new BBQ team entering a comp

[Budwiser]

I am entering my first BBQ comp next weekend. Just wondering if any would would be willing to give some advice.

I told my team that the goal was to have the time management piece with all of our food cooked to the proper temp and turned in on time as the primary goal for the comp. As well as having fun.

I'm cooking on two Big Green eggs, two WSMs. and am bringing a weber kettle charcoal grill.

Thanks in adbace for any advice anyone is willing to give.

Brian

 

[ITBFQ]

Umm... have fun and stick to your time lines. Best advice I can give. When you get a call, you have my sympathies. You will be hooked.

 

[GreenDrake]

Advice, you NEVER want to be chasing meat. Plan to get the big meats done early, they can hot hold for hours. Don't race to cut steaming hot meat and toss it in the box, take your time. I get my boxes assembled ten to fifteen minutes before turn in, so I can assess, move, touch up and try to get it perfect.

 

[21234rick]

Did my first last year. Had the same goals as you. Everything cooked and on time. Have fun and talk to other teams. Let them know you are new. They will be very helpful. Good luck.

 

[EngineeredBBQ]

Even with reading and advise I had no idea what was going on in my first contest. Have a plan, prepare to be overwhelmed which what you are going to learn at your first event.

 

[Serious Hog]

We are a husband-wife team cooking on 18" WSMs. When we signed up for our first comp, the organizer told us not to be intimidated by all the giant rigs and smokers we'd see on the day of the event. He said just do your cook your way and you'll be fine. We did and we were, even took home a 3rd in Ribs and yes we were hooked after that. That organizer has since passed away, but the advice he gave has always stuck with us.

 

[cpw]

If you can do an entire practice cook this weekend, do it!

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Don't worry about what others are doing, keep to your own timeline.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors.

Never try something for the first time at a comp, without practicing it at home.

Goals....make turn ins and not to finish DAL.

 

[Dan - 3eyzbbq]

5 fires to manage can be tough. Trim it down if you can.

Trim your meat at home before the comp.

 

[ahill450]

TIMELINE,TIMELINE,TIMELINE!!!!!! Also make a checklist of all equipment and supplies and meats then check them off when loading them into your vehicle and one you have have it checked off and loaded, DON'T UNLOAD IT till you are at your cook site. Once you are there get to know everyone, the world of competition bbq is full of great people.

 

[tduffy]

I am entering my first BBQ comp next weekend. Just wondering if any would would be willing to give some advice.

I told my team that the goal was to have the time management piece with all of our food cooked to the proper temp and turned in on time as the primary goal for the comp. As well as having fun.

I'm cooking on two Big Green eggs, two WSMs. and am bringing a weber kettle charcoal grill.

Thanks in adbace for any advice anyone is willing to give.

Brian

Food cooked to proper tenderness instead of temp is my advice.

 

[TroyA65]

Let people know it's your 1st comp, there take good care of you and help you out if needed. That was my experience. Great folks at these comps!

 

[Rick757BBQ]

We did our first last fall. It gets in your blood quick. Stick to your timelines.

 

[ModelMaker]

Go to the KCBS website (www.kcbs.us) and read the 2016 rules today.
Chew on it overnight and re-read them tomorrow. If there is ANYTHING your not positive about come back here and ask.
Some of the biggest mistakes new teams make is not thoroughly knowing the rules.
Ed

 

[Skip]

Don't worry about what others are doing, keep to your own timeline.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors.

Never try something for the first time at a comp, without practicing it at home.

5 fires to manage can be tough. Trim it down if you can.

Trim your meat at home before the comp.

TIMELINE,TIMELINE,TIMELINE!!!!!! Also make a checklist of all equipment and supplies and meats then check them off when loading them Once you are there get to know everyone, the world of competition bbq is full of great people.

These people already said it. Set up your timeline and give yourself a buffer forward don't start something with a critical finish time.

Introduce yourself. Look for Brethren banners (fear the pig). We all love to help. This is the only competition where the best in the field could tell you everything, and some will, and still beat you. The recipe is only a part of the final product.

That's a lot of cookers as Dan said. Please know that you need them all or think of consolidating. Managing that many fires in your first comp will get you flustered.

Dans other bit of good advice is to trim at home. Prep all your meats so you don't have to do it on site but save your tags from the meat to show if asked. Not many ask but you may get a stickler.

Lastly remember to create a checklist of needed items. Don't pack your car like you are escaping the dust bowl but do go through your routine and detail all your equipment spices/sauces and other necessary components of your cook.

Good smokin' luck.

 

[Kave Dweller]

Don't worry what your neighbor is doing. Your plan and his plan aren't the same, so when he is wrapping don't think you should be too, cook your cook.

 

[TwilightChrome]

Trimming at home

Follow on question from another soon-to-be first-time competitor. Some folks have suggested trimming the meat at home. One person warned to bring the stickers from the meat just in case. What exactly are the rules surrounding trimming at home? On old episodes of BBQ Pitmasters it looks like they want to see original packaging on the meat, not meat that has been trimmed and then Saran wrapped at home. Thanks in advance for the clarification

 

[Skip]

Follow on question from another soon-to-be first-time competitor. Some folks have suggested trimming the meat at home. One person warned to bring the stickers from the meat just in case. What exactly are the rules surrounding trimming at home? On old episodes of BBQ Pitmasters it looks like they want to see original packaging on the meat, not meat that has been trimmed and then Saran wrapped at home. Thanks in advance for the clarification

The rules for KCBS do not specify. Most seasoned competitors trim at home. There is at least one sanctioning body that request USDA graded meat and it is this aspect that had me warn about bringing the tags. I remember a conversation where a competitor was asked for them when they had trimmed at home but that may have been an FBA contest. But we bring the tags anyway. We've never been asked for them though. Hope that clarifies.

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

Have a great time at your first comp. It's a load of fun and it gets better as you go along.
The above post give great comments so I will not write them again with the exception of saying have fun and don't forget to bring a fire extinguisher that meets or exceeds the requirements for the contest.

Good luck

 

[Budwiser]

thanks for all the advice!!! I didn't think I would get so much. I will come back up next week after the comp and let you know how it went!!!

Brian