Rookie question for comp?

When is it?

Is it KCBS sanctioned? (you list the four KCBS categories) They have VERY specific rules which many of us can help with.

If it's not KCBS sanctioned, is it sanctioned by someone else?

Until then my initial advice.

Have you ever been to one? Find one before your contest and take a trip and visit. Talk to the teams.

The ONLY rule to remember...Have Fun. If you're not having fun, don't go.

1. Find out the rules and the turn-in times. Rules will tell you about judging (blind?) about what time the turn-ins are. Then from that figure out a cooking plan. Call up the organizer and ask lots of questions. Maybe they can even hook you up with an experienced team in the area if this is a previously sanctioned contest.

2. PRACTICE. You do not want the first contest to be your first practice. MOST contests are just held in a parking lot and you bring everything you need. Some will provide electricity (look at the entry form) Some will provide water and some will provide nothing. All permits are done by the contest (never heard of a team having to provide permits). I'd would try to cook at contest schedule by setting up in your driveway or backyard. Do it exactly like a comp. If you have to go into the house, make a note of it and what you had to have. There are some good "checklists" out there that can give you a rough idea of what some people take, but you need to modify it for your contest, your needs, your smoker.

http://www.smokingunsbbq.com/checklist.cfm



3. Work on each category for an aspect of Taste, Tenderness and Appearance. Someone has to judge it and it won't be you. The HARDEST thing to do is guess what the judges will want. In KCBS I have to turn in perfect chicken at noon, perfect ribs at 12:30, perfect pulled pork at 1 and perfect brisket at 1:30. Perfect's my goal, but I rarely obtain it. One thing I know some guys will do is take four weekends and just work on one category each weekend. From cutting, prep, cook, and even build a presentation box.

4. Read the internet. There are LOTS of forums out there talking about contests coming up, how to build a box, etc.

5. Find out if there is a local association connected with the contest. There are a lot of regional groups, likely the California Association (I'm guess since you're located in CA).

That's a start. Maybe a few of us need to get together and write a Contest 101 and sell it as an e-book, there's is SO much info out there, can't put it all in one post. Not to worry, we'll help you out here for free.

Russ

Hey Russ , the contest date is May 5th and yes it is a KCBS event it can be seen on the web if you type in modestobbq. I am so ready to go have a great time i am just nervous because i have never been to one of these events so i have no idea what to expect. I believe the order of the food and times is exactly as you described so sounds like you know what i am going to face from begining to end! I have been cooking every weekend for the last 3 months with not one weekend being missed. I love doing it so much and enjoyed meeting all the guys at the class i thought this event might be a good way to meet more people that enjoy it as much as i do and get an idea of where my cooking is compared to other cooks. I never thought about setting up all my stuff and trying to cook under those conditions , point well taken! I believe that little piece of advise is going to save me a whole bunch of problems i might have never thought of until it was to late to fix. Again i have no idea what i am doing so any thoughts you can think of , please let me know!!! Thanks so much , Chris

Coming up quick, so ask any specific questions, feel free to post here or PM me.

For newbies, I think the toughest besides the overall issue, is how to work the last 30 min before turn-ins. So have an idea of how you want to do you boxes and really, really, really (really) have the timing down so you don't have to worry. Oh, and the timing will change on site... LOL

Happy to help any way I can.

I get a number of emails asking for input and I've had LOTS of people help me along the way, many in this forum, so I think it's certainly my duty to help if I can.

Happy to say I had a friend who I've helped took a first in Pork this weekend in a KCBS contest. His first contest ever. It CAN be done.

Chris... Smokin nailed it. If you can visit a comp site before your first comp do it. Take a look at the variety of the setups and talk to the competitors. Just don't bug them after around 11am on Saturday. they will be too busy to talk much.

You'll see setups ranging from huge motorhomes to guys with a single ez-up and everything in between. Some sort of shelter form the sun and maybe rain is nice to have. You'll also want a couple of tables to work on and it is a lot easier if the table is at normal counter height so you can work standing up without bending over. Lots of us use pieces of PVC pipe to extend the legs of a normal height table.

Smikin is aslo right about practice. Setup in the back yard or the drive way and pretend that you are miles from home. Every time you find something that you need and don't have go into the house and get it, but write it down!

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask your neighbors at the competition site. Most guys are glad to help a new team.

Ron said something that made me think.

Guess you have been weather in CA, but around her, plan for the worst, rain/hail/wind. They won't call the event because of weather. A good ez-up with sides worked well until I got my trailer.

I still use a rainsuit I got at walmart; got it at a Ponca City contest when we had 8" of rain and I need one since all my clothes were soaked.

Yep,it is KCBS and looks like 9 teams have registered ,so far.

It shows,May 8/9 -I believe.

If I read this correctly ,there is a Tailgating program,at 8 PM, hosted by our own drbbq.

He is a longtime member of this forum and travels with and cooks on an FEC.

