Help dissecting scores and a complaint on my brisket score

I didn't inject the brisket, and I only do S&P rub. I've never truly tasted the difference injecting the flat can make on the slices. The ones i've done have came out the same as the ones with no injection.

The fact virtually every competitor injects, I have to experiment some more. Any recommendations for commercial injections - I'm looking at Butcher BBQ?
 
CentralOhioBBQ said:
I didn't inject the brisket, and I only do S&P rub. I've never truly tasted the difference injecting the flat can make on the slices. The ones i've done have came out the same as the ones with no injection.

The fact virtually every competitor injects, I have to experiment some more. Any recommendations for commercial injections - I'm looking at Butcher BBQ?
Click to expand...

Butcher has a great product. I would highly recommend injecting. Also experiment with some rubs that are proven to win. BPS Money, BPS Cash Cow, Smokin Guns Hot, Plowboys Bovine Bold. Any of those are a step above S&P.

Just keep practicing and continue improving and you'll be fine.
 
CentralOhioBBQ said:
The fact virtually every competitor injects, I have to experiment some more. Any recommendations for commercial injections - I'm looking at Butcher BBQ?
Click to expand...

I use Butcher BBQ for home cooking and small caters. I like the result that I get:

aQbQbBO.jpg


Lots of good commercial rubs out there. For brisket, I really like Peppered Cow by Simply Marvelous.

Good luck, and have fun experimenting.
 
ok here is what i see:
Chicken (Didnt see a pic)
Ribs: 6...Splotchy, burnt in areas, uneven cuts
Pork: 7....Your best box but i would sauce the flat sides of the slices a bit more to make them shine, slices need to be arranged more evenly and uniform. not a bad entry but still needs a few tweeks.
Brisket: 6...slices look really think and uneven, burnt ends are scattered. SOme are leaning and some are standing up. A few minor tweeks and you could easily be 7-9.
 
If you're turning in brisket that is not sliced all the way through, you're not going to score well. Remember Judges are human, if 5 judges get a slice, and one doesn't it's going to be impossible for all judges not to think "this guy messed up" as a cook instead of arguing semantics and what the judge "should do" I like to take the approach of, "how can I get better" the answer... make sure each judge gets a sample of whatever you put in the box.

Also, you mentioned you did not inject, and rubbed with salt & pepper. I'm sure one pitmaster will tell us about the 1st place brisket they won at some contest, but remember, you're not Aaron Franklin, and the judge isn't getting a pile of brisket. You have one bite to impress that judge with your skills as a pitmaster. If you think a judge that's been getting super flavorful brisket all day is going to be impressed by one with a salt and pepper rub with no injection... you're dreaming
 
bpeyton89 said:
If you're turning in brisket that is not sliced all the way through, you're not going to score well. Remember Judges are human, if 5 judges get a slice, and one doesn't it's going to be impossible for all judges not to think "this guy messed up" as a cook instead of arguing semantics and what the judge "should do" I like to take the approach of, "how can I get better" the answer... make sure each judge gets a sample of whatever you put in the box.

Also, you mentioned you did not inject, and rubbed with salt & pepper. I'm sure one pitmaster will tell us about the 1st place brisket they won at some contest, but remember, you're not Aaron Franklin, and the judge isn't getting a pile of brisket. You have one bite to impress that judge with your skills as a pitmaster. If you think a judge that's been getting super flavorful brisket all day is going to be impressed by one with a salt and pepper rub with no injection... you're dreaming
Click to expand...

Haha, fair. Thanks for the advice.
 
DR said:
ok here is what i see:
Chicken (Didnt see a pic)
Ribs: 6...Splotchy, burnt in areas, uneven cuts
Pork: 7....Your best box but i would sauce the flat sides of the slices a bit more to make them shine, slices need to be arranged more evenly and uniform. not a bad entry but still needs a few tweeks.
Brisket: 6...slices look really think and uneven, burnt ends are scattered. SOme are leaning and some are standing up. A few minor tweeks and you could easily be 7-9.
Click to expand...

