It's pretty much a flavor contest, the more flavors you can pack into a single bite, the better you'll score so long as those flavors are balanced and yet taste like "good bbq". You can only pack so much flavor cooking "simple traditional" bbq so yes.. over spiced, injected food will usually score better. If you are going to be a bbq competitor you have to accept this mindset and even better.. enjoy and appreciate the food you are turning in. Not trying to be rude but with your current mindset you will limit yourself and stay frustrated. These comps cost too much money and are too much work to not truly enjoy them and make the best of it.
Like the idea of competition BBQ, but don’t like what it actually is
- Thread starter Q_Done_Right
- Start date
Rusty Kettle
Babbling Farker
Snarky posts lately? Clearly you have not been around for some of the Rusty Kettle beat downs where I get chewed out by an angry mob.:twitch:
In all seriousness, sounds to me like he got his arse kicked and is whining about it. We all have taken arse whoopings in comp. I am still getting my arse whooped as I make the move from amateur to pro. Its part of the game. Got to just pick yourself up and dust yourself off and say where did we fail to do our job. Stop blaming everyone else for your shortcomings as a cook. You only make progress when you start looking at yourself. You are cooking for judges not yourself. Cook what they want not what you may want.
As far as sweet rib candy, not everyone is doing it like Trigg. Well cooked meat wins every time. Sweet can and does win. I have heard from multiple teams that to win balance is key and also from other teams that packing every bit of flavor into one bite is key. Oh and don't forget the cook to not offend camp. All winning approaches when the cook is a good cook.
Comp bbq is more complicated than dumping some sweet stuff all over it. It takes alot of work and if it didn't taste good we wouldn't make it.
Sweet is not the only way to win. Cook the meat well and you will win.
Do I amp things up for comp? Sure we all do. Do I cook differently at home? Starting too. Why? Because I am gaining weight far to quickly. 46 lbs gained in less than a year. At this rate in about 5-6 years I will be over 500 lbs literally or dead.
I have two kids I can't eat comp bbq all the time. It will kill me. So I have to water it down at home.
I only recently started to do this because of rapid weight gain. If I could do it without dieing or being 500 lbs well I would eat every meal every day comp bbq style.
Comments like "real and true bbq" kind of piss everyone off. Your not going to get nice comments or friendly discussion. Its like he is calling comp bbq fake and not real bbq. Sure looks like he is looking down his nose at comp bbq.
Bbq is different region to region. No such thing as "real or true bbq"
As far as the barbecue family goes. They are a great bunch of people.
One fellow helped me put up my tent when I had no idea how it worked.
One fellow helped me break down my tent in a storm. He didn't have to but he jumped in and helped. I have been invited to multiple events from another fellow. Helped teach me some stuff that improved my cooking greatly. Invited me up to a practice cook. Had me go up to an event and watch him cook. I learned alot from that.
Got free beer from multiple teams. On many occassions.
free drinks everywhere I have gone and people just start talking and having a good time even if we just met.
In some of the snarky comments there is usually good advice. You just have to use your brain to find it. Maybe not in my potato comment but in alot of them there is good information.
Potato.
EngineeredBBQ
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2015
- Location
- Gillette
I must be weird, I really enjoy my “comp bbq” my friends and family ask me to cook it for them all the time, they just call it “Bbq”, so I guess they like it too? Fights break out for the comp leftovers too lol.
This thread must have really gotten to me. Last night I dreamed I was forced into a brisket-only comp and took 7th place out of 16 teams. I was running around throwing a hissy fit because there was no way there were six other briskets better than mine.
I need to quit eating Pringles right before bed.
I need to quit eating Pringles right before bed.
This may be the first time that 'rubric' has been used on this forum :becky:
Don't judge all comp cooks by a few snarky responses. One of the big reasons we are still cooking competitions is the BBQ family. I agree that folks tend to be more snarky in here, and I think part of it is a defensive reaction when they feel that something they enjoy or even love is being 'attacked'. I put attacked in ' ' because it really wasn't an attack. The OP was expressing his opinion, and as you mentioned, he is entitle to do that. But, others are also entitle to express their opinions, and some choose to do do that different that maybe you or I would. Some of the posts in this thread (and others) are borderline personal attacks, but most are within our rules, whether I like how they were written or not.
Now, back on topic :becky:
I do cook differently at home than at competitions, but it's not because I don't like my comp food. I cook differently at home to get something different :-D We do 10-14 comps a year and get tired of 'BBQ' pretty quickly, so doing things differently at home gives me a chance to play with fire, but get a different result.
midwest_kc
is one Smokin' Farker
When I started doing comps, I didn't like our "comp BBQ" either. Then, I got better at it, and I do really like it now. Turns out, it was the cook, not the style.
