Comp ?

All other competition related questions or comments about recipes, techniques, and related topics.

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Comp ?

Postby EastTexasSmoke » Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:04 pm

Me and some buddies are having a small debate. Can you use a pellet cooker in comps?
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Re: Comp ?

Postby k.a.m. » Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:17 pm

Pellet cookers are recognized as a wood substance cooker and legal in cook offs. Now I do know some promoters have a clause that say no can use. But the sanctioning bodies allow them.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Comp ?

Postby EastTexasSmoke » Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:54 pm

OK thanks so much that was my thought too, but wanted to get some clarification
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Re: Comp ?

Postby RWBTEX » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:01 pm

Absolutely yes, it's wood or wood substance so it's legal.
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Re: Comp ?

Postby TwoGuysBBQ » Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:36 am

Ok well I don't want to hijack a thread and I know that pellet cookers are allowed. But doesn't that take away from the true skill of fire management? shouldn't a winner of a cook-off be awarded for being able to turn in good food while truly controlling fire, temperatures and his cooker? instead of just set it and forget it? after all anybody can cook on a pellet cooker. load the hopper, turn it on, put your meat on and walk away. come back in a few hours and your ready for turn in? No true skills required.

Traeger Grills has been running a 30 minute introduction on Directv for a while now and while it is a nice unit I don't understand how this type of cooker is allowed in competition cooking.

Just my two cents
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Re: Comp ?

Postby BBQBrew01 » Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:48 am

A pellet grill will not guarantee you wins in BBQ comps. Sure it makes fire management easy...but you still have to produce great Q. If all you needed was a pellet grill to produce Championship BBQ than everyone would use them...just not the case.
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Re: Comp ?

Postby Mark » Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:49 pm

TwoGuys, I have asked the same question myself and my response is only geared only towards a KCBS event (cuz that's the only governing body here). Competition cooking isn't as easy as just turning on a pellet cooker. Fire management is just, if not more, as important. Turning out the best product starts with maintaining a steady, constant temperature through out the whole cook. I totally understand the rules concerning wood/charcoal as a heat source, but it should stop there. My issue is plugging it in to a wall socket. We have all heard the arguments pellet poopers use and the most common one is sleep. If a guy wants to sleep then stay home and do it in your bed. It's not a beauty contest (beauty rest). I don't have a issue with pellets, I have a issue with the Electric Company being a team member.

Unfortunately In my opinion, this issue is very similar to our American Politics. The companies that design and manufacture these pits and the companies that do the same with blower and thermostats kits (Guru and Stoker) are big supporters of competition BBQ. When they speak with their $$$$, people listen. I'm not saying we have to show up to a completion swinging clubs and wearing animal skins. Fire up your generators for your lights, heaters or A/C and plug in your fricking cappuccino machine, but it should stop there. It's a BBQ COOKING contest, and I put tons of emphasis on Cooking.

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers
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Re: Comp ?

Postby bsooner75 » Wed Jun 08, 2016 1:16 pm

BBQBrew01 wrote:A pellet grill will not guarantee you wins in BBQ comps. Sure it makes fire management easy...but you still have to produce great Q. If all you needed was a pellet grill to produce Championship BBQ than everyone would use them...just not the case.


You just shot down Myron Mixons entire ad campaign :)


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Re: Comp ?

Postby Swamp Donkeyz BBQ » Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:05 pm

bsooner75 wrote:
BBQBrew01 wrote:A pellet grill will not guarantee you wins in BBQ comps. Sure it makes fire management easy...but you still have to produce great Q. If all you needed was a pellet grill to produce Championship BBQ than everyone would use them...just not the case.


You just shot down Myron Mixons entire ad campaign :)


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Twitter handle @bsooner75


LMAO!
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Re: Comp ?

