Middletown, DE
5/20-5/21 2011
The Dutch Country Farmers market located smack dab in the center of Middletown Delaware was the site of the second annual Middletown BBQ Cook-off held May 20-21, 2011. If you were a team cooking this event for the first time, as were we, you would have a hard time believing that Mose Zook and his very enthusiastic group of volunteers hadn’t been running cook-offs for the past 10 years.
To say this was a very organized contest would be an understatement. Frequent and reasonably priced ice delivered right to you cooler, clean rest rooms, adequate power, good music, timely trash removal and a down right friendly bunch of folks putting on the event made for a very enjoyable weekend.
The weather looked a bit questionable at times Friday afternoon and evening with a few spotty showers threatening and occasionally moving through, but never enough to dampen anyone’s spirits or even their fires. Later in the evening on Friday the clouds left and made for a beautiful moonlit night watching the smoke from the 47 teams present rise and dissipate above the contest grounds.
Saturday morning began what was to be one of those Chamber of Commerce type days which is exactly what Mose and the gang had probably ordered up. Seasonal temperatures, sunshine and a light breeze made everything alright in this little corner of the First State.
A recent and unexpected cancellation of the August contest slated for Dover Downs, the only other State Championship contest in Delaware, gave this contest a bit more excitement knowing the winner of this event was almost sure to be a qualifier in some of the late season Championship events.
Pigheaded BBQ, a team based right in Middletown DE was the winner in the chicken category. The first place rib trophy was awarded to Black Cat BBQ. Gypsy & the Biker took top honors in pork, while Wilbur’s revenge walked for first place brisket. Black Cat BBQ from Severna Park MD was called to the stage for the Grand Championship walk, making them consecutive winners of this event which they also GC’ed in last year. Contest reserve Grand Champ was Washington DC based Pork Barrel BBQ.
If you are looking for a well run contest held on the scenic Delmarva peninsula you need to put this one on your list for next year. The Farmers Market is open the entire weekend and you haven’t lived until you have had a moon pie and a homemade vanilla ice-cream milkshake just after turn-ins, talk about a sugar rush!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
A good question.......................
What happens when it rains at a contest?
The very short answer here is, you get wet. What I mean is, as B. T. Barnum was alleged to have said, “the show must go on!”. If you have been around competition BBQ cooking for any time at all, you will quickly become aware that weather, and its changing nature, WILL come into play at some time in your contests cooking life.
The first and most important way to deal with the weather is to be prepared. Watch the weather forecast prior to the event, not that weatherpersons are all that accurate, (sorry to offend weather-type personnel, but it is the only job I know where you can be wrong most of the time and never have to offer an explanation and still get to keep your job). I suggest investing in one of those portable weather band radios with the alarm feature, especially when you have humid summer skies and the chance of thunderstorms. Many times severe weather is preceded by warnings broadcast on weather frequencies, this is good information to have.
If the man calls for high winds, make sure you have everything tied down and secure. If the rain is expected to arrive overnight, be sure you have everything away and under cover before you decide to bunk down for the night. Nothing is worse than being awakened by a fast moving down pour and remembering your truck windows are open and you have left your $100 instant read thermometer out on a table to get wet. Use your head and prepare.
Weather consideration should also come into play when setting up your cook site. Be sure you don’t have extension cords lying in areas that may collect water. Also, depending on the amount of rain in the forecast, you might want to avoid low lying areas when selecting your site, if you are given a choice, think ahead and choose wisely.
Set your canopies and cookers in an area that offers protection from the elements if you can. Knowing which way the wind will blow is very valuable information when it comes to site selection and set up. This is particularly true if you have a cooker that is affected by weather. High winds and cool temperatures can play havoc with your cooking temps so it is best to set up as efficiently as possible. You might consider a blanket or cover for your cooker, just be sure to use a product that is made for such use and not a blanket off your bed that has a chance to burst into flames after 3 hours on top of your unit.
Be sure you have proper clothing, including footwear. If heavy rains are predicted, be sure to pack raingear, boots, and dry socks. It is also a good idea to bring along a few extra changes of clothes in the unlikely event the cloths you are wearing get wet. Of course anyone that knows me and my well know relationship with the ever-present Mr. Murphy of Murphy’s Law fame, if things can get wet, they will get wet, and this INCLUDES socks.
