

[chromesporty]

Brisket yes. Ribs and chicken, way to sweet for my taste. We don't do much pulled pork in this part of the world, but when we cook it, it's one of my favorites.

[thillin]

Originally Posted by chromesporty

Brisket yes. Ribs and chicken, way to sweet for my taste. We don't do much pulled pork in this part of the world, but when we cook it, it's one of my favorites.

Ditto

[Brauma]

Would you eat it at home? Do you turn in and win with que you wouldn't eat yourself?

Yes, I would eat it because thats how I practice. But for everyday BBQ, you cant afford to fix comp BBQ. And I wouldnt want to. I think you get the drift. It's over-the-top with flavor. You cant eat a plate full of it. You have to make sure the judge who takes one bite gets a mouthful.

[Buster Dog BBQ]

I tend to use the same concepts only sometimes I will alter the rub and sauce at home. I do eat my leftovers from most contest in all 4 meats.

[barbefunkoramaque]

This is a funny little question that requires a lot of reflection on my part. Year ago I had greater success advising a team to adopt a plan or recipe and do well than I could do probably by myself.

I am one of those souls that had a capacity to do well earlier on by cooking to win. This is what makes the winning most teams what they are. Typically their ego does not get in the way.

Early on I did very well... I do not want to go on about it.

After I became more cynical about where the whole concept of BBQ and its expansion was going I became very jaded. As more judges, you know the ones that don't know **** about Q and still have their crotchpot sauced up image in their minds as well as the oath they just took minutes before, as more and more of those judges showed up it was either serve what was traditionally great que or....

Go into the tents and slice their throats individually or run them over with trucks or throw a grenade in. Of course thats not an option until they begin grouping judges by experience.... so.... if I was say, going to turn in a brisket in Kansas, I would not make any allotment for local traditions. This ended up in ****ty scores.

So would I eat my older competitive BBQ now or my own? I would eat my own, because my last turn ins were injected with antifreeze and glittered with crushed mothballs in order to take a judeg or two out.

This is a humorous hat tip off to all the farkers out there who cook to win, That in itself is a skill.... to override what is truely good to satiate a local or inexperienced judge.

[Contracted Cookers]

no it usely sucks

[Rub]

I always eat and share my leftovers for lunch at work. I only cook the main 4 at home maybe 2-3 times a year.
I figure cooking on the road 30-35 weekends a year is enough

[widespread]

Pork and brisket yes. Chicken, ribs no. Like George said, I don't want to see or eat que for a few days afterward.
Are you Mark from Stallard Chassis? My buddy Don used to work for you as a welder.

[slowerlowerbbq]

Originally Posted by widespread

Pork and brisket yes. Chicken, ribs no. Like George said, I don't want to see or eat que for a few days afterward.
Are you Mark from Stallard Chassis? My buddy Don used to work for you as a welder.

Loving all the responses!

Hi Jon, I am his son. USed to work there back in the '80's