KCBS Contests

Unknown · July 2003

HELP!!! I have several questions and am looking for advise for my first contest. I have one month to perfect my cooking skills.[p]Equipment: 1 BGE
1 Lang smoker model 84
1 standard backyard grill ( cheap )[p]Questions:[p]1. Due to the time constraints I will not be able to cook everything on my egg, any suggestions on what I should cook on the egg vs the smoker?? (possible smoking a portion of the time on egg then move to smoker or viceversa??)[p]2. What are the judges looking for in each event?? ribs, butt, chicken and brisket?? Any tips would be appriciated??[p]3. The timeline seems tight. What will I be able to cook earlier and not loose any effect if I finish early ( prior to turn in )?[p]4. My son wants to enter the Kids Q and I am not sure what meat he will be able to cook??? Also if the timing is different because he is 12 and can handle the egg. I would like him to use the egg. Any suggestions???[p]Thanks for your help[p]Lavaheads

Porky · July 2003

lavaheads02,[p]Just got back from judging a contest in Rockford, IL that was KCBS sanctioned. I have judged over 30 contests that are KCBS "run" in the last 8 years. I was glad I judged first, before trying to compete to see what comes and what other judges are looking for. I always recommend to cooks that at some point they should become certified, as well as judge a couple of contests. [p]As far as what judges are looking for, it WILL VARY. It depends on the region of the country. Here in the midwest they don't like too spicy, they like sweet sauces (even though this is a meat contest) and they don't like "too smokey", but this is usually caused by cooks using nothing but wood logs that were not dryed out completely, so to speak (fresh) before using. I have only tasted this a few times over the years. However, although these are serious events for a lot of cooks, make sure that you have fun doing it, no matter how you do. It is a lot of work. Your garnish is limited to green leaf lettuce, cilantro and parsley, ONLY in the containers. Don't focus too much on this, it is not supposed to be judged, but make the meat look better. Once you add enough meat (MAKE SURE TO UNDERSTAND THE COOKS RULES (KCBS) AND ATTEND THE COOKS MEETING ON FRIDAY OF THE CONTEST), place some lettuce (flat) under the meat and surround the INSIDE of the container with lettuce and parsley that appeals to you just before you send it in. [p]Chicken is usually first. This is the HARDEST to time. Most of the time these days, cooks are sending in thighs. Some judges don't like dark meat, but it has been more consistent in winning. I usually send in both breast and legs. But, my best chicken placing has been 7th out of 30 teams. Don't over smoke these. But, cooking it this way keeps it moist and tender. DON'T over sauce before sending it in. A nice glaze seems to appeal to judges. I hate "rubber skin" from only smoking. Finishing it on the grill adds a nice touch (but this is my opinion and you have to think what all 6 judges are going to want). If you send in white meat, make sure it is NOT over cooked and dry. This can kill you. Skin still has a tendency to come off and taken off by judges, make sure you add a little seasoning under it on the meat. I had one thigh today that looked darn good. Smoked and then grilled. I thought I was going to choke on the amount of salt they had in their seasoning. It was a score down on taste. [p]Ribs usually follow chicken. Easier to time. 2/3 of the time I see baby backs and 1/3 spare, usually cut St. Louis style. Either can win. Most will peel the membrane off the backs of the slabs. Again a glaze finish with sauce makes it look better and adds a little to the taste. Over done is a no no. Should NOT fall of the bone or look dry or even be dry. I should only have to slightly chew off the bone with a little remaining stuck to the bone. I like to see a little smoke ring on the side where it was cut. MAKE SURE IF YOU ONLY SEND 6 BONES IN THAT IT IS CUT THROUGH. IF ONE COMES UP WITH ANOTHER ATTACHED, IT COUNTS AS ONE AND THE 6th JUDGE WITH NOT HAVE ONE AND WILL SCORE ACCORDINGLY AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN. Also, cook a few slabs. Keep them moist (spray) during cooking. DOn't let the temp. go too high that will over do them. Pick from the center of the