Rain, wind, sun, hail, even snow, the contest will go on. The guy that is the best prepared to handle what ever Mom Nature tosses out, is the team that will do the best. Be prepared, use your head and plan ahead. It goes without saying you will never be able to control the weather, but you can make a few adjustments and preliminary moves to try and reduce the control the weather has on your and your contest cooking experience. The most important tip, is to always be safe.
The very short answer here is, you get wet. What I mean is, as B. T. Barnum was alleged to have said, “the show must go on!”. If you have been around competition BBQ cooking for any time at all, you will quickly become aware that weather, and its changing nature, WILL come into play at some time in your contests cooking life.
The first and most important way to deal with the weather is to be prepared. Watch the weather forecast prior to the event, not that weatherpersons are all that accurate, (sorry to offend weather-type personnel, but it is the only job I know where you can be wrong most of the time and never have to offer an explanation and still get to keep your job). I suggest investing in one of those portable weather band radios with the alarm feature, especially when you have humid summer skies and the chance of thunderstorms. Many times severe weather is preceded by warnings broadcast on weather frequencies, this is good information to have.
If the man calls for high winds, make sure you have everything tied down and secure. If the rain is expected to arrive overnight, be sure you have everything away and under cover before you decide to bunk down for the night. Nothing is worse than being awakened by a fast moving down pour and remembering your truck windows are open and you have left your $100 instant read thermometer out on a table to get wet. Use your head and prepare.
Weather consideration should also come into play when setting up your cook site. Be sure you don’t have extension cords lying in areas that may collect water. Also, depending on the amount of rain in the forecast, you might want to avoid low lying areas when selecting your site, if you are given a choice, think ahead and choose wisely.
Set your canopies and cookers in an area that offers protection from the elements if you can. Knowing which way the wind will blow is very valuable information when it comes to site selection and set up. This is particularly true if you have a cooker that is affected by weather. High winds and cool temperatures can play havoc with your cooking temps so it is best to set up as efficiently as possible. You might consider a blanket or cover for your cooker, just be sure to use a product that is made for such use and not a blanket off your bed that has a chance to burst into flames after 3 hours on top of your unit.
Be sure you have proper clothing, including footwear. If heavy rains are predicted, be sure to pack raingear, boots, and dry socks. It is also a good idea to bring along a few extra changes of clothes in the unlikely event the cloths you are wearing get wet. Of course anyone that knows me and my well know relationship with the ever-present Mr. Murphy of Murphy’s Law fame, if things can get wet, they will get wet, and this INCLUDES socks.
Rain, wind, sun, hail, even snow, the contest will go on. The guy that is the best prepared to handle what ever Mom Nature tosses out, is the team that will do the best. Be prepared, use your head and plan ahead. It goes without saying you will never be able to control the weather, but you can make a few adjustments and preliminary moves to try and reduce the control the weather has on your and your contest cooking experience. The most important tip, is to always be safe.
The Sounds of Que
What is that I hear?
The sounds of a BBQ contest can range from quiet to very noisy. Much of the sound is dependent upon which part of the day it is. I almost think at times, if I were blindfolded or were listening to the recorded sounds from a contest, I could tell you what time it was just by listening to the sound being created.
Friday morning the begins somewhat quietly, a few teams may have arrived on site the day before but for the most part, the contest grounds are empty with the exception of the contest staff. Teams begin arriving just after daybreak and are directed to their areas by volunteers many times using golf carts and verbal direction. You’ll hear sounds of teams setting up camp, metal poles clanking together, stakes being driven, cookers being unloaded, set into place, some even lit.
The astute observer will begin to notice a few pleasant smells being generated as early arrivals toss on assorted items to be served for lunch or perhaps involved in the ancillary contests set for Friday night. Conversations overheard will be greetings and other pleasantries as folks see their old friends and meet new acquaintances, introductions are made to neighbors, much laughter will be heard. Contest reps move about inspecting meats and providing information as to ice deliveries, cooks meeting times and any other pertinent information that will be needed by the arriving pit masters.
As the day progresses spectators arrive and begin to walk about asking questions and making observations. Maybe the event is in conjunction with a carnival, rides are tested and begin to operate, and perhaps a band begins to play offering attendees some evening entertainment. The evening wears on and things build to a pitch around 8:00 or 9:00 PM when things begin to settle and the cooking part of the contest begins in earnest.
Weed burners can be heard lighting off fires around the grounds, the band has packed up for the night and the only music that can be heard are the assorted tunes drifting out from the individual cook sites. Even this entertainment begins to wane as the appointed quiet hour draws near team member drift about, most of the public has departed for the evening, laughter a good times sounds waft form several sites that seem to have become gathering spots for some of the cooks as they swap lies and attempt to steal a few secrets.