Seek him out ,tell you are a member of the forum,and a new cook.

There is also the Secrets of BBQ proram,being hosted by drbbq and QN4U,a Food Network type of event.

Ca won't typically have large entries,so you won't get lost in the mobs.

QN4U is signed up and is an experienced team,and might give you some tips,if you are early and polite.

Some cold drinks never hurts.

Practice, for timing, is probably the most essential thing we will all tell you.

If you are using garnish,build your boxes early that morning,or even the night before and cooler them.

Lots of folks can cook pretty good q,but getting it in that box, and over to turnin, in that 10 min window is tough.

A helper/runner/gofer is handy to have.

A lot of folks find it handy to have their large meats done very early,and resting in a cooler/hotbox.

Have fun,and try to learn.

Thanks for the answers guys , i started this weekend off by doing a full set up of all my equipment in the parking lot of my shop and i realized i dont know how much room i will really end up with? Is there a size they give you to work in or is it different at every event? I started off cooking at 10pm friday night and found that the timing might be a little tight , maybe not i made it tough on myself by not doing the boxes until the next morning and things felt kinda rushed. I should have taken pictures but didnt think about the camera when i left the house friday night. Also i did have to make a trip to wal mart for a few items but i feel pretty good about my list inventory now with the exception of a nice little cargo trailer... that will have to keep for the next event! I am however getting some signs made to hang on my ez-up and im really stoked about that. I printed off the kcbs rules and it all looks pretty straight forward although i have to admit im not really sure what the blind boxes should look like exactly and even more confused about what is the best thing to use in the bottom of the box? I used parsly but i dont know if that is the best way to go or not. Thanks again guys...Chris

Hey Yankee. You will have a lot of help. There will be a bunch of us from CBBQA there. Ask anyone questions. You will get your answers. This is one of the best run contests of the season. Starts Friday night with a free dinner, live music and lots of booze to get things started. Look for Love Shack BBQ there. We will be behind the wall across from the ice trucks. There is usually about 40 teams. The list on the website hasn't been updated. Good luck.

Here is a group of surveys that Juggy De Beerman ran ,several years ago, on Ray Basso's forum.

http://www.rbjb.com/rbjb/juggy/juggy.htm

Many of us voiced our opinions and scored the entries,under the old scoring system.

This is not what they must be,but examples of how they could be.

Yes,parsley is popular right now.

It is sometimes difficult, to get great leaf lettuce.

The KCBS reps,and maybe the Ca Assoc, may have sample books for you to look at and discuss,after the cooks meeting.

Ask some of the experienced teams around you for some guidance-when they aren't busy.

Hope this helps a little.

Tom-Fl

Chris, take him up on it. A great bunch of guys in the CBBQA and they'll take care of you.

Couple of answers for you:

at the cooks meeting, they usually ask about "new cooks" so raise your hand and always ask tons of questions. The rules are picky and you don't want a DQ on your first time. A team in Enid this year got 2 DQ's as a new team. You can also ask the KCBS rep any rules questions since he's the one that makes the decisions. Such as "...if I design my pork in a big X and put a bottle of sauce in the middle is that okay"... after he chuckles, he would tell you no.

Build your boxes the night before, put a damp towel over them and in an ice chest to hold. BUT, be careful, don't let them sit on ice directly as the lettuce could freeze.

Takes lots of photos, looking forward to the report. Last newbie I helped got a first in pork his first time out.

If you want box suggestions, I'm sure you can PM any of us or maybe someone will point some links to some boxes. I'll go looking for some

Hey folks, listen to Russ. I'm the "newbie" guy who took first place Pork in our first ever contest against some 53 teams at Winchester, TN. Mike Davis, Bad Byron, Pig Pals....you CAN cook with them, and with a good lucky table...you CAN win. I've got a trophy to prove it. Russ helped us greatly along the way. Even judged some sample presentation photos along the way. You've got to practice from start to finish. Work that timeline.

I will say this...and it takes time. The first time I met Russ at The Jack a couple years ago, he told me to get Certified as a KCBS Judge and start judging. I found a class nearby, and did. I judged about 3 events per year the past two years. This experience lets you see and taste what other folks are doing. It was the BEST ADVICE I've received before dipping my toes into the competition scene.

Also, from my experience this past weekend....just relax. Don't get sh**faced. Have some fun...but take it a little easy. Ask your cooking neighbors any questions you may have. They'll be more than happy to help. It's one big family. Cook like you've practiced and let the chips fall where they may.

We're totally hooked on this competition cooking now. My wife, my nephew, my son.... It was an experience of a lifetime, trust me.

And, once again...thanks Russ for your help and insight along the way. We truly appreciate it!

Cook on...
Wade

Ah man I was keeping you secret .... LOL

Hey I was like a Proud Papa when I saw that call. YOU did the work.

I figure I'm just passing down my lessons learned just like a lot of guys in the forum have helped me along the way.

Now if I can just get my darned brisket scores up...

Proud of you!