More difficult to get right---ribs,chicken, or brisket?

[uttexas]

This is sort of an informal poll. Just interested in what people's opinions are. Your answer can detail your opinion regarding competitions or general/backyard smoking.

The three meats offer different challenges. Chicken--got to achieve moist meat with crispy skin. Ribs--gotta get them tender, but not too tender. There are so many subjective preferences when it comes to ribs--sauced/glazed vs dry, etc.
Brisket--gotta have patience and skillful temperature control, a crispy bark, tender/juicy/smoky meat.

It's a common notion (especially in Texas), that brisket is the toughest meat to smoke to perfection, but I've gotta go with ribs--just so many subjective preferences.

[Fullofbull]

Since I don't comps I couldn't say since I don't have the pressure. But at the house I would say chicken would be the worst. I like them done so we don't get sick but I don't like em dry.

[ecto1]

This is sort of an informal poll. Just interested in what people's opinions are.

The three meats offer different challenges. Chicken--got to achieve moist meat with crispy skin. Ribs--gotta get them tender, but not too tender. There are so many subjective preferences when it comes to ribs--sauced/glazed vs dry, etc.
Brisket--gotta have patience and skillful temperature control, a crispy bark, tender/juicy/smoky meat.

It's a common notion (especially in Texas), that brisket is the toughest meat to smoke to perfection, but I've gotta go with ribs--just so many subjective preferences.

If we are talking comps then chicken is the one I think is most subjective to the judges taste. That is why most questions about comps on this forum is about chicken it will frustrate you that you get a walk one week than with the same product not hit final table the next. I think chicken is the hardest to be consistent in. Ribs one you have down are the easiest they are basically cooked by time so you can set your clock and not mess up as long as your temps are stable. Brisket may be the hardest to learn but the winners are always very consistent.

[FR8 Train]

Probably not an answer you want, but over the past couple years ours has changed. Started out awesome in chicken with lots of walks (ribs and brisket gave us fits), then ribs were our easiest (chicken became a challenge) and now it looks like our brisket has taken over as our most consistent. I feel like when we do well in something we focus our efforts on a category that isn't doing well and when we fix that problem our neglected category takes a step back. I think the key for our team moving foward is to just get a product we are consistent with in all categories and just run with it. We're still pretty new to the game so I'm not worried about our progression to this point. Overall I think chicken though would be the one category that is the toughest to get consistent results in. Your trying to hit a smaller done temp window than the others and you face lots of options with glazing, injecting, brining, dry rub etc......just so many variables to try.

[3 star redneck]

The most difficult to be consistent on is chicken by far...

[jtilk]

I'll just say this... the first cookoff I ever did I got a call for 3rd on brisket out of about 25 teams. After that I went nearly a year before getting another call, during that time I hit on fajitas, ribs, chicken, Friday Night Feast and some of those a few times. Maybe it's just me or the area I'm in but I find brisket hard to nail down.

[Snow Bunny]

This is my first year doing comps and have cooked in 5 so far and chicken has by far been the most consistent for me, i have gotten a call in every one with a best of 3rd and worst of 7th, i'm still working on brisket and ribs, they have been hit and miss so far but i will get them down someday.

[Tuck]

This is sort of an informal poll. Just interested in what people's opinions are.

The three meats offer different challenges. Chicken--got to achieve moist meat with crispy skin. Ribs--gotta get them tender, but not too tender. There are so many subjective preferences when it comes to ribs--sauced/glazed vs dry, etc.
Brisket--gotta have patience and skillful temperature control, a crispy bark, tender/juicy/smoky meat.

It's a common notion (especially in Texas), that brisket is the toughest meat to smoke to perfection, but I've gotta go with ribs--just so many subjective preferences.

If we are talking comps then chicken is the one I think is most subjective to the judges taste. That is why most questions about comps on this forum is about chicken it will frustrate you that you get a walk one week than with the same product not hit final table the next. I think chicken is the hardest to be consistent in. Ribs one you have down are the easiest they are basically cooked by time so you can set your clock and not mess up as long as your temps are stable. Brisket may be the hardest to learn but the winners are always very consistent.

Ecto1 hit the nail on the head .
+1

[RWBTEX]

Always been consistent on ribs and chicken on my walks, brisket always harder to get a call for me. We always shake our head wondering why? since it usually seems so fantastic. Lately this years done better with Butchers in there. Sometimes I just over cook it, my fault on that.

[Chitlins Rule]

By the survey by events I have cooked this year, chicken has whooped me down, and ribs by far my best, brisket needas to get better to If I am gonna win anymore comps.

[steveblount]

I'm going to chime in and agree with the chicken folks. Trickiest one to get a good process/flavor profile worked out and consistency is always an issue. Since I've been doing ribs and briskets since I was knee high to a tall duck...those are the best for me once we nailed doing comp flavor and texture profiles. Growing up in Texas we didn't get a lot of pulled pork so that took a bit of doing.

[RWBTEX]

Havent cooked that kind of pork since about three years

[atcNick]

To me brisket is the one that always leaves me scratching my head.


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