SmokinTheGoodStuff
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
There seems to be a lot of comps dropping off in the South East, is this a trend everywhere or more of a regional thing?
Several comps around Oklahoma are not returning this year. Kind of a bummer.
the comps I attend on and off in the KY area have been pretty consistent since I got into doing comps back around 2014. I don't usually travel more than a couple of hours and at least in my area, there have not really been cancellations I have seen.
and I, myself, have been unable to consistently attend my favorite comps year in and year out. but I have noticed some of the number of teams seems to fluctuate at comps I go to depending on the year.
the fad of the BBQ comp has not at all waned for me.......but, between costs, taking off from work and the sheer time and effort it takes to be competitive and stay involved in this "sport", you REALLY have to want it!!!
one of my life long best friends, who was actually the guy who turned me onto BBQ Pitmasters back many years ago, and was actually experimenting with cooking BBQ before me, has pretty much abandoned cooking comps. in all fairness to him, I was the one who flipped out over the competition thing and dragged us into to doing it. I am also the one who has made invested over 25k in acquiring the equipment to do it competitively.
He always liked it "OK", and it was always me that "loved it".....lol so last year after a few comps he said, "man, after this season, I'm out" and that was that.
i have a neighbor, friend and fellow brethren that he and I have discussed carrying on and doing some comps together, but life gets in the way.....and makes it hard.
Comp BBQ is not for the faint of heart.........I even had a few different friends occasionally show up to hang out and help a little in past comps....and afterwards they are like "you guys are nuts to do this".....lol
so i think all of that adds up MANY people were exposed to this stuff through the TV shows like I was. Jumped in with both feet, only to find it was far less glamorous and much much more work than what folks realize it is from watching a tv show. now with the TV stuff mostly died down, you are left with the folks that really love this and want to do this.
I didn't grow up doing this, and I came to it via the TV shows, but I am one of the ones still here and hope to do this as much as possible the rest of my life.....but honestly, it isn't easy to do it. and if I can admit that, and if that difficulty limits my participation more than what I want it to, then it no doubt has to effect other cookers and teams......which results in fewer teams being able to participate in as many comps.....which leads to less successful comps.
I wish it weren't that way, but such is life.....but I do think it will continue to stay about as healthy as it is now. These kinds of things ebb and flow.
It used to be a fun (but expensive) weekend.
Now it’s a chore that costs too much money with too many politics involved.
Competition bbq has thankfully jumped the shark.
Maybe in a few years the local non-sanctioned contests will make a come back making it fun again
So in your opinion what changed to make it less fun? And how will local non sanctioned contests make things fun again? I’m asking legitimately, just curious as to what your thoughts are on the subject.
I'm quite new at comp bbq. I've done a few, and really debate jumping in with both feet. Money isn't the utmost concern, but at the same time it is. I can afford srf briskets and fees, etc... the problem I have is "justifying" the expense. Alot of things I could do with the 1000$ I'm going to spend going to a comp. After alot of years in engineering I went back to school and got a culinary degree. I like food and competing alot, and it's a way for me to cook/compete while I also raise a young family without spending my life in a kitchen (did that for 10 years). Finding help/ someone that wants to compete often, maybe even split the expense with me is another story. Most of my friends are just way to busy or what ever to think about something like this. And atleast 3 local comps that were local-ish last year arent back this year. That just adds to the time, driving, and expense of going to ones further away.
There are quite a few cons if you look at it, and that's just showing up. Breaking in and competing with aloft of the folks at some of these comps is another thing altogether.
That being said, I'm still a huge fan of it. I'm just on the fence about investing a bunch of money in a trailer and gear. But, this is just a new guys perspective for what that's worth....:blah:
(TLDR: Long attempt at trying to explain why new people may not be getting into competing, and comps are going away)
Up here, it's poor management that caused many to go away. The contests that are well run have stuck around for years and have no problem getting a healthy field of teams.In my area several have dropped out in the last few years. The organizers often point the blame at lack of sponsors. But the organizers of the successful and long running comps think it's poor management and communication from the comps that drop out.
I don't put any "chemicals" in my BBQ. Who is putting chemicals in their BBQ?Cookie cutter bbq being served to judges being subconsciously trained to eat over seasoned, chemically augmented fare.
I don't put any "chemicals" in my BBQ. Who is putting chemicals in their BBQ?
I guess if you consider parkay and phosphates chemicals we have different definitions of chemicals.Parkay on ribs
Phosphates injected into briskets and butts..
It would be better to ask who isn’t putting chemicals in their bbq
I guess if you consider parkay and phosphates chemicals we have different definitions of chemicals.
And those 2 were used long before comp BBQ ever got put on tv.
That said, one thing I've discussed a few times with cooks and two organizers I know was how competition BBQ would be different if the contest supplied all of the meats. Would the playing field be more equal, or would the top teams still rise to the top because they have refined their cooking skills?