Starting from scratch!

[theirishbbqer]

Everyone this is great advice! Please keep it coming, thank you!!

[txmike]

i did my first sanctioned cookoff over July4 weekend (Fishin Fiesta) and it was a "texas state championship" I have done a couple small private much more relaxed cookoffs before so i had some previous experience with the show. I had a great time and learned a lot. I didnt place in anything, but i know for the next one what i need to do better and what not to leave at home. one good thing to remember is that the majority of folks at a cookoff will help you out if you need help setting up or if you forget something small. Everyone i met and talked to were great folks and very helpful. Good luck and have fun.

[RWBTEX]

Before I even thought about cooking I judged for five years that's where I learned what the judges like after all that's who your cooking for! Don't rush it go to a couple cookoffs look around make friends ask questions and try and be a judge!

x2

I think it is best to find a good association and join. They usually will have a sort of judging class to give you the basics on what to look for, taste, etc... Take a comp cooking class from someone that knows the region. The above mentioned culinary learning center from what I understand is quite satisfactory... specially if you are cooking in Texas. If you decide to test the competitions waters cold turkey... well, know your crowd!!! From the way I have seen it, most of the judges in the Texas associations are pulled from the local crowd in most cases. I personally think this is the worst aspect in the whole Texas comp realm.

Hmmm, I have started and run a few cookoffs and also judged many ibca events as well and imo the good food always seems to make it to the top and it seems to me the reason is that the judges are as you said just regular folks who like to eat good food. Each organization and even may have its pros and cons but like I said in general the good stuff almost always wins. Cooked some chickens for a family event this past weekend, some injected and some not and the crowd was split about 70-30 for the injected chicken and thats the beauty of many pallettes imo, the good stuff still wins. Chickens were identically prepared except for the injection btw.

[theirishbbqer]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give an update, my friends and I are going enter into a local BBQ cook-off in early October! I am attaching a link of the poster: http://cruiserstx.com/wp-content/upload ... okoff3.jpg

It's a small cook off but I think it will help us get started. This event is to help raise money for local charities and we have been told the cook off officials have one rule...HAVE FUN! Anyway we also have been told this isn't a super serious cook off but we are still going to put our best foot forward!

Thank you to everyone who offered up advice. Please keep it coming!

[theirishbbqer]

Hey fellow bbqers! Just another update for everyone! Today my team and I are going to have our first practice round and we are very excited ! I'll let you all know how it turns out!

Till next time,
The Irishbbqer

[RWBTEX]

well?

[theirishbbqer]

Hey everyone! The practice went well and we are gearing up for the real deal this coming weekend! Wish us good luck!

[js-tx]

Good luck, the best advice I can give you is to write down your schedule and post it somewhere where it won't get blown away, covered up etc.. I just did my first comp and it's easy to get distracted and lose track of time. Your schedule should include prep time, starting/checking fire/temps, baste, glaze, mop etc.. and of course turn in times. Have fun and I'm sure your team will do fine.

[theirishbbqer]

Hey gang! So sorry for the super late update. But the cookoff we went to was great. We placed 3rd for beans! Haven't done another cookoff yet but we will soon! Thanks again for all the advice and support!

[TXLNGHRN]

Go be a judge at one or several!!!
We jumped into it with no experience. We got a couple calls here and there, then I judge one finally.
I found that we were pretty close on somethings and way off on others.
You'll get to see what other teams are doing and what the other judges like.

[Matthew Stark]

Soooooooooo funny - this cracked me up!!!!

here is something you might want to try at home to get a feel for a comp......

(start on Friday morning)
load everything you think you will need and will fit in your vehicle to take to a comp. then get your smoker and go around the block, when you return make sure you can't get back into the house. and if you plan on some locations that re more remote, make sure you don't use any water or electricity.
have a random person look at your meat. then after you pitch your tent/rv, set up your ez/hard up. then start to prep your meat for cooking. get overcome by the whole excitement of being in a comp. walk around the neighborhood drinking in excess as you look at all your neighbors smokers/grills. lose track of time, barely make the cooks meeting. '
start you fire, realize you forgot the cutting board among other things. put some of your meats on. fall asleep and let your fire go out. wake up, rush around and relight the fire. barely get everything done and pass each meat through the kitchen window to have another random person sample it. get excited again and start drinking all over.
about three hours after your last turn in remember that you still have to tear down your area and drive home. oh and leave a few bucks on the ground as you leave.


ok it really doesn't have to be like that, but i see plenty of folks who seem to enjoy it like that. the bonus of doing it at home is that you'll be well practiced before your first comp. then again, you could just jump right in and make sure everyone knows their job. and no drinking on the job.