Spritz, mop, wrap, inject, brine?!?! WTH?!?!

[Bamabuzzard]

I love having a bone or two of our turn in ribs... but they are definitely way too over-flavored for what I'd sit down and eat a slab of. That IS what generally wins any reasonably competitive competition though.

How have you fared thus far with your approach? Definitely not trying to discourage anyone from doing their own thing if it's working for em! :thumb:

This is what I'm talking about. You actually LIKE what you cook. Granted it is over seasoned to sit down and eat a plate full of it. But you like it. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about someone that actually doesn't even like one bite of what they've cooked.

We've only done one contest and didn't place. We're nothing more than backyard cookers who'll probably only do a handful of contest per year. We're trying to find that "place" in our cooking that we can say (like you) "Hey, this is good stuff! Too seasoned to eat an entire plate but it's still good." That's what we're trying to find. :thumb:

 

[The Virginian]

Yes

Yes, people who win tend to do those things. Its a contest based on one bite to judges, you make it as tender perfect and tasty intense as you possibly can.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Let me put it this way. I may not be anywhere as good as any of these fellows at cooking comp bbq but I don't like my ribs they are too sweet. They did much better for us. I know exactly what you mean as that is how I thought. Why cook something you don't like? Well do it once cook it the way these guys are telling you and get just one call. Heck even a call in the top ten. You will be hooked and there is very little in life for me that is more satisfying. It is an amazing feeling. The friends, the food, the excitement, the booze. It all is so much better in a competition. It may not make sense right now but it will. I lost last year at a contest my best backyard bbq recipes all my own and they lost. I have spent almost a year since then working on it. I have changed a lot but I did wind up keeping my sauce and sweetening it up. It did so much better. I can't wait only a few more weeks and we are going to be at the contest we lost. Time for redemption and I am going to serve them what I consider the sweetest most over the top flavor packed to the point of making me sick bbq that I can make. Why? I want to win that's why. I am competing to win not to feed myself or my friends or my family. I am sure I will make friends with the judges after the contest but you get what I am saying if I want a pat on the back I can load up pans of bbq and take it to work or get friends and family to come over and I don't have to pay for it other than food. Trust me friends and family will love most things you love judges well they won't. It will make more sense when you get a call. Sweeten it up. Listen just for one contest and you will understand then. I didn't get it until this past weekend. I think the only way to wrap your head around it is to do it. You seem like a nice guy and I really want you to succeed. I am still new to this myself. After this past weekend it makes so much more sense. I think a lot of these guys have been doing this for so long it is just second nature to them. I am still new but trust me they are right it needs to be the most flavor packed over the top stuff you can make. I still have a lot of growing to do myself. Try it once and you will understand what I am saying.

 

[tduffy]

I like everything I turn in. I just couldn't eat a lot of it. But I'm fat and that's prolly a good thing. so maybe comp meat is the new diet fad?

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I like everything I turn in. I just couldn't eat a lot of it. But I'm fat and that's prolly a good thing. so maybe comp meat is the new diet fad?

I think it may be that I have eaten way to many ribs. Way to many nights cooking ribs and to many times tasting them. Eating the same thing over and over gets old. Totally worth it but you know it kind of got old eating them.

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

I like everything I turn in. I just couldn't eat a lot of it. But I'm fat and that's prolly a good thing. so maybe comp meat is the new diet fad?

We like all of our food too. I will say that the ribs we must eat in moderation because they are very sweet, but our brisket makes a mean sammy the next day, and I love our pork, pulled into a baked potato with baked beans and some cheese sauce :becky::clap2:. You do not have to "hate" your comp food for it to be great for the judges.

 

[msavard]

We like all of our food too. I will say that the ribs we must eat in moderation because they are very sweet, but our brisket makes a mean sammy the next day, and I love our pork, pulled into a baked potato with baked beans and some cheese sauce :becky::clap2:. You do not have to "hate" your comp food for it to be great for the judges.

I would agree here that this applies more to Ribs than anything else. Pulled pork and brisket are largely exempt from this... at least for us. Chicken is a little over the top, but ribs are candy bars.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Hey guys, I really do appreciate the information and advice. I'm doing some ribs and pork butt this afternoon. I'm going to "kick up" the flavor a notch or two to see what I get. I think we've got an excellent rub so I'm not going to change it. But I am going to substantially increase how much I put on the meat and incorporate some of the things y'all have suggested. I only work half a day today so I'm chomping at the bit to get home and get the smoker fired up!!! Thanks brethren!!!

 

[ITBFQ]

I don't know if ribs necessarily need to be "over the top" and so sweet that they make you sick. One of the best things I ever read on here is that you are not trying to impress one or two judges with your turn in, you are trying to not offend all of them. Shoot for good balance, manage your fire properly and pay attention to details. Tenderness is very important, too. If you can nail tenderness time and time again, you'll do well. I happen to like the ribs and pork I cook at contests. I bring home all the leftovers and they make great eats. I also like the chicken and brisket my teammate cooks. Could I eat a whole slab of comp ribs? No, but I typically wouldn't eat an entire slab of any ribs. I save my calories for beer. :shock:

 

[CBQ]

When we started competing we used to say that we were "purists" and didn't wrap or inject. We were also ranked about 850th in KCBS.

Now we wrap, inject, spritz and do decidedly un-BBQ like things such baths and steaming, and we are a top 50 team. Coincidence? No. We do what works. We actually do like what we cook, but don't cook it at home because it's too much damn work. :becky:

 

[DawgPhan]

Cooks say they dont like their food. It is just a thing that cooks do. They also complain about how much it costs and the crooked bones in ribs. It is the thing that they talk about.

Dont take it at face value. The average jean size at a bbq contest doesnt exactly scream picky eater.

 

[msavard]

The average jean size at a bbq contest doesnt exactly scream picky eater.

So true

 

[alexf]

I would agree here that this applies more to Ribs than anything else. Pulled pork and brisket are largely exempt from this... at least for us. Chicken is a little over the top, but ribs are candy bars.

Geeky question, but are you sponsored by EMC? Your signature has me intrigued. <derail>

 

[Jason TQ]

Cooks say they dont like their food. It is just a thing that cooks do. They also complain about how much it costs and the crooked bones in ribs. It is the thing that they talk about.

Dont take it at face value. The average jean size at a bbq contest doesnt exactly scream picky eater.

Can't agree more. I think there are folks that genuinely don't like comp food as much. Then there are those that just like to be cool and say it because they see that is what people do. Gotta be cool to slam something you cook all the time right :doh:? The ones that say they would throw comp food in the trash are my favorite.

I could eat it all day.

And your comment about the jean size is magically hilarious. :clap2:

 

[msavard]

Geeky question, but are you sponsored by EMC? Your signature has me intrigued. <derail>

We are hosting a dinner for a group from EMC, Cisco, CDW, and VCE at Memphis in May this year, yep. Not an official ongoing sponsorship, per se... though we're hopeful it will be an annual affair.