That being said, we're still just OK at this thing. We're getting better, but never won a GC, or RGC. Got our first 180 (a perfect perfect) at our last comp last year, so that was a great way to end the season. Took Brad and Tim's class here in KC back in January, and are chomping at the bit to go out there this year.
I get that it may not be your thing, and that's fine. Doesn't have to be. However, for many of us in this section of this message board, it is. It takes most of our time and money, for little other than that BBQ Family, and the fun of getting out and burning some meat a few weekends a year (or most weekends for some people). We normally stay in the MO/KS area, but if you ever find yourself out here, stop by a comp on Friday night, and have a couple beers. We'd love to have you.
That being said, we're still just OK at this thing. We're getting better, but never won a GC, or RGC. Got our first 180 (a perfect perfect) at our last comp last year, so that was a great way to end the season. Took Brad and Tim's class here in KC back in January, and are chomping at the bit to go out there this year.
I get that it may not be your thing, and that's fine. Doesn't have to be. However, for many of us in this section of this message board, it is. It takes most of our time and money, for little other than that BBQ Family, and the fun of getting out and burning some meat a few weekends a year (or most weekends for some people). We normally stay in the MO/KS area, but if you ever find yourself out here, stop by a comp on Friday night, and have a couple beers. We'd love to have you.
midwest_kc
is one Smokin' Farker
Also, while I don't always cook comp bbq flavors at home, I always cook that "style" as in wrapping meats, cooking to that tenderness, etc. I frequently will do comp flavors, but everyone wants something a little different sometimes, so maybe I'll use mexican flavors on a pork butt and make nachos, etc.
cynfulsmokersbbq
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2011
- Location
- Wapello...
There ended up being a lot of information in these posts. A lot of good definitions of BBQ, Competition BBQ, and Back Yard BBQ.
Personally, I love Competition BBQ, I love Comp Chili, I love Comp Steaks... I think people put a different effort into competition products, and I appreciate and enjoy the flavors that they effort brings out.
The reason many bbq places owned by Competitive cooks can't always do Competition Q style include time and money. When we are cooking for 1500 people at a huge BBQ and Blues event, we place 120 racks of ribs in the smokers, We just don't have the time or personnel to wrap mid cook, and process every rack of rib.
Personally, I love Competition BBQ, I love Comp Chili, I love Comp Steaks... I think people put a different effort into competition products, and I appreciate and enjoy the flavors that they effort brings out.
The reason many bbq places owned by Competitive cooks can't always do Competition Q style include time and money. When we are cooking for 1500 people at a huge BBQ and Blues event, we place 120 racks of ribs in the smokers, We just don't have the time or personnel to wrap mid cook, and process every rack of rib.
erichasaces
Take a breath!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2014
- Location
- Conroe, TX
Exactly. The three main reasons I see to not cook my comp recipes would be:
1. Time - I don't always want to take the time to break down a pork butt, wrap it, etc.
2. Money - All those injections, rubs, honeys, and sauces cost a lot money. Not to mention the more expensive meats. That's probably the main reason restaurants aren't doing it.
3. Bored - I have played around at home and small catering gigs with completely different flavor profiles and techniques. Not because I think they are better, but because I get tired of eating this stuff 20+ weeks a year. So yeah, maybe a spicy rib, or some Chile lime chicken at home.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/search.php?searchid=3659610
:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
FWIW, I like our competition food best, except that after something like 170 contests it tastes too much like work.
There is exactly one commercial BBQ place I get wound up about visiting.
There's an old saying, "If you only want to cook your own style of food, be prepared to make your own style of trophies." That was even funnier when one person did exactly that, but that's another story.
Competition BBQ will meet you wherever you are. If you want to go and have a good time at a contest, hang out, drink beer, make friends, and happen to also be cooking, that's great. There's plenty of that to be had. It's a hell of a cover charge for something you could be doing in your driveway, but whatever floats your boat.
If you want to go to a competition to actually compete, though, you are going to have to learn what wins and to emulate that. I don't know of a single endeavor where you can walk in, dictate your own preference, and expect to change the competition to suit you.
RedFlowerBBQ
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2017
- Location
- Upland, CA
It would be easy to say "I don't really see the point in competing in drag racing. The cars can't even drive on the street. I have a Corvette that can be driven anywhere and everyone on the streets likes it and my family loves it and we've always had Corvettes forever." And you could maybe put your Corvette on a drag strip on the weekends against a dragster and get 56th out of 59 teams. A few dragsters are bound to blow their engine every weekend. Or if you get a handicap you may even beat the top drag racer on a bad day.