Appreciate it Dr..
 
bpeyton89 said:
If you think a judge that's been getting super flavorful brisket all day is going to be impressed by one with a salt and pepper rub with no injection... you're dreaming
Click to expand...

As true as a statement as that is, there are many of us who are guilty of overthinking it and trying way too hard to pack as much flavor as possible in one bite. Yes, in a nutshell that is what we try to do because it "works" however it's easy to over do it and it backfires on you. It becomes too salty, too beefy, too much of something and borders on "offending" the judges taste buds. It's a fine line for sure. When I first got started I wasn't packing enough flavor compared to other seasoned cooks and had a hard time getting that first walk. I cranked the flavor up a notch and we were able to turn the page and start getting walks and many top 3 calls. We took a year off and when we starting competing again recently I still was looking for ways to up the flavor.. but I believe now that perhaps I've been overthinking it..
 
JS-TX said:
As true as a statement as that is, there are many of us who are guilty of overthinking it and trying way too hard to pack as much flavor as possible in one bite. Yes, in a nutshell that is what we try to do because it "works" however it's easy to over do it and it backfires on you. It becomes too salty, too beefy, too much of something and borders on "offending" the judges taste buds. It's a fine line for sure. When I first got started I wasn't packing enough flavor compared to other seasoned cooks and had a hard time getting that first walk. I cranked the flavor up a notch and we were able to turn the page and start getting walks and many top 3 calls. We took a year off and when we starting competing again recently I still was looking for ways to up the flavor.. but I believe now that perhaps I've been overthinking it..
Click to expand...

Overthinking it is how I've categorized many of the steps I see ppl take with their brisket. I don't have anything against the phosphates and the rubs with 20 spices, I just don't think it's necessary if you cook that perfect brisket. Now, having said that, I haven't cooked the perfect brisket.....but I have tasted it in Austin. Buttery, beefy, peppery brisket unxiousness that I've been on a ceaseless pursuit to replicate since.

I've done 3 comps in 2 years. My brisket has placed 18th, like 22nd, and most recently 37th. I injected earlier this year and thought it was dry and added nothing. Likely was my homemade injection that was lackluster. I'm ready to try again, this time with something commercial.
 
CentralOhioBBQ said:
Overthinking it is how I've categorized many of the steps I see ppl take with their brisket. I don't have anything against the phosphates and the rubs with 20 spices, I just don't think it's necessary if you cook that perfect brisket. Now, having said that, I haven't cooked the perfect brisket.....but I have tasted it in Austin. Buttery, beefy, peppery brisket unxiousness that I've been on a ceaseless pursuit to replicate since.

I've done 3 comps in 2 years. My brisket has placed 18th, like 22nd, and most recently 37th. I injected earlier this year and thought it was dry and added nothing. Likely was my homemade injection that was lackluster. I'm ready to try again, this time with something commercial.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a good game plan. I wouldn’t change a thing.
 
CentralOhioBBQ said:
Overthinking it is how I've categorized many of the steps I see ppl take with their brisket. I don't have anything against the phosphates and the rubs with 20 spices, I just don't think it's necessary if you cook that perfect brisket. Now, having said that, I haven't cooked the perfect brisket.....but I have tasted it in Austin. Buttery, beefy, peppery brisket unxiousness that I've been on a ceaseless pursuit to replicate since.

I've done 3 comps in 2 years. My brisket has placed 18th, like 22nd, and most recently 37th. I injected earlier this year and thought it was dry and added nothing. Likely was my homemade injection that was lackluster. I'm ready to try again, this time with something commercial.
Click to expand...

Buttery, beefy, peppery brisket is awesome! Good marbled brisket cooked just right will help get you there. Those commercial injections are strong for a reason... all that liquid gets cooked out of the brisket and into a pan where it mixes with the natural juices, that are valuable. I degrease the juices and save it for basting my slices with. Some put them in a loaf pan and "hot tub" them.
 
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