Black people in Competition BBQ

[Bigmista]

Neil, I have to admit I have had the same question for quite a few years, but I figured my universe of experience was too narrow to even know if the question was valid. You cook mostly CA and some AZ. I cook mostly AZ and some CA, so we have a pretty similar sample (although your is broader and more frequent).

Locally, I know of a few black barbecuers that do NOT compete at all, but do cook socially and for family. Plus, the best (by far IMO) local Q joint is run by a black family and I think he/they have no interest in entering competitions.

I have not read all the responses yet, but would be curious what sort of participation you would be looking for (in %s of competitors I supopose)

I don't know that there is a specific percentage but I would like to see more than there is currently. LakeDogs pulled out 1. Out of all the teams in Florida.

I think reaching out to get them to judge is a cheaper and more accessible route to get involved. Maybe more judging classes w/ some of them being in Urban areas could be the ticket. How much do judging classes run per person?

 

[bignburlyman]

I don't know that there is a specific percentage but I would like to see more than there is currently. LakeDogs pulled out 1. Out of all the teams in Florida.

I think reaching out to get them to judge is a cheaper and more accessible route to get involved. Maybe more judging classes w/ some of them being in Urban areas could be the ticket. How much do judging classes run per person?

This was a class from the Great American BBQ in Overland Park KS

Check One:
KCBS member price: $65 ________________
KCBS non-member price: $95 ______________​

*with the nonmember price – you receive 1 year KCBS membership

This seems a little high to me, I think the Kansas Winter Q in Feb 2011 was $65 or $70 which included the KCBS membership fee.

 

[yelonutz]

No charge for IBCA contests but cooks always complain about new or inexperienced judges (KCBS and IBCA).

NUTZ

 

[JiveTurkey]

BBQ comps are a lot like camping and I bet if you go camping on any given weekend you won't find many black families either. It's probably more of a culture thing than anything else.

Second to that is money. It's not cheap to compete and since minorities have taken the biggest hit in this busted economy there are probably a lot of people not being represented right now.

 

[Bigdog]

I was at a competition where I walked up to a guy that looked like his dog had died, and his wife looked like she had killed it. I asked what was going on and he said he had gotten his scores on ribs and it was all 5's and 6's. I was stunned at that alone. but, hey, maybe it was bad. He asked me to taste them. They were about the best purest example of ribs I have ever eaten, texture and flavor were spot on; and that was after judging eating cold ribs from a pan. They were porky, peppery, tender, I mean, a revelation and he got hammered. I told him I gladly would have paid $20 for a plate of those ribs.

His wife, he said, was angry as they had put over $400 into the competition for DAL. His solution was that he wasn't gonna compete anymore. $400 was too much to pay for DAL. I asked him if he had tasted other folks BBQ, and offered to help him reach out, he said he hadn't. But everyone told him he needed to add more sweet and heat. He decided he would just keep cooking for his family.

This guys brisket and pulled pork, maybe top 10 in what I have ever had, his ribs, maybe top 3, he cooked better than I can. He felt the flavors the judges wanted just weren't his.

And kinda on the same note, I learned to eat BBQ from all the Mom and Pop black BBQ joints here in Wichita and let me tell you, their stuff is far better IMHO than most of the stuff that gets turned in to a typical Midwest KCBS BBQ contest. It is different, it is spicy, greasy, salty, peppery and delicious. In the words of my friend BigMista, "they are savory." Not the sweet stuff you do at most contests. They are making good money selling it, working hard and successful. So why would they want to waste their time and money and compete? They are good and their cusuomers already know it.

And my theory on the backyard BBQers is that they are laid back, and only want to cook what they want to cook and when they want to cook it. Why the heck to they want to go to a contest when they have to do it a certain way and turn it in on such a tight schedule? BBQ is sole food for them to be enjoyed and shared with family and friends in a relaxed environment.

My .02 MMV:thumb:

 

[huminie]

I don't really know the answer to this, but I have to wonder if it has something to do with BBQ being a very personal, traditional and family heritage type of cooking for many black people. When you grew up on a certain style of food and learned to cook it from your parents who learned from your grandparents who learned from your great grandparents etc etc, and your family loves to eat your food...why do you need to pay to have some strangers criticize it?

I have seen several black teams at contests, some very successful caterers who placed poorly. If BBQ is deeply engrained in your heritage, it must hurt like hell to cook such wonderful BBQ and have it ripped by the judges.

Most of us who have had some success know that you don't go out and cook the BBQ you and your family/friends like, you cook what the judges are looking for. It may not be the best BBQ, but it is what the judges are expecting. How do you change your grandpa's recipe and compromise something so personal to you just to try and please some strangers? We all know the most satisfying "win" is when you have fed a group of hungry friends and family and everyone gushes over how great it is. Why trade that in for paying to be in a contest and not doing well?