Listen closely and you can hear the contest drifting off to sleep, muted conversation and the occasional crackling fire rule the sound waves for most of the overnight, that is if you are lucky and aren’t next to a bunch of loud and obnoxious drunks, in which case, I recommend a set of earplugs.
Morning comes very early at a BBQ contest. The day begins for power cookers around 3:00 to 4:00 AM, occasionally, the sound of a weed burner will be heard bringing cold and silent cookers to life. As day breaks, smoke rolls in earnest as the giant awakens. Banging doors from nearby spot-a-pots and tearing sheets of aluminum foil signal that morning has broken.
As morning progresses, some familiar sounds and smells of breakfast being cooked in some sites rules the airwaves. Teams huddle together for strategy sessions and make preparations for impending turn-ins. More foil is torn, cooker doors can be heard being slammed, orders are shouted, the occasional cuss word can even be heard. The cacophony builds to a crescendo around 1:30 PM when the last box is submitted. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the definite sound of a sigh of relieve coming from are the cooks and team members. The noise softens for a bit as folks busy themselves with beginning clean up, wetting their whistles, and running to the can.
It is now when the fun begins, cooks, in anticipation of the results begin laying down the excuses. “My chicken was dry, the pork was over cooked, my brisket OK, but my ribs, the best we have ever cooked.” You will here this over and over around the site as pit masters are asked, “how was your food?” This conversation is soon drowned out by the sounds of teardown. Trucks being loaded, trailers hitched, the shuffling to awards.
The awards ceremony brings more announcements, maybe even a band, eventually the sounds that everyone has come to hear yet only a few will get to experience, the contest calls accompanied by applause. If you are lucky, you’ll hear your team called and take the walk. If nothing else, you will hear it called when they hand out the score sheets, although, that doesn’t really count now does it?
Congratulations, back slaps and high fives are mixed with folks saying goodbye, trucks starting and the grounds beginning to empty. All except that one guy over in the corner, sitting on an empty 5 gallon bucket turned upside down. He is staring blankly at a few pieces of stapled white paper, a score sheet perhaps. As you drift past the fellow you can almost feel his pain, maybe you have walked a mile or so in his shoes at some time in the past. You avoid eye contact, much like a beggar on the street as you hustle by, anxious to get into your vehicle and away from the man on the bucket. As you passed, you heard him muttering to no one in particular, “ ……….what happened?.........how can it be?.....”. As you sit in your truck, you take a quick glace at the overall score sheet and there is the man on the bucket, securely in DAL, you almost want to get out and pat him on the back, tell him everything will be alright. But you do not, some things are better left unsaid.
As you depart the contest grounds, your home for the past 36 hours, you realize that it is only a mere stroke of a pencil that separates you and the man on the bucket. It could be you or anyone else that his signed up. In fact, it has to be someone, someone must be last, it is inevitable. It is the way of the world. If only……………….HONKKKKK!!!!!!!!.... Suddenly, you are jarred back to reality, as the last sound you’ll hear at this contest is the loud horn blaring from the vehicle behind you as the driver pleads with you to get the heck out of the way and quit daydreaming! Travel safe.
The sounds of a BBQ contest can range from quiet to very noisy. Much of the sound is dependent upon which part of the day it is. I almost think at times, if I were blindfolded or were listening to the recorded sounds from a contest, I could tell you what time it was just by listening to the sound being created.
Friday morning the begins somewhat quietly, a few teams may have arrived on site the day before but for the most part, the contest grounds are empty with the exception of the contest staff. Teams begin arriving just after daybreak and are directed to their areas by volunteers many times using golf carts and verbal direction. You’ll hear sounds of teams setting up camp, metal poles clanking together, stakes being driven, cookers being unloaded, set into place, some even lit.
The astute observer will begin to notice a few pleasant smells being generated as early arrivals toss on assorted items to be served for lunch or perhaps involved in the ancillary contests set for Friday night. Conversations overheard will be greetings and other pleasantries as folks see their old friends and meet new acquaintances, introductions are made to neighbors, much laughter will be heard. Contest reps move about inspecting meats and providing information as to ice deliveries, cooks meeting times and any other pertinent information that will be needed by the arriving pit masters.