Competition BBQ is like the drag racing of BBQ without your reaction time having to be a split second. You have to be consistent every time. You only get 1 shot to execute. And, even if you are a better cook, or have a better cooker etc, there are a bunch of other variables that you have to NAIL to get it right. And even then, you can be John Force and get beat on any given weekend by a guy in a Corvette (or a mini van). Maybe you pulled the ribs 15 minutes too early or pulled the burnt ends a half hour before they were rendered perfectly. That can cost you a few points and end up being the difference in winning hundreds or thousands of dollars.
What a lot of people underestimate is how talented a lot of these comp guys are. Unlike drag racing, there is this subjective variable of blind judging that is literally unmanageable. In drag racing, there is some handicapping, but whoever gets to the finish line first wins. In comps, once your food gets to the finish line, it basically sits for 15 minutes to cool down and then gets eaten and critiqued by strangers with very little or no feedback. It's no coincidence that these top guys win consistently.
What it sounds like to me is that you like to cook at home and your BBQ probably puts a ton of smiles on your guests' faces. That's awesome. You are probably going to be best served staying in your own back yard and keeping your friends and neighbors smiling. The chances of you doing well against folks that are serious and consistent and spend thousands of dollars and hours every year on competing are slim to none. That's not a bad thing, but don't be surprised if you show up for one backyard comp and get blown out of the water.
Comp BBQ is easy to think it's silly. You are spending a lot of money for a slim chance at getting it back and an even slimmer chance at winning more (sometimes lots more). You're trying to please 24 people you've never met nor do you care much about. You can go on and on. But if you were as good as the guys that win, you'd love it as much too!
Competition BBQ is like the drag racing of BBQ without your reaction time having to be a split second. You have to be consistent every time. You only get 1 shot to execute. And, even if you are a better cook, or have a better cooker etc, there are a bunch of other variables that you have to NAIL to get it right. And even then, you can be John Force and get beat on any given weekend by a guy in a Corvette (or a mini van). Maybe you pulled the ribs 15 minutes too early or pulled the burnt ends a half hour before they were rendered perfectly. That can cost you a few points and end up being the difference in winning hundreds or thousands of dollars.
What a lot of people underestimate is how talented a lot of these comp guys are. Unlike drag racing, there is this subjective variable of blind judging that is literally unmanageable. In drag racing, there is some handicapping, but whoever gets to the finish line first wins. In comps, once your food gets to the finish line, it basically sits for 15 minutes to cool down and then gets eaten and critiqued by strangers with very little or no feedback. It's no coincidence that these top guys win consistently.
What it sounds like to me is that you like to cook at home and your BBQ probably puts a ton of smiles on your guests' faces. That's awesome. You are probably going to be best served staying in your own back yard and keeping your friends and neighbors smiling. The chances of you doing well against folks that are serious and consistent and spend thousands of dollars and hours every year on competing are slim to none. That's not a bad thing, but don't be surprised if you show up for one backyard comp and get blown out of the water.
Comp BBQ is easy to think it's silly. You are spending a lot of money for a slim chance at getting it back and an even slimmer chance at winning more (sometimes lots more). You're trying to please 24 people you've never met nor do you care much about. You can go on and on. But if you were as good as the guys that win, you'd love it as much too!
Porcine Perfection
is One Chatty Farker
Funny, I was getting ready to use this drag racing analogy in an opposite way. I wish it was more like drag racing with multiple divisions. Your Corvette won't beat a TF funny car, but if you race something in the same class then that evens the field. You need to go to the strip and check out bracket racing one night. A lot more to it than just fast cars. I also wish all comps provided meats, as that would make everyone race on the same tires.
masque13
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- May 19, 2014
- Location
- Somerset...
lots of good points made in this thread.
here's something that is frustrating but also a challenge I welcome for us;
we/I love comps....I grew up playing sports and love the thrill of competition, even with something as subjective as the taste of food. it still gets my juices flowing I guess.
but what I have learned is that competition BBQ is just like any other "sport", the more you do it, the more you put into it, the more you study it, the more passionate you are about it, the higher your chances are that you get good at it and have success.
we've been pretty fortunate in that we know cook good food and have gotten a call in every contest we've cooked in but 1......and gotten multiple calls in another.
BUT, we have not been able to put it all together for all 4 meats in 1 contest and win a grand. will we ever do that? I would like to think so, in time.
