The Texas BBQ Forum

In my latest cook off I placed with my 4 with my brisket I have never made final table before. It was a new mix I made and tried.. I know it was only one cook off that it did good, but i guess what I'm asking is does something that places once usually place again or at least final table or was it a fluke. How long do you stick with something before changing a recipe.

A factoid I was once told by a career competition participant who is seen on TV and bbq magazines......if you are hittin the finals tables and more particularly the top 10....don't change nuthin.

The subjective nature of judging is a hit or miss deal, But if you are hittin on a regular basis more folks than not like yer stuff. If you do change sumpin only tweak one item at a time. If you change several things at once, you won't know what did well and/or worse.... what made ya start not hittin.

Also, aim for the middle of the road in flavor, not too sweet, not too spicey or hot. Just a good flavor. The middle of the road keeps ya on the road and out of the ditches!

Good luck!

ya puts in yer quarter an you pulls the handle.

after a while, if you aint hittin you got ta change somtin.

I do one comp a year. Two years ago, I took fifth in chicken out of 110 teams. Last year, I used the same rub/sauce combination and took fourth in chicken and seventh in ribs among 1100 teams. Apparently, I am doing something right for this group of judges. I don't even finish top 20 in brisket, but I attribute that to now knowing what the judges looks for exactly. I'm a Yankee and have only been in Texas for nine years, so brisket is not my strong suit. Plus, I only do that one competition, so I don't get a lot of practice.

I'm sticking to that rub and sauce combination until it doesn't work for the judges.