As the day progresses spectators arrive and begin to walk about asking questions and making observations. Maybe the event is in conjunction with a carnival, rides are tested and begin to operate, and perhaps a band begins to play offering attendees some evening entertainment. The evening wears on and things build to a pitch around 8:00 or 9:00 PM when things begin to settle and the cooking part of the contest begins in earnest.
Weed burners can be heard lighting off fires around the grounds, the band has packed up for the night and the only music that can be heard are the assorted tunes drifting out from the individual cook sites. Even this entertainment begins to wane as the appointed quiet hour draws near team member drift about, most of the public has departed for the evening, laughter a good times sounds waft form several sites that seem to have become gathering spots for some of the cooks as they swap lies and attempt to steal a few secrets.
Listen closely and you can hear the contest drifting off to sleep, muted conversation and the occasional crackling fire rule the sound waves for most of the overnight, that is if you are lucky and aren’t next to a bunch of loud and obnoxious drunks, in which case, I recommend a set of earplugs.
Morning comes very early at a BBQ contest. The day begins for power cookers around 3:00 to 4:00 AM, occasionally, the sound of a weed burner will be heard bringing cold and silent cookers to life. As day breaks, smoke rolls in earnest as the giant awakens. Banging doors from nearby spot-a-pots and tearing sheets of aluminum foil signal that morning has broken.
As morning progresses, some familiar sounds and smells of breakfast being cooked in some sites rules the airwaves. Teams huddle together for strategy sessions and make preparations for impending turn-ins. More foil is torn, cooker doors can be heard being slammed, orders are shouted, the occasional cuss word can even be heard. The cacophony builds to a crescendo around 1:30 PM when the last box is submitted. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the definite sound of a sigh of relieve coming from are the cooks and team members. The noise softens for a bit as folks busy themselves with beginning clean up, wetting their whistles, and running to the can.
It is now when the fun begins, cooks, in anticipation of the results begin laying down the excuses. “My chicken was dry, the pork was over cooked, my brisket OK, but my ribs, the best we have ever cooked.” You will here this over and over around the site as pit masters are asked, “how was your food?” This conversation is soon drowned out by the sounds of teardown. Trucks being loaded, trailers hitched, the shuffling to awards.
The awards ceremony brings more announcements, maybe even a band, eventually the sounds that everyone has come to hear yet only a few will get to experience, the contest calls accompanied by applause. If you are lucky, you’ll hear your team called and take the walk. If nothing else, you will hear it called when they hand out the score sheets, although, that doesn’t really count now does it?
Congratulations, back slaps and high fives are mixed with folks saying goodbye, trucks starting and the grounds beginning to empty. All except that one guy over in the corner, sitting on an empty 5 gallon bucket turned upside down. He is staring blankly at a few pieces of stapled white paper, a score sheet perhaps. As you drift past the fellow you can almost feel his pain, maybe you have walked a mile or so in his shoes at some time in the past. You avoid eye contact, much like a beggar on the street as you hustle by, anxious to get into your vehicle and away from the man on the bucket. As you passed, you heard him muttering to no one in particular, “ ……….what happened?.........how can it be?.....”. As you sit in your truck, you take a quick glace at the overall score sheet and there is the man on the bucket, securely in DAL, you almost want to get out and pat him on the back, tell him everything will be alright. But you do not, some things are better left unsaid.
As you depart the contest grounds, your home for the past 36 hours, you realize that it is only a mere stroke of a pencil that separates you and the man on the bucket. It could be you or anyone else that his signed up. In fact, it has to be someone, someone must be last, it is inevitable. It is the way of the world. If only……………….HONKKKKK!!!!!!!!.... Suddenly, you are jarred back to reality, as the last sound you’ll hear at this contest is the loud horn blaring from the vehicle behind you as the driver pleads with you to get the heck out of the way and quit daydreaming! Travel safe.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tailgater Challenge- Bel Air BBQ Bash 2011
George Hensler of who are those guys? and Dan Hixon of 3 Eyz BBQ, are working along with Scott Walker and the team over at the Maryland BBQ Bash to offer a class for beginning competition cooks. The class will cover how to prepare, cook and present your rack of ribs for the Friday night tailgater challenge. The class will June 25th from 9 AM-2 PM.For details click on this link http://www.mdbbq.com/competition.html
Monday, April 25, 2011
NBBQA National Conference and Trade Show
…..hmmm these BBQ folks ARE good people!
I recently traveled to Greenville, South Carolina to attend the nation BBQ Associations’ National Conference and Trade Show. The event was held March 23-26 at the Embassy Suites located just outside the downtown district of Greenville. The theme of this years gathering was “Roots of Shared Success: Inspiration and education from our BBQ family tree.”