slabs, AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE MEATY AND NOT FATTY. I do't want to see bone through the meat. Scores go down. [p]Pork shoulder. EASY to time. Hard to over cook. Keep it moist during cooking. I USE A BGE for this and the brisket. I have consistenly taken 4th and 5th places with these meats. I have taken up to 2nd place on ribs. THE BGE IS BEST for turning is nice smoked, moist meat. I am seeing more and more green eggs in competition. I am planning to eventually add a second one. I usually do 2 small briskets and one pork butt on the egg. I just haven't figured out presentation on the pork. Sliced brisket (7 - 8) with a slight glaze added works well. It is somewhat hit or miss on the quality that I end up. How much fat should I remove,etc. I stack them in the egg under a drip pan with juice added and kept. Watching my temps and spraying once in a while. [p]Everything else is usually open to do anything. Some contests for sausage or open category will stay with KCBS rules and others will tell cooks do whatever you want in the box. If you do a contest that has an open, cooks will usually send in turkey or salmon. I wouldn't recommend it. When a juicy strip steak or filet, cooked medium rare, sliced in 6+ slices of course, judges will die for it. Duck, shrimp, lobster are usually big winners too. Alligator is fun, but NOT a winner. [p]I have been cooking on a BGE, weber smokey mountain cooker and a weber grill with hardwood charcoal in all, and a variety of wood chunk (flavors) added. I start Friday night with pork, then a little later depending on the size, add the briskets into the BGE. On your other cookers, these meats will not come out good in my opinion and what I have seen. I do my ribs early saturday morning in the smoker. I cook dinner on the Weber grill Friday night and I use to start my charcoal in a chimney starter on top of it, finish my chicken on it (that I started smoking in areas of the BGE or weber smoker. If I do sausage, same thing as chicken and finish it on the grill. Next year I have 2 different restaurants that want to sponsor me, so a larger smoker will be added (in place of the weber) and hope to add another BGE in place of the weber grill. [p]Pork, brisket and ribs are not too difficult to screw up time wise. Make sure you are pulling these before the times do in and cover them to keep warm while you set up the container. How you sauce or not at this point is up to you. I heat my sauce seperately, and glaze them as soon as they are set up in the container, except for chicken. Make sure you are ready to walk it in a couple minute to the half hour it is do so its not late. PS> DON'T drop the box on the way to the tent. I have seen this.[p]I BELIEVE THAT SPENDING THE TIME FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO!!!!!!!!!!! Not too much under and too much over. THIS FORUM HAS GIVEN ME EXCELLENT IDEALS ON OPERATING THE BGE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES AND TECHNIQUES THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. Chicken can be the hardest one to time. BE CAREFUL AND PLAN PLAN PLAN AHEAD OF TIME ON EVERYTHING. [p]There are also lots of good books and tapes (some by KCBS cooks) and even KCBS classes that you can learn from. Don't go in with the expectation of taking grand champion the first time, but I have seen it happen with teams that never did it before and cooked everything on a kettle grill. PRACTICE ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS FIRST. They will appreciate it regardless. REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN WITH IT AND ENJOY THE COMPANY OF THE OTHER COMPETITORS AT THE CONTESTS. You will be amazed how helpful they can be to you. Don't hesitate to ask them questions when you are there. Most will be GLAD to help you. I think KCBS is an excellent organization. Another hint: It is less intimidating if you enter a smaller contest first (<30 teams). Not too mention, your odds are a little better. [p]Unfortunately, I don't know how to answer #4. I have never been in a contest that offered this. Maybe others at this forum might have a suggestion. Try to find out from the person runnning this contest ahead what the rules are first SPECIFICALLY ahead of time.[p]OKAY, now that I wrote a short book, I am not going back to check spelling so here is what I am submitting.

