Two Birds with One KCBS Stone

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Well Brethren, I've killed two birds with my first KCBS stone. In our (fiancee and I) first KCBS competition at Sam's Club in Baton Rouge, La, we got our first call with 7th place chicken and my first DAL with Pork Butt.

It was a tough competition (no running water, had to bucket water to the site, no electricity for the first few hours in 90F+ heat in a tent on concrete...etc). I went in knowing that i had really poor ribs (ordered 4 racks from a competition meat monger and got 3 racks with awesome shiners right in the middle so i used local mixed matched ribs)and mediocre pork butts. I even ordered a waygu brisket...it turned up about .75" on one side of the flat & about 2.5" on the other. Once trimmed the 15 lbs turned to less than 9lbs with a decent fat cap left on so I had to go with a backup choice brisket. Can you believe the waygu vendor told me that it probably froze that way and would likely "Reshape" once thawed....wow.

Anyway, even with all the issues, We had a great time at the contest. Met some good people and great teams, Team Enoserve, Buttrub.com, Habitual Smokers, Pop's Blazin Smokers, Chix Swine Bovine (very friendly team who offered to help us setup and feed us pastalaya...wish we could have spent time talking with them but was worn out from the comp in tents at 100F inside.).

That Call was awesome but the DAL took all the call's wind out of my sail. Thought i had an awesome looking pork butt turn-in and thought the piece i tasted was good. Turns out i was pulling from two butts and i apparently loaded a box with flavorless undercooked pork. What a blow to the pride when i saw that DAL!!

Here are the pic's (we did clean up the boxes of sauce spots, wayward meat strings and garnish after the pics were taken) and scores.
Chicken (7th) 999 977 998 998 988 887
Ribs (20th) 876 987 879 988 878 998
Pork (DAL:doh 877 888 966 766 978 967
Brisket (11th) 988 988 988 776 988 988 (probably should have left out the burnt ends)

Suggestions are welcome...especially a good pork butt recipe...:becky:

 

[thillin]

Good job on everything but the pork. I'm in the same boat on that.

I might of tried to squeeze in 3 more chicken thighs, but that's me. And i would of went with more brisket slices and no burnt ends.

On the brisket, that's why I wont spend the $ on Waygu. I'll only buy Prime if it's the same price as Choice and looks/feels good.

BTW, I'd ditch the latex gloves for Nitrile. Some people are allergic to latex.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Thanks Ty..
I started to try and get 9 thighs in but was in a hurry and was afraid it would throw off the appearance but it probably would have been better to give them more choices.

Definitely ditching the burnt ends...went back and forth, put them in and regretted it.

I never thought about the latex issue...i'll definitely switch.

 

[bignburlyman]

I thought your boxes looked very appealing, except for the brisket. To me it looks pale and dry, of course it could be just the picture washed it out a little. Based on your brisket appearance scores it looked great at the table, (except to judge #4)! Taste & tenderness hurt you the most on the pork, and somewhat on the ribs. I can't help you with that from the picture, lol. It does sound like you had some difficulties from the start with meat and conditions, but congrats on the chicken call.

 

[Q-Dat]

I think they all look good. I love that rib presentation!

Have you compared your pork scores to the rest of the field? Its possible that they were'nt really that bad. You were up against alot of really good and experienced teams. Maybe all the others were just that good.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

There were some awesome teams there but sadly, as confirmed by some family members afterwards, my pork lacked flavor and was on the chewy side. I had a 143 and the middle of the pack was a 163. That 143 was the third lowest score of any category that day. That DAL has been eating at me constantly. I went to bed thinking about it and woke this morning still realizing all that i did wrong with the pork but i am still left guessing if even my best pork would bomb again that way. Therefore i am trying to concentrate on the positives..i got 7th in chicken (tied with 6th place) and got 11th in brisket (tied with 10th place) and know that my ribs were some of the worst in recent memory but were still 20th. In my mind, that ain't too shabby for a first timer competing with some of the best teams in the nation represented there. A friend and fellow cooker told me afterwards, "keep your head up, you belong here(in competition bbq)", Now it's time to regroup and get back to practicing some more...
Thanks to all the Brethren for all the help along the way!

 

[Q-Dat]

Haha sounds like you and I should collaberate on pork Bro!

I think I have the opposite problem. I think my pork has been too bold!

 

[Still Smokin]

I am in the same boat as you, I got 61st out of 62 on my pork this week, and thought I had a great box.

I did get a 3rd in Brisket with some stiff competition @ The Banjo B Que in N Augusta SC, Myron got 8th, Johnny Trigg got 7th and Serial Grillers took 1st with a perfect score.

 

[ssbbqguy]

Congrats on the call and to all, that's the the correct approach in my opinion to get better. Hanging it out there and manning up to honest advice. On your pork, it's a good thought to have bigger pieces, thinking that heat might hold better. But it has to be much more moist to taste good. If it were me I would keep the money muscle but turn it long ways, and offer smaller chunks on sides or mix up chunks on one side and pulled or chopped on the other. On any box, whatever you put it there should knock their socks off, meaning more content- harder to do. Sometimes less product that tastes fantastic is better than alot of food with some better than other. It all has to rock in that first bite to get the second one. Keep trying and good luck. Steve.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Still Smokin,
Congrats on that brisket call! Wow that sounds like it would have been a 1st place brisket at many comps.
Clint

 

[Sawdustguy]

After seeing your scores and looking at your pictures I would have to say your presentation is excellent. You just have to work on those ribs and pork.