After arriving on Wednesday afternoon, I was checked in and immediately began to run into folks that I knew. Around 12:00 we were all loaded onto 2 large coach style busses for what was billed as a BBQ Tour of Greenville. Both busses were packed as we were driven to four local restaurants. At each stop we were greeted by the owners and staff, given some brief history of their establishment and then we had an opportunity to sample their wares.
For me, this was one of the highlights of the trip seeing the different smoking and cooking operations and hearing the stories of how they came to get involved in the restaurant business. Not to mention some really good eats. I was amazed at the size and quantity of the spreads put out by each establishment. If anyone returned to the hotel hungry, it was their own fault.
Thursday morning was the opening session where we heard from two very motivated individuals, Patrick Murdy of Company 7 BBQ from Englewood, Ohio and Roy Slicker from Slicks Que Company located in Sisters, Oregon. Both of the speakers told how much assistance and guidance they received from folks involved in the NBBQA and how they were very helpful in the early days of planning and working to help get their doors open.
After the opening remarks the attendees broke out to attend some of the numerous learning sessions planned for the convention. There were classes on branding, starting your own BBQ business, how to get sponsors for your competition team, using the internet to help promote, brand and expand your business and much more. The only problem I had was trying to decide from the list which session to attend. The sessions were scheduled for three at a time which meant you would miss something each time. I still haven’t figured out how to be in three places at once, when I do, I’ll let you know.
The keynote speaker for Thursday’s luncheon was Dave Anderson, better known as Famous Dave from Famous Daves BBQ Restaurant fame. Dave spoke from the heart and told his story how he built his business from a start-up operation in a town of 1,800 to its current size of over 200 locations in over 37 states. Dave’s tail of how he turned a backyard hobby into a $500 million restaurant empire is truly astounding. It was a real “rags to riches” story that was very moving, inspiring and motivational. Dave stayed around for the entire weekend answering questions and just hanging out with the rest of the conventioneers, an all around great guy.
Friday there were more sessions along with the opening of the BBQ trade show. Along the way there was plenty of time for BBQ networking. In attendance you had sauce and rub makers, caterers, marketers, restaurant owners, equipment makers, competition team members, BBQ media outlets, suppliers, just about everything to do with the business of BBQ was represented.
My observations were folks were very willing to give advice when asked. One on one and small group discussions were every where during the “down” times. These were some of the most successful people in the BBQ community all gathered together under one roof, all with a similar mission, to encourage and advise others to explore and succeed in what ever BBQ path they had chosen. It was all about the promotion of the BBQ community in general.
For me, what I observed during my four days in Greenville was exactly what I had thought all along, BBQ folks are good people, there is no doubt about it. The theme of the gathering, “Roots of Shared Success” was played out over and over that weekend. I saw folks that have traveled the road of success not only offering guidance, but offering encouragement and advice to others just beginning their journey.
My advice, for what ever it is worth, if you are in the business of Que or even thinking of getting involved, you need to join the National BBQ Association and get to next years conference. Just hanging out with a large group of highly motivated and driven people is bound to do you some good. I know it did me. When I arrived home I was so pumped up I told my wife that we were going to open a BBQ restaurant by this time next year. If you only could have seen the look on her face as she asked the inevitable question upon hearing my pronouncement, “how much did you have to drink on the plane trip home?”
The 2012 NBBQA National Conference and Trade Show is scheduled to be held in San Diego, California, you need to try and make it, you’ll be glad you did.
Pork in the Park
Salisbury MD
April 15-16 2011
The much anticipated Pork in the Park BBQ Festival was held April 15-17 in Winterplace Park located in Salisbury Maryland. The park is located in the heart of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and is always a great place to visit. Sandy Fulton and her enthusiastic group of volunteers once again rolled out the red carpet this year welcoming 116 teams from all around the Country as well as Canada.
Thursday evening found many teams already in place inside the park as the pit masters were anxious to get their fires started for the 2011 BBQ season. This event has become sort of a season opener for many of the teams in the northeastern part of the Country.
Friday morning the rest of the arriving teams were greeted with fabulous weather as it was what some would call one of those Chamber of Commerce kind of days. Teams keep their third eye on the sky as the weatherman wasn’t making any promises for what was in store for late Friday night and Saturday.
