My first barbeque competition

Botch

Crossed one off the Bucket List yesterday.  Hill AFB, where I work, announced a barbeque competition and I entered.  They originally wanted to open it up for setup at 0700, begin the event (with free samples) at 1100, turn-ins begin at 1500, and final awards at 5.  Several folks said, at our pre-meeting, they wanted to do brisket (me included) and couldn't do it with that schedule.  We finally decided to allow "pre-smoking" at home, or you could set up in the parking lot the night before and start (2 or 3 of the 16 teams did this, I precooked mine at home and FTC'd my briskets when I left the house, the timing worked great.

I didn't want to show up and just sit there, so I decided to bring my Small (which I can lift into the truck myself) and cook chicken parts too.  I had the only Egg there, and lots of folks asked me questions about it.  

At the pre-meeting it sounded like everyone was a beginner, and this was their first contest.  Not hardly.  There were two or three tow-behind grills, and a couple entries who had side businesses catering barbeque.  Nothing wrong with that, but I felt a bit silly with my Small sitting there.  One thing i've realized from this competition, cooking for a crowd takes some grill real estate, which I just didn't have.  I started giving out 2"-long sample slices of my brisket, with optional sauce, and actually ran out just at the end of the competition, but it was pretty meager compared to the folks who were giving away whole ribs and full slices of brisket.  I did get a few "People's Choice" votes, which made me smile, including four gents claiming to be from Texas who told me I got it right!  :-bd

The Base Commander came around to judge for the "Commander's Trophy", he came back to my booth after the award was given and told me I still had the tenderest brisket at the competition (guess the flavor wasn't there, or he likes pork).  

I've read a few books on bbq competitions, and watched them on the food channels, but you don't get a lot of behind the scenes stuff until you actually enter one.  First, I was surprised at all the quiet sniping when different folks got their trophies (Commander's, People's Choice, Best Pork, Beef, and Chicken, and finally the Grand Champion).  Was also surprised at how many generators were out there, just to run electric knives!  I used my sharp Henckel's slicer and got beautiful slices off the first brisket, but the second one (the one reserved for the final entries) had a hard crust on the bottom, couldn't get clean slices there and my entry looked pretty ragged.  Also worried about the wind, I'd just purchased a tent gazebo but didn't have any weights to hold it down like most others did.  The very pregnant wife of the competitor next to me really appreciated the shade, they didn't have one and she sat under mine.   

I had a lot of fun, saw some folks I hadn't seen in awhile, and made some new friends (including the former editor of our local newspaper, he and I talked for about two hours!)  

This'll be my last one, however.  I had to retire from the Reserves as I couldn't stand on concrete for an entire 8-hour day anymore; well, yesterday I was on my feet for eleven hours and today I can barely walk, I hate getting old.  Ears are still ringing from the too-loud DJ (had to shout to talk to anyone).  And I still have the smell of smoke somewhere in my lungs, will probably be eating salads for a couple weeks.    

Still, I'm very glad I did this, was a lot of fun!  

:-bd

Austin Egghead

Glad you had lots of fun.  Does not sound much different than cooking at a fest...no with the smack talky at a fest.  Food disappears just as fast.  Bring a chair and try a fest the next time.

canegger

Did you have the new apron on?

BYS1981

Were you SF?

Botch

canegger said:

Did you have the new apron on?

 

I did, and no one said a word about it; perhaps it was in poorer taste than I realized... 

minniemoh

Great job @Botch! Sounds like a very cool experience.

henapple

Sounds like fun.

lousubcap

@Botch-Full marks for giving it  a great  run and having fun as well.  I would guess that you will get back on that local Q circuit soon-dang you are almost there.  And better than am I for giving it a shot!

caliking

Sounds like you had a lot of fun! I've thought of entering a local contest, but could never get my act together to do it. Respect!

Zuma

Good for you.   Anytime you can cross one off the bucket list is really cool.   Congrats to you.

Skiddymarker

Good on you, Congrats for doing what many of us are scared to death to try. 

Son has big interest, I suggested he "crew" for someone and learn the ropes. He has been to at least four or five competitions and feels maybe next year he might enter on his own. Again, good on you for giving it a go!

henapple

My next egg will be a LG with wheels like @Caliking. Dealer in town had a cook off yesterday with a lbge as the prize. No expectations to win but would have been fun.

caliking

henapple said:

My next egg will be a LG with wheels like @Caliking. Dealer in town had a cook off yesterday with a lbge as the prize. No expectations to win but would have been fun.

Wheel envy?