Should there be a specific date to put in your entry?

[smoke ninja]

I havent done throwdowns, or posted many cook threads at all as of late but did enjoy doing them. as neat an ideal of of blind polling is remember the TD mods are donating time, they aren't even high paid like Ron or Bob. Let's try and make there lives easier, unless someone else wants to step up and run things.

Besides many brethren are going to be easily recognized even without their name on the entry. I mean who couldn't tell an ssv3 entry from the others. While polling is based on a single picture the cook thread gives insight and a good one tells a story. You cant do that well anonymously.

If we really want to give the TD mods extra work it should be for a bracket challenge throwdown lasting multiple weeks/entries. NCAA style single match elimination tourney, seeding could be based on previous TD wins. It would be epic and enough to get me back in the saddle.

[WilliamKY]

I've been in a few throw downs since I joined the Brethren and I've never come close to winning. That doesn't discourage me because I do it for fun. Yes I have a cheap 5yr old Android phone and I could always upgrade to a nice phone with high definition photos but I'm cheap and winning doesn't mean that much too me. I just like the camaraderie and fun of being in the throw downs. Have fun cooking and don't take it so seriously.

[LYU370]

Originally Posted by ssv3

This! I just use my Pixel3 xl cell phone for photos. Only reason the photos get better because phone cameras get better.

Got fancy DSLR's also but phone is way easier and practical. Unless I get into food photography. Just have fun with it and like Moose says, it's a crap shoot and anyone can win. Just check the TD threads.

And you can sometimes post RIDICULOUS entries!!! I entered a Brethren Inspired TD. Made a meat mug inspired by Gore that was made out of bacon and filled it with a Bloody Mary. A favorite Youtube inspired TD led to my attempt to cook a meteorite. I still couldn't make the chicken as black as the lady did on YT. That was a fun, drunken day! Did either of those entries win? Not by a longshot, but it was FUN!

Have FUN! Tell a story in a QTalk thread as you cook it. And post a pic in the TD thread!

[SmokeRingsMatter]

All you guys opinions are great. I like smoke ninja's idea to find a long standing member that would want to tackle taking on some of the TD load, so the challenges could be more regulated.



I get a lot of you like it the way it is, and to you its just for fun. And honestly, if i was planning on doing a similar cook around the time of said challenge, it wouldn't bother me if i crapped the bed, or won. But some challenges are expensive as hell. Especially Brisket that is not cheap in basicly any state not TX. So its hard to justify taking on that sort of challenge.


Please don't use payed members as a reason to discredit my opinions. It shouldn't matter why a member should have a voice, and for new members, its not very productive to have new members get more serious with the forum.

[Shiz-Nit]

Originally Posted by smoke ninja

I havent done throwdowns, or posted many cook threads at all as of late but did enjoy doing them. as neat an ideal of of blind polling is remember the TD mods are donating time, they aren't even high paid like Ron or Bob. Let's try and make there lives easier, unless someone else wants to step up and run things.

Besides many brethren are going to be easily recognized even without their name on the entry. I mean who couldn't tell an ssv3 entry from the others. While polling is based on a single picture the cook thread gives insight and a good one tells a story. You cant do that well anonymously.

If we really want to give the TD mods extra work it should be for a bracket challenge throwdown lasting multiple weeks/entries. NCAA style single match elimination tourney, seeding could be based on previous TD wins. It would be epic and enough to get me back in the saddle.

As said I would not wish extra work on them but the bracket idea is cool.
Maybe for once a year say a solid month leading up to super bowl.

[Shiz-Nit]

Originally Posted by SmokeRingsMatter

All you guys opinions are great. I like smoke ninja's idea to find a long standing member that would want to tackle taking on some of the TD load, so the challenges could be more regulated.



I get a lot of you like it the way it is, and to you its just for fun. And honestly, if i was planning on doing a similar cook around the time of said challenge, it wouldn't bother me if i crapped the bed, or won. But some challenges are expensive as hell. Especially Brisket that is not cheap in basicly any state not TX. So its hard to justify taking on that sort of challenge.


Please don't use payed members as a reason to discredit my opinions. It shouldn't matter why a member should have a voice, and for new members, its not very productive to have new members get more serious with the forum.