Unknown · July 2003

I recommend you consider putting the brisket and/or the pork on the piece of equipment that requires the least burn management, as you don't want to be tending fire on 1/2 hour intervals thru the night.
The chicken may only take about two hours on the cheapo grill if done indirect. Be prepared to crisp up (finish) the skin over a bed of hot coals. (Have a charcoal chimney of hot coals ready for finishing the chicken). Chicken is typically the first turnin for KCBS events - usually about noon.[p]Find out when kids Q is as this will impact your equipment.
(Are the kids Q turnins before, during, or after the KCBS turn ins), then plan on a way to make your egg available to him as it appears from your post that he wants to cook on that.
[p][p]

Pig Sooie · July 2003

Porky,[p]Wow---very informative for those of us who have never judged nor even been to a contest. Some friends and I were soon going to try our hands at a couple contests soon and I have been wanting the information that you wrote in your post, with a BGE emphasis (I never would have imagined doing so before I bought the Egg). [p]I'm printing your post out. Thanks for spending the time to write it.

Mike in MN · July 2003

Porky,
Great answer! Thanks for the education. You pretty much covered everything.[p]Mike in MN (Prepping for an all nighter - 2 lg pork butts from Sams)

Porky · July 2003

lavaheads02,
PS> "Chance favors the prepared mind"[p]Make notes and plans ahead of time. DETAILS. Where you are buying each of the meats at. How much charcoal you are bringing. Itemize every piece of equipment and utensil you need to bring. What meat you are cooking in what cooker. What time you are preparing it on site, what time to start each cooker and at what temperature. What seasonings on what meat. When to put each meat on giving enough time to cook prior to turn. The more details "typed-legible" out, the better. And then I laminate it so it can't be destroyed (ie: affected by weather, sauce spilled on it, etc.). [p]Speaking of weather: You never know what will happen. Be prepared for the worst. Plan to protect everything. The cookers are the hardest. Just make sure you realize the temperatures will drop significantly and will have to adjust for it right away. [p]Speaking of notes. Bring paper and pens along to record notes as you are going along in the contest. Record on the hour what the weather and area conditions were like, temperature at that time of each cooker, what adjustments you made etc. Especially when you are sending it in. How it looked to you. Make sure you taste it before sending it in.... How it tasted. How the tenderness was. What went right, what went wrong. At the end of the contest they do provide you the printouts of your scores. GRAB THEM AND REVIEW THEM CAREFULLY. Make notes after on which did good (you want to duplicate that the next time) and where the scores were low so you know where you need to improve.[p]
LASTLY, I would like to know how anybody has done at any of these contests wether it was KCBS, MIM, ETC. if you were using a BGE, What you cooked on it, and how it did. It would be great for others to know the "versatility" and performance the green egg offers!!!!!!!

Unknown · July 2003

Porky,[p]I know I am speaking for a large # of people when I say THANKS!!! I am not a professional and do not want to be. This is a great time for my family and friends. We have no aspirations of victory just want to learn and have fun meeting good people in a clean family environment.
Your insight and sharing of the information is appreciated and will be utilized.
I would like to ask you more questions as the time appoaches. [p]You spent alot of time and thought in your reply and I thank you. [p]Hank [p]Lavaheads02

Unknown · July 2003

Porky,
I am a certified judge. I arrive at contests early so that I may check out the equipment & talk to the teams. I seldom see a BGE. The cooking area is too small & they are difficult to transport. Those few who use them, cook chicken on it. The serious contenders cook from 3 to 5 of each entry & pick out the best to send into the judges. It takes many square inches & sometimes 2 or 3 cooker.[p]

Porky · July 2003

Wayne Moorhead,[p]I don't know... I am starting to see more and more of them. Not overwhelming by any means, but a couple here, a few there. My preference in the contest myself is to use it to cook the Brisket and Pork on it. I have never really asked what the cooks were cooking on it, just asked how they liked using it in a contest. In the couple of contests I have cooked with the BGE in, I have taken 4th and 5th in Brisket (out of 30 teams) and 9th, 7th and 5th (in that order) with pork. Gets better each time.

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