Turn-in morning broke with gray skies and very gusty winds, as the day wore on, things never improved. The heavy rain that was predicted stayed away until after awards, I still believe Sandy when she says she has an “in” with the Chief Meteorologist. After the brisket boxes went in, teams were scrambling to break camp before getting soaked. I am not sure if I have ever seen a contest of that size broken down and packed away in such short order.
In true fashion the organizers were in front of the weather issue and moved the awards ceremony into the large tent that had be erected for the judges. It was a bit tight, but everyone was dry and that was a good thing.
PA Midnite Smokers, Paul and Brenda Hess walked with an impressive win as the contest Grand Champions. They took first place in both the chicken and pork categories, second in brisket and fourteenth in ribs. They also scored well in Friday night’s ancillary contests with a second in anything butt and third in dessert.
Contest Reserve Champs were Jacked Up BBQ with Cool Smoke taking the number three spot. Aporkalypse Now won top honors in ribs and Hambones by the Fire scored number one in brisket. The Black Pig BBQ was the winner in anything butt and Heavy Hitters BBQ won the Friday night dessert division. Big Dawg’s Smokin BBQ was awarded the first place trophy for whole hog.
This contest has grown to one of the biggest on the east coast, it is well run and the hospitality shown by the organizers is second to none. It is a great way to start the contest season. If you haven’t done so already, you need to add this event on your “to do” list for 2012, you’ll be glad that you did.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
While at a contest...
......what do YOU eat?
We all know the stories and tales of revulsion associated with eating BBQ at a BBQ contest, especially AFTER turn in. Much has been written about the assorted foods that folks crave after a contest, one thing that is fairly consistent, it won’t be que, I have even opined in the past on this very topic and believe it or not, that story was one of the most commented on articles I have ever written, with most folks agreeing with me, unusual for sure.
Instead, this month’s article will touch on the foods that you do eat while at a contest, sometimes known as ‘camp food’. One only needs to poke around the contest grounds on Friday night to see what I am talking about. Some teams will go all out with their menus that will include appetizers and a full course sit-down spread. While other take a little easier route, opting for dips, wraps, and assorted other finger type foods. Still others, like it easier still, and will dine on carryout foods or something prepared by a nearby event vendor.
As for the WATG? gang, we have served the entire gamut at times, I guess, depending upon the situation or our mood. If the contest includes a chefs choice or anything butt on Friday night, many times we will just make a little extra for the team members to enjoy after the last turn in. If the mood strikes us, we might prepare something completely different. We have served everything from grilled New York strip steaks and twice baked potatoes to pasta or home made chili on for Friday’s dinner. All served with the appropriate bottle of vino of course.
I have prepared steamed shrimp and many other assorted appetizers for the team members and guests around the camp to nosh on while sipping cool drinks under the lighted canopy on Friday eve. I have even went the super easy route and ordered delivery subs or pizza be brought to the site, when we just didn’t feel like cooking, just like at home.
Many times, as other cooks and pit masters stop in for a visit, we invite them to join us or at least have a taste. We usually always invite our neighbors or at least make them a plate to enjoy. We have even been known to wrap a carry out package up and deliver it to a team located on the other side of the grounds, just because we know they like what we were having. What goes around comes around, I believe in that one for sure.
Our team has even been known to arrive at a certain favorite contest area on Thursday night, with the event promoters’ prior permission of course. With contest preparation not beginning until the next day, the past two years we have whipped up an old fashioned Maryland style crab feast on Thursday. The table is complete with steamed on site #1 Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, fresh picked sweet corn swimming in butter, ice cold sliced garden tomatoes and chunked cantaloupe for dessert. Just writing about that meal here in mid February is making me mouth watering hungry. It don’t git no better than that!
Another method that our team has been known to employ from time to time is known as the walk about dining method. The trick here is to mosey around the contest grounds on Friday evening around about 8-9:00. You need to wear a look of extreme hunger, which usually isn’t very hard for me, while wandering around site to site. As you can imagine, many of the other teams will be busy whipping up or serving their own camp food to their members and guests. BBQ folks being some of the nicest and most hospitable folks on the planet inevitably are going to ask, would you like something to eat or try one of these. You are in luck.
I have had some of the tastiest samples of many assorted foods while panhandling at a BBQ contest. One well known New England team is known far and wide for their offering of what is known as Damn Dip. A word of warning here though, you’d better get to their camp when the dip is served, cause it doesn’t stay around very long, trust me.