Postby BBQBrew01 » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:24 am

Mark wrote:TwoGuys, I have asked the same question myself and my response is only geared only towards a KCBS event (cuz that's the only governing body here). Competition cooking isn't as easy as just turning on a pellet cooker. Fire management is just, if not more, as important. Turning out the best product starts with maintaining a steady, constant temperature through out the whole cook. I totally understand the rules concerning wood/charcoal as a heat source, but it should stop there. My issue is plugging it in to a wall socket. We have all heard the arguments pellet poopers use and the most common one is sleep. If a guy wants to sleep then stay home and do it in your bed. It's not a beauty contest (beauty rest). I don't have a issue with pellets, I have a issue with the Electric Company being a team member.

Unfortunately In my opinion, this issue is very similar to our American Politics. The companies that design and manufacture these pits and the companies that do the same with blower and thermostats kits (Guru and Stoker) are big supporters of competition BBQ. When they speak with their $$$$, people listen. I'm not saying we have to show up to a completion swinging clubs and wearing animal skins. Fire up your generators for your lights, heaters or A/C and plug in your fricking cappuccino machine, but it should stop there. It's a BBQ COOKING contest, and I put tons of emphasis on Cooking.

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers


Makes me laugh. No feathers ruffled. I wish by us using a Guru it made it so I could showup to a comp, turn on the Guru and just sit around and drink margarita's. Then on Saturday collect checks!! That would be great!
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Re: Comp ?

Postby k.a.m. » Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:27 am

My opinion on the subject is bring what you want to cook on it makes me no difference. Now a days with all the hot & fast cooking going on in BBQ competition and all the flavor profiles that are happening fire management and constant temps have really taken a back seat. I run my offset between 250° and 275° sometimes she runs a little hotter. We do ok at the end of the day at awards and sometimes we don't. I do know this if our product was on mark and we don't hit it isn't because of poor fire management it is because the judges did not favor our BBQ that day it is as simple as that.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Comp ?

Postby Mark » Thu Jun 09, 2016 1:12 pm

I also don't care what a guy cooks on, he still has to cook his meat and play the game. Cooks still have to hit their marks, do their homework and refine their technique to produce a finished product they think will win. If a team cooks on WSM's, vaults, drums, stick burners etc, shouldn't they have to operate it themselves? Sure, pellets and charcoal are made from wood and are the heat source but electricity isn't. That being said the rules or allowances have been "tweaked" to present a uneven playing field.

Oh well, got to run to the store in my 2002 F350 with 416,000 miles on it............cuz it still works.
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Re: Comp ?

Postby Finatic » Thu Jun 09, 2016 1:50 pm

Sorry EastTexasSmoke. We've completely hi-jacked your post.

It doesn't matter to me what a competitor is cooking on. But I do see how allowing pellet cookers is concerning. Most cook-off organizations and/or promoters don't allow a cooker powered by propane to be used in a cook-off as the propane is considered an assisted heat source. While the pellet cookers technically get their heat from the wood without the electric auger/control panel there is no heat. Fine line for sure. Again it doesn't bother me one bit to see a competitor cooking on one in a comp. Honestly the comps I cook in (around center Texas) they are rare. :dont:
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Re: Comp ?

Postby k.a.m. » Thu Jun 09, 2016 1:55 pm

Mark wrote: That being said the rules or allowances have been "tweaked" to present a uneven playing field.

Why do you consider using a cooker that requires electricity to run an auger an uneven playing field than other cookers? Vaults, WSM's, and UDS's can all be set and run all night without tending. I do not run any electronic blowers on my WSM's or UDS's because I can set the cookers intakes and sleep all night if I like while my offset requires attention about every 30 to 45 minutes. Rotisseries are legal as well as long as the gas is not running but they still require electricity for the gear drive but also require fire tending about every hour. Do you think they are placed in the same category as a pellet cooker?
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Comp ?

Postby Jgk » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:14 pm

What about a Karubecue ( KBS) ? It burns real wood! Has a fire but uses a fan like a BBQ Guru? Is this legal in a KCBS event ? It requires electricity. :?:
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