New Competition-Need you imput

> Chicken(will be turned in as a half chicken-one breast, one wing, one thigh and one leg)


You might want to think about the logistics of judging this and perhaps change it to something like 8 chicken thighs....


> 1 Pork Shoulder

Need further definition. Meaning, 1 Picnic (aka. Shoulder), or 1 Whole Shoulder (includes the picnic and butt cuts)

Dessert? Really? Might as well have categories for slaw, another for brunswick stew, and perhaps another for....


Also, consider whether this is a BBQ contest, or a grilling contest. If grilling, might as well have steaks in there. If BBQ, honestly, do people BBQ sausages (I dont; I grill them, they're fantastic in Red Beans & Rice)? Chicken (again, I grill mine, even in KCBS contests, not BBQ'd at all from me)?

I'd say drop the dessert. Also I would say add charcoal briquettes. three whole chickens to get six samples seems a bit much to me. keith

This will be a fun thread to follow!

Sounds like a fun event to me.... As mentioned, dessert might be a bit too much but what the heck. The challenge, as I see it, is to see who really can "cook" with the restrictions in place. Something different and outside the box so to say. Cheers, and good luck with the event!!!

Sounds as if it would work. Hope to see if many are interested. I would be, as long as there is fire to cook on count me in.

Signature, I wasnt trying to be rude. My sincere apologies if it came off that way! I was trying to have you think through why you're having a contest (ie. what's the desired results) and have whatever type of contest it is that best meets your needs and hopefully gets you to achieve your desired results.

You're a sausage maker, yes? You're wanting to feature and promote your sausage, yes?

That's a great thing to do!!! Might I suggest a grilling contest and not a BBQ contest? Have steaks, perhaps chicken, and of course your wonderful sausage. I might even suggest 2 sausage categories; naked (ala. just sausage) and a sausage dish of some kind (whether sausage & peppers Italian style, or Red Beans & Rice w/Sausage Cajun style, etc.).

On the chickens though, think through judges having to pull pieces apart, each getting a different sample, etc. It usually doesn't work well. You're better off getting them to cook one particular cut and having them supply X number of them in the blind box.

You'd mentioned: see who is the best pit master. In my case anyway, you'd be mixing BBQ Pit master with Grill master... Briskets and pork shoulders [depending on which you define] are almost never grilled. Most great ribs aren't grilled either. Chicken, even if on a smoker, is usually done at much higher heat, but probably at least 50% of the time or more they're actually properly grilled, and I think most sausages are also grilled...

Suggest you make one exception for electronics and allow instant read thermometers (food safety)

Maybe allow your dessert to be turned in in a cast iron pot?

I really like Lake Dogs suggestions about making it more of a grilling contest. Might also open your audience up to more backyard cooks that don't have the confidence to do a full blown bbq competition cook yet. That to me would seem like smart business if you are trying to promote your sausage(s).

FWIW, my in-laws live in Tonganoxie so if you PM me your business info I will pass it along to them and I will be in the area towards the end of July and would love to give your stuff a try!

I will say I love the idea that its a stick burner contest only!

If you do a dessert I would not limit it to the same box. Desserts have a much broader range than bbq'd meats as far as size go. And because you can be a great pitmaster without ever having bbq'd a dessert IMHO it will lead to boring entries, because the cook will be hesitant to try something extravagant, and risk messing it up and hurting their overall scores. I think having open presentation in desserts leads to more flair and much more exciting entries. I hope any of that made sense.

I agree with Hance on the chicken. I would probably refuse to judge chicken if I 4-5 other judges had handled that chicken half before it got to me. That would be as bad as a contest I judged last year where a judge at my table brought his own fork. He used it to get his portion out of the box. The problem was he stuck it in his mouth to clean it off between boxes.

My other question would be if you are supplying all the meat, what would the entry fee be?

The one thing on desserts is if you don't state must be cooked on site they might bring a cake that was baked in an oven at home using electric. Just trying to think of all the gray areas. Other than that good luck with it.

I think you're approaching this wrong.

Will you insure all the chicken is uniform?
All the ribs have straight bones, good marbling, and are meaty?
Pork has a nice size MM and no packet gashes?
Briskets have nice thick flats, straight grain, good fat, good flop, and no gashes?
Probably not.

Have a balls out sausage contest on Saturday, you provide the sausage, maybe a PC, and a BBQ au natural on Sunday.

I can't imagine many would pay a $400 entry fee unless the payouts were very, very large.