Again, I don't know if this is the case, but I could see it playing a big part in it.

And all that said, I think we can all do a better job of encouraging folks of all colors and cultural backgrounds to join our ranks. Why not take a newbie under your wing and show them everything you do? They might realize that what we do is not so hard after all and may give it a shot themselves. You can also go out of your way to seek out a first time team at the contests you go to and ask if they have any questions or want any advice. Many will pick your brain on things like how to time their cooking to make their turn ins. It is a great opportunity to encourage them and help make their first experience a lot of fun. They may still come in at the bottom, but your willingness to help them may make the difference between them having a lot of fun in the process or giving up and never coming back.

Just some things to think about.

 

[Greendriver]

I have personally spent a good amt of time with two guys I know and tried my dame dest to convince them to cook our local KCBS contest and neither one of them had any interest at all in doing so. One guy a is customer and I have talked to him the most and he caters some ribs and catfish, the other guy married a gal I went to school with and has ran a BBQ restaurant for about 30+ yrs and has two going now. They both just kinda laughed at the idea but I was serious about convincing them to give it a shot. I felt the the customer might have been afraid the cost of doing it would be too great and the Restaurant guy, I just felt he might not be willing to do it in the town his business was in because he wouldn't want bad carma on his business in case he didn't do well. I don't know either to be true, just a guess.

 

[Matt_A]

Neil, perhaps you might need to start a children's program at a community center. Focus on the core knowledge and skills the kid's will need to be good at BBQ cooking. Once they're at a point that they have a basic understanding of what they're doing, introduce them to competition by having a Kids Q type event at the community center or in a city park.

 

[Matt_A]

Maybe more judging classes w/ some of them being in Urban areas could be the ticket. How much do judging classes run per person?

Judging classes start out at a base rate from KCBS. I don't remember for certain but I think it's $50 /person. The contest organizer that hosts the class usually upcharges $20 to $40 so they can make some money from the class, sometimes that money goes to paying the venue fees where the class is held. $50 or more can be a tall hurdle for some people, but you won't walk away from the judging class hungry! I paid $70 for my class, non KCBS students paid $90 and got a KCBS membership with it.

 

[deguerre]

My personal opinion is that the flavor profiles for KCBS and probably other orginazitions has gone so far from what the original intent of what "Good BBQ Is" that it no longer makes sense to compete. Somebody making GREAT Q' just wont place well.

 

[chad]

Neil, I've wondered that too and talked with a few solo and black teams over the years and there is no solid answer.
Around here there are quit a few really good black owned BBQ joints and none of them compete. They might vend a festival but won't do a comp.
I don't think it's purely economic but maybe a pride thing. It takes a lot of humble pie to show up at a comp - those of us that have done it have had our heads handed to us more than once.

 

[bigsapper]

This guy has IMHO the best BBQ in DFW...
http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/2009/08/meshacks-bar-b-que-shack.html

I work a few minutes from his joint. I'll have to ask him next time I'm by there about competition bbq.

 

[Pickin' Porkers]

I never worry about such a thing. HOWEVER, let's include all other races in the world...where are the Mexicans, Indians, Asians (other than the one people love to pick on), Mulatto's....Geesh...let's not forget the Russians....Middle East Indians, the list can go on. Let's include the older farts like me....the teens....handicapped....bottom line is..why does race or a group of people always have to be an issue at some point?

BUT, since we're talking black....in one contest we were cooking in....a group of black guys set up behind us and constructed a block pit the way BBQ SHOULD be prepared and a burn barrel. After watching these guys work their butts off I decreed they would have the best Q in the 70 team event. I ate my share before turn ins and swore it beat mine. Unfortunately as judging has it....we won pork and they came in the middle of the pack...what a shame. I wonder if there was some discrimination happening there.....(I heard thru the grapevine that was their feeling). After a while, you get sick of playing the cards.....or even hearing about the cards....

 

[HoDeDo]

Neil and I fooled all kinds of folks in to thinking I was his older ( and shorter, and fatter) brother. Wait til they find out I'm white!!!

I think getting more of any ethnic group involved would mean being able to make it relevent to that person, and thier circles. If there are not events at venues that cater to other ethnic backgrounds, and charities, and communities.... I think you have a tough time getting folks to want to spend money to do it.... I think if you get a real introduction into those other communities, you get a better shot at bringing in all the ethnic groups. Cali seems to have the most diverse BBQ scene, Black, Asian, Mexican, etc. IS that based on how CBBQA markets to folks? or how other BBQ assoc. market out there, or what drives the diversity?