I understand what you’re saying about the cost of some of these throwdowns like brisket.
BUT... this is a BBQ forum and most people do like to eat, cook, talk about and look at special cuts like a brisket or a standing rib roast.
You also have to see there are plenty of other cost effective challenges like chicken, fruit, desert, burgers, fast-food, comfort food, tacos, sandwiches, bacon makes everything better, veggies, skewered, fish, appetizers, happy meal, potatoes, ribs and so on.
So actually there are more affordable options to cook throughout the year than high dollar ones.
It is nice to see some of these special cuts throughout the year for me personally.
I picked up a brisket on sale, put it in a backup fridge and wet aged it for a couple more weeks from the kill date and have it in the freezer now waiting for the next brisket throwdown.
Our mods do an exceptional job to not allowing like cooks to be done more than once per year.

Please do not take my above reply in a negative way as that is totally not my intent.
Sometimes when I read back what I type sounds different than if it would be if talking in person.

Also after doing some of these throwdowns I feel its kind of relaxing to me because I get away from the TV news, work and the chaotic thing known as everyday life. Cooking these just helps me wind down, enjoy a good meal with family and friends. I also feel like I am starting to make new friends on this forum because of cooking these throwdowns and posting pics of my food.

[lunchman]

When I first got the Bubba Keg, I entered a number of throwdowns over in that forum. One member would volunteer to be the email recipient for all the entries and then post the pics and poll at the same time. A major PITA for the small handful of volunteers and throwdowns became less frequent.

I prefer the method used here. If there's an early "ringer" entry, so be it. Just enter anyway.

Remember the whole purpose of this is to have FUN, not to be the throwdown champion of the world.

[Shagdog]

Originally Posted by SmokeRingsMatter

All you guys opinions are great. I like smoke ninja's idea to find a long standing member that would want to tackle taking on some of the TD load, so the challenges could be more regulated.



I get a lot of you like it the way it is, and to you its just for fun. And honestly, if i was planning on doing a similar cook around the time of said challenge, it wouldn't bother me if i crapped the bed, or won. But some challenges are expensive as hell. Especially Brisket that is not cheap in basicly any state not TX. So its hard to justify taking on that sort of challenge.


Please don't use payed members as a reason to discredit my opinions. It shouldn't matter why a member should have a voice, and for new members, its not very productive to have new members get more serious with the forum.

More regulated? I'm not even sure how to take that. Was there something that wasn't regulated properly that you're referring to? An example would be helpful please. We have a set of rules we go by. Entries not following the rules are DQed, and deadlines are hard and fast. Other than that, we just want everyone to have fun.



Look, first of all, this is for fun. Its not a competition. Sometimes we have prizes, sometimes we don't. Most of the guys who participate regularly will tell you, they don't care whether they get a prize or not. If you don't enter because you think someone else's entry is better, that's more of your own problem than a problem with the current format.



As to cost - Most the time we try to select things that people in a BBQ FORUM would be making anyway. Brisket is top of that list. We do prime rib at the holidays (and turkey) for a reason. Soups in winter, etc etc. We also have never had a lack of entries in a brisket throwdown, or had anyone complain about cost, mainly because if they didn't want to buy a brisket, they just didn't. There are usually multiple throwdowns running at once so people can pick and choose, and probably will be cooking some of what we have up anyway. We often have the categories basically open, maybe some theme like "a happy meal" which is just any meal that makes you happy. Pretty sure everyone can afford that one.



Just putting up a poll complete with links takes me over an hour. That's my lunch hour every Monday. My entire lunch hour. Expecting us to keep track of who entered what for multiple TDs at once over two week stretches just so we might get a couple more entries is kind of insane. I am not paid for this position, and I pay my own membership which comes with 100 PMs. There's no way I would ever agree to that. I doubt you would find anyone else who would be willing to do that either for more than a week or 2. And besides, if you know that your entry kind of sucks, or that you've seen better, wouldn't you know that people are still going to enter that caliber of work every week anyway and not enter because of the expectation? I mean, every week the entries are pretty much the same level of work, I do not understand how just not seeing them makes it better? Also, if there is a week with few or weak entries, it also motivates more people to enter, the exact opposite of what you're proposing. Not seeing entries could lead to far less and not as good entries if there is not visibility of what each other is doing. When I started I was entering Iphone snaps. Seeing what others entered motivated me to up my game, not to quit. I guess its up to you as to which path you choose.