Many times, folks are even nice enough to share their recipe or methods of preparation with you. I have picked up a ton of tips and great recipes from my fellow competitors while at a contest. I guess what I am saying here is you don’t need to sweat the details as to what you are going to serve the gang for Friday nights dinner, just load your pockets up with cold drinks and take a walk. You are bound to scare up something good to eat; after all, you are at a BBQ contest. Hopefully, it will be something besides BBQ!
Monday, January 24, 2011
The cream rises to the top......
……the question is why?
Let me start out by saying, please don’t panic. I have not switched gears and am not going to write a column on baking or even the latest craze to sweep the Country, the cupcake. Unlike the Food Channel, which at times should call itself the baking channel, you will not hear me go on and on about how hard it is to move a giant cake that can’t be eaten from place to place. Speaking of the cupcake, since when did this little morsel become the latest hot lick? My guess is they needed something else to help support the sale of $5 coffees so they gussied up the cupcake and now charge you $4.50 for something we used to sell at Cub Scout bake sales for ten cents. I am guessing that raspberry scones just weren’t cutting it anymore, result, designer cupcakes.
But, I digress, what I am speaking of here is the cream at a BBQ contest, que cream so to speak. Now, what I am about to say is speaking in generalities at best. This is by no means scientific, accurate or proven. I have nothing to base it on and absolutely no evidence in support of what I about to say. In fact, it is pure conjecture, a fabrication on my part.
It is my contention if you take a walk around any of the numerous BBQ contests held each weekend around the Country and you know your BBQ teams from the region, you can pretty much, with a relative degree of certainty, pick out what eventually will be the top ten overall finishers. Keep in mind, these observations are not always dead on, but most times are pretty close. The nagging question is why? What follows are my theories as to the explanation for this particular phenomenon.
1)In general, the top flight teams are not hard partiers. I know I will get a good deal of argument here, so I will clarify. What I am saying is these guys are focused. They are at a contest to cook good competition quality que, not to drink and carry on. This does not mean that the good cooks are not social or like to have fun, on the contrary, most are very social and love a good time. They just know when to party and when to be serious. When they are in the “show time” window of a contest, most are working hard to reach their goals and are not drunk or hung over. Again, this is not an absolut. Pun intended.
2)Repetition, that’s the ticket. Many of the more successful pit masters are cooking more than a handful of events a season. These guys are cooking a lot, they know their equipment, how it performs and what to expect regardless of the weather conditions. They are very comfortable in their smoky surroundings is what I am trying to say here.
3)Timing is everything. Pick a first rate team, go by their site at 12:30 AM on Friday night, go by their site the following week at the same time and I guarantee you’ll see the same thing. These guys are on automatic pilot, they’re in the zone, again, focused, they know what they are doing and when they will do it before the fire is even lit. I even know of one very successful pit master that can be seen crawling into his truck at the exact same time on Friday night for his required siesta. To say these guys are on a fixed schedule is an understatement.
4)If something is not working, you need to fix it. One thing I learned from the guys I have met that are winning is they are constantly looking for an edge. They are never idle, if a category is not getting the job done, they are not afraid to make changes in the quest for improvement. Some times the change is subtle other times drastic but these fellows are not afraid of change. I have even known of guys that have changed what would be considered successful processes in the never ending quest for improvement.
5)Consistency is not only a good thing, it is a requirement. Again, not a hard fast rule, but most of the top scoring teams are doing well in all four categories. They may not be walking in every meat, although that surely wouldn’t hurt. The key is the team is not tanking in even one category and that is what is important. You need to be consistent across the board to hear your name called with any regularity.
6)Teams that are consistently in the top ten would be considered dedicated, in my humble opinion. Most would admit to having que on their mind for most of their waking hours. Where else could you find someone that is willing to engage in a 1.5 hour conversation as to the interactions of rub and or marinade to the eventual crunchiness of chicken skin. Find yourself one of these top ten pit masters and see if you can get them to talk a little que. The only problem is, trying to get them to stop.
7)Attention to detail. Most of the guys that are successful week in and week out are very detail oriented. As I stated above, they operate on a set schedule, their equipment is all in the right place, and their cook areas are neat and organized. They pay attention to even the smallest detail, always searching for a way to do it better or more efficiently.
Again, this is not meant to be a scientific study or report, it is merely the dimwitted observations of a slightly past middle-aged, half crazed, BBQ wannabe. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked, “how can you continually cook a good product when at each contest you have different judges….it is so subjective, how can you be consistent?” My answer is always the same, “you’ve got teams out there that can win in California, Texas, New England, Florida, Kansas City and everywhere in between, they must be doing something right”. In our sport, as is the case in any competition ever held, the cream always rises to the top. Only in our case, the cream smells a bit like smoke, and that is a good thing!