BUT, one of the things I know we are facing is this, our time to practice and the number of comps we do is limited. My primary teammate lives 45 miles away and we just simply cannot get together to experiment and practice like we would like. We have gone to one prominent school that helped ALOT and want to do more, but time and money keeps us from having done more yet.
When I go to comps, I see teams that have huge rigs, and indoor facilities, they cook 15-25 contests per year, they do cook schools, they win alot, they have their own sauces and rubs to sell etc.....etc......etc.. and I know that no matter how much I think I know, I know less and I am less experienced than those folks.....so to win, I have to have my best day and they have to have an off day or get on the TOD or some other thing like that.
BUT, I accept that and I still want to be a part of the community. I love the world of BBQ comps and I am thankful to be out doing it again this year, all be it, in a very limited fashion. I know that my entry fee is mostly just helping pay the bills for the event and pay the winners......BUT, one day, maybe that will be me/us, because I do care enough to try to be the best I can and eventually I will have enough time and experience and comps under my belt to regularly compete for grands.
But until that time comes, I am still gonna go out there and have fun and enjoy meeting other great folks along the way. I wish I could do more than what i do, but I'll take what i can get for now.
here's something that is frustrating but also a challenge I welcome for us;
we/I love comps....I grew up playing sports and love the thrill of competition, even with something as subjective as the taste of food. it still gets my juices flowing I guess.
but what I have learned is that competition BBQ is just like any other "sport", the more you do it, the more you put into it, the more you study it, the more passionate you are about it, the higher your chances are that you get good at it and have success.
we've been pretty fortunate in that we know cook good food and have gotten a call in every contest we've cooked in but 1......and gotten multiple calls in another.
BUT, we have not been able to put it all together for all 4 meats in 1 contest and win a grand. will we ever do that? I would like to think so, in time.
BUT, one of the things I know we are facing is this, our time to practice and the number of comps we do is limited. My primary teammate lives 45 miles away and we just simply cannot get together to experiment and practice like we would like. We have gone to one prominent school that helped ALOT and want to do more, but time and money keeps us from having done more yet.
When I go to comps, I see teams that have huge rigs, and indoor facilities, they cook 15-25 contests per year, they do cook schools, they win alot, they have their own sauces and rubs to sell etc.....etc......etc.. and I know that no matter how much I think I know, I know less and I am less experienced than those folks.....so to win, I have to have my best day and they have to have an off day or get on the TOD or some other thing like that.
BUT, I accept that and I still want to be a part of the community. I love the world of BBQ comps and I am thankful to be out doing it again this year, all be it, in a very limited fashion. I know that my entry fee is mostly just helping pay the bills for the event and pay the winners......BUT, one day, maybe that will be me/us, because I do care enough to try to be the best I can and eventually I will have enough time and experience and comps under my belt to regularly compete for grands.
But until that time comes, I am still gonna go out there and have fun and enjoy meeting other great folks along the way. I wish I could do more than what i do, but I'll take what i can get for now.
Right on Q
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2014
- Location
- Olive...
I'm not sure that having contests supply meat would even the playing field much. I think the top teams would still rise to the top.
Is it frustrating that the top teams can buy multiple SRF briskets, pick the one they want to cook each week and grind the rest into ground beef? YES! But the same teams would win regardless.
If you put me and Jimmy Stewart in the exact same car and told us to race he would win every time no matter how much I practiced. (Eventually I might catch him in experience)
(I'm not a NASCAR fan and I just pulled Jimmy's name bc he wins alot)
(Got Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart mixed up
Meant Jimmy Johnson)
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K-Train
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2011
- Location
- Edgewate...
I don't know about NASCAR but Jimmy Stewart was a heck of an actor. Lol
Blanton
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2012
- Location
- Twin Cities
Now there is a Love Child for you. I'm giving 100 to 1 he doesn't even finish the race next weekend :biggrin1:
cynfulsmokersbbq
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2011
- Location
- Wapello...
RedFlowerBBQ
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2017
- Location
- Upland, CA
This is great, I totally agree. Time and money is a big constraint, and it is a huge investment of both. And a lot of guys that have put their time in still have bad beats or losing streaks. The classes help a ton with the learning curve, but they aren't cheap either (and are still worth their weight in gold).
That being said, there are a lot of great people in the comp BBQ scene that will kick your tail and have a beer and a good chat. What I also like is that even though those guys are consistently better, on a good day you can always beat them. Usually they just beat you in the other 2 or 3 lol.
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
I've never had comp chili but my wife has and she said the winning entry is always sweet?!?
is that what you mean?