I don't understand the last comment about payed members either. We give all members equal voice here. Many free members have won throwdowns. We also listen to and take all suggestions seriously. We typically take more of an overall consensus of all the regularly participating users and try to go with the way that the majority agree on. The TDs have evolved a lot over the years to better suit everyone involved and keep an even, and more importantly, fun, playing field.

[TravelingJ]

Is there a way to make Throw-downs show up more like a Forum Announcement? I always just hit "New Posts" and read from there. Skimming the titles, I often miss the throw-downs. While I'm not into competing, I'd like to view/vote more often, and seem to miss the posts.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by TravelingJ

Is there a way to make Throw-downs show up more like a Forum Announcement? I always just hit "New Posts" and read from there. Skimming the titles, I often miss the throw-downs. While I'm not into competing, I'd like to view/vote more often, and seem to miss the posts.

Interesting idea, but most folks miss the announcements as well

The TD mods post a notice in QT that will show up in New Posts, and that thread is bumped regularly. I'm not sure what else can be done, but I'll check with Phil in case he has ideas.

As far as the other comments, remember that this is supposed to be fun, and everyone approaches it differently. Yeah, for some seeing a great entry may turn them off, but for others, like me, seeing the entries as they come in gives me ideas and makes me want to create something "better". Better is in quotes since this is all subjective. my better may not be better to someone else, and any entry can win in any given week.

Finally, as someone who helped run the TDs for a few years, the TD Mods are doing a great job! We have a system that works. Yes, it's not perfect, and we welcome suggestions on how to improve it, but remember, those are just suggestions, and may or may not be implemented. That doesn't mean the suggestion wasn't appreciated!

[TravelingJ]

I hear ya. I'm sure it's more a matter of me not paying attention. I do really enjoy seeing these threads, even as a non-competitor. Something like a Burger throwdown, ends up with me having a handful of new ideas for burgers, etc.

[Moose]

A couple of years ago, I had the subforum description updated. It now reads, and please note the parts in bold that I added for emphasis:


Join us in the backyard for a fun bi-weekly photo contest and show off your BBQ creations! New categories are posted every other week, plus a special monthly category. Winners earn bragging rights, a Throwdown Certificate, prizes, and the chance to choose the next category. Some of our most talked about cooking techniques and recipes were given birth in the Throwdowns!

Note the word FUN and BBQ CREATIONS.This is such a big part of what the Throwdowns are about! Participants are posting THEIR creations to match a specific category. Yes, it's a contest, but the real fun is watching it unfold.


Which leads me to:


Some of our most talked about cooking techniques and recipes were given birth in the Throwdowns!

The nature of these competitions have led to new and creative recipes, cooking techniques, as well as creative takes on old favorites that have inspired many over the years.


The way I see it, the Throwdowns are a vehicle to inspire us to show our very best, and in turn, inspire others to do the same. I have become a better cook, a better photographer, and learned a LOT from the creativity demonstrated here, in addition to the camaraderie that we share.

[Moose]

Originally Posted by TravelingJ

Is there a way to make Throw-downs show up more like a Forum Announcement? I always just hit "New Posts" and read from there. Skimming the titles, I often miss the throw-downs. While I'm not into competing, I'd like to view/vote more often, and seem to miss the posts.

The vast majority of activity on this site takes place in Qtalk, of which the Throwdown is a subforum of.

Whenever I open up BBQ Brethren, I set it with my browser to open in Qtalk. Given that we have at least two throwdowns running at the same time, there is almost always a Throwdown announcement there on page 1, thanks to generous volunteers who help.

Maybe this might be a solution for you? You'll always see the most active threads on page one of Qtalk, which includes the current Throwdown announcements.

[LYU370]

Originally Posted by Moose

Some of our most talked about cooking techniques and recipes were given birth in the Throwdowns!

The nature of these competitions have led to new and creative recipes, cooking techniques, as well as creative takes on old favorites that have inspired many over the years.

For some reason, the Meteorite Chicken hasn't taken off yet. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...d.php?t=255007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPM7...outu.be&t=4m1s

[SmokeRingsMatter]

Originally Posted by LYU370

For some reason, the Meteorite Chicken hasn't taken off yet. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...d.php?t=255007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPM7...outu.be&t=4m1s

A classic. The comments are hilarious.
Hypno Prankster is my Fav.