Let me start out by saying, please don’t panic. I have not switched gears and am not going to write a column on baking or even the latest craze to sweep the Country, the cupcake. Unlike the Food Channel, which at times should call itself the baking channel, you will not hear me go on and on about how hard it is to move a giant cake that can’t be eaten from place to place. Speaking of the cupcake, since when did this little morsel become the latest hot lick? My guess is they needed something else to help support the sale of $5 coffees so they gussied up the cupcake and now charge you $4.50 for something we used to sell at Cub Scout bake sales for ten cents. I am guessing that raspberry scones just weren’t cutting it anymore, result, designer cupcakes.
But, I digress, what I am speaking of here is the cream at a BBQ contest, que cream so to speak. Now, what I am about to say is speaking in generalities at best. This is by no means scientific, accurate or proven. I have nothing to base it on and absolutely no evidence in support of what I about to say. In fact, it is pure conjecture, a fabrication on my part.
It is my contention if you take a walk around any of the numerous BBQ contests held each weekend around the Country and you know your BBQ teams from the region, you can pretty much, with a relative degree of certainty, pick out what eventually will be the top ten overall finishers. Keep in mind, these observations are not always dead on, but most times are pretty close. The nagging question is why? What follows are my theories as to the explanation for this particular phenomenon.
1)In general, the top flight teams are not hard partiers. I know I will get a good deal of argument here, so I will clarify. What I am saying is these guys are focused. They are at a contest to cook good competition quality que, not to drink and carry on. This does not mean that the good cooks are not social or like to have fun, on the contrary, most are very social and love a good time. They just know when to party and when to be serious. When they are in the “show time” window of a contest, most are working hard to reach their goals and are not drunk or hung over. Again, this is not an absolut. Pun intended.
2)Repetition, that’s the ticket. Many of the more successful pit masters are cooking more than a handful of events a season. These guys are cooking a lot, they know their equipment, how it performs and what to expect regardless of the weather conditions. They are very comfortable in their smoky surroundings is what I am trying to say here.
3)Timing is everything. Pick a first rate team, go by their site at 12:30 AM on Friday night, go by their site the following week at the same time and I guarantee you’ll see the same thing. These guys are on automatic pilot, they’re in the zone, again, focused, they know what they are doing and when they will do it before the fire is even lit. I even know of one very successful pit master that can be seen crawling into his truck at the exact same time on Friday night for his required siesta. To say these guys are on a fixed schedule is an understatement.
4)If something is not working, you need to fix it. One thing I learned from the guys I have met that are winning is they are constantly looking for an edge. They are never idle, if a category is not getting the job done, they are not afraid to make changes in the quest for improvement. Some times the change is subtle other times drastic but these fellows are not afraid of change. I have even known of guys that have changed what would be considered successful processes in the never ending quest for improvement.
5)Consistency is not only a good thing, it is a requirement. Again, not a hard fast rule, but most of the top scoring teams are doing well in all four categories. They may not be walking in every meat, although that surely wouldn’t hurt. The key is the team is not tanking in even one category and that is what is important. You need to be consistent across the board to hear your name called with any regularity.
6)Teams that are consistently in the top ten would be considered dedicated, in my humble opinion. Most would admit to having que on their mind for most of their waking hours. Where else could you find someone that is willing to engage in a 1.5 hour conversation as to the interactions of rub and or marinade to the eventual crunchiness of chicken skin. Find yourself one of these top ten pit masters and see if you can get them to talk a little que. The only problem is, trying to get them to stop.
7)Attention to detail. Most of the guys that are successful week in and week out are very detail oriented. As I stated above, they operate on a set schedule, their equipment is all in the right place, and their cook areas are neat and organized. They pay attention to even the smallest detail, always searching for a way to do it better or more efficiently.
Again, this is not meant to be a scientific study or report, it is merely the dimwitted observations of a slightly past middle-aged, half crazed, BBQ wannabe. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked, “how can you continually cook a good product when at each contest you have different judges….it is so subjective, how can you be consistent?” My answer is always the same, “you’ve got teams out there that can win in California, Texas, New England, Florida, Kansas City and everywhere in between, they must be doing something right”. In our sport, as is the case in any competition ever held, the cream always rises to the top. Only in our case, the cream smells a bit like smoke, and that is a good thing!
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