Someone mentioned folks using the disposable income to compete... and I would say that is true with some teams... I would say that some of us just make a choice to not own a boat, lake house, a bunch of fishin gear, or hunting equip.... etc... or pay for co-ed softball league, or a country club membership, etc... Lots of people without 6 figure incomes do all the above.... in our case, we have chosen to invest our monies we might put towards recreation into BBQ. We have grown our supply of gear over the years, and now cook progressively more than we did in the beginning... I cook 20 ish weekends a year. I do it with my own money, and we give up other things to do it.... and it is a part of my family, and our lives... the people, the places, the activities... if I couldnt afford to cook, I would still find some way to be active - because for us it is about the community. So Neil... to come back to your question.... find a way to market the things that make it relevant in all communities and it will grow.

You met my friend Allen I believe... he isnt really interested in doing the competing, but he loves the environment, and people. He came and hung out with us all weekend at the royal, and hung out with the Belly Bros too, just sittin around the fire. BUT, I can see him getting sucked into the competiton too... just a matter of time. So maybe that is part of it too... it is a gradual process to go from outside, to spectator, to in the mix... to wanting to put the apron on yourself.... I grew up around the comps and parties and amazing folk, so it was a no brainer that I was going to have something to do with competition BBQ. Probably just have to find a way to break in and get some mindshare. What made you get interested in the comps? outside of just becoming a better cook and loving BBQ... did this board drive you to some of the decisions? or what were the things that tipped you down the path you have taken.

 

[bookie]

When I look at competition BBQ on TV, it seems like all I see are teams with brand new super duty pickups towing fancy trailers full of expensive equipment, and I wonder how they can afford to do these competitions. Then it occurs to me, they have lots of money from other endeavors, and the BBQ competitions are mostly for fun -- or ego. And, since they have lots of money to compete with, they have enough money to win with. It's easy to cross home plate if you are starting on third base.

I could be all wrong, but in my 50 years of life, I find that the best way to win in anything, is to have deep pockets to start with. So, there are probably a lot of fantastic BBQ cookers, of all races, who will never show up on the competition circuit, because they can't afford to compete -- and lose.

If you make six-figures at your day job, you can afford to spend money coming in 15th place at a competition.

I think a lot of good cooks don't compete because they just plain can't afford to compete.

CD

I was considering trying the competition side, but the minimum costs added way up.
I registered for a backyard contest and when I arrived I saw the equipment the other amateurs had I just turned around and went home.

 

[bam]

I agree :clap2

BBQ comps are a lot like camping and I bet if you go camping on any given weekend you won't find many black families either. It's probably more of a culture thing than anything else.


Neil it's the camping thing. :thumb: A one day event you would see more teams.

 

[Pigs on Fire]

I'd like to see more black people in Competition BBQ. Anyone have any ideas on how to make that happen? I think this group of the population is severely under represented. This question is for folks that compete and folks that don't. I really want to hear your thoughts.

It's like anything else. It's a culture thing. There's some black folks in Comp BBQ.

You notice how there's no fat white guys with thick southern accents at these friggin' "Occupy _____" events? It's because we don't want to sit around in the rain, growing a beard with our black, horn-rimmed glasses and nasty skull cap on, living in a tent unbathed for a week.

We want to eat some good food, sit on the couch, drink beer and watch Glenn Beck.

 

[Capozzoli]

When I had my first taste of real BBQ it was in a historically "Black Town" Lawnside NJ, there is a strip of BBQ joints there and they are all fricken awesome. With big giant trailer smokers outside. They are all so nice too. It is like a little slice of southern hospitality up here in NJ. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Only places I would pay for Q I can tell you.

No idea why none of them compete, at least not that I know of, and I dont compete either and have no desire.

...but I do wear black horned rim glasses.

 

[bam]

When I had my first taste of real BBQ it was in a historically "Black Town" Lawnside NJ, there is a strip of BBQ joints there and they are all fricken awesome. With big giant trailer smokers outside. They are all so nice too. It is like a little slice of southern hospitality up here in NJ. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Only places I would pay for Q I can tell you.

No idea why none of them compete, at least not that I know of, and I dont compete either and have no desire.

...but I do wear black horned rim glasses.

My uncle Louis was pit man in lawnside. :thumb:

 

[speedrcer1]

Neil, I honestly did not notice.
If someone is into Que enough to compete, I want to say hello and shake their hand.
Regardless of who or what they are.
I've met people of means, people who struggle to put together the fees, and people who do it because they think it will get them somewhere. I respect them all.

Just sayin.