Competing in Cook Off on the Colorado - Need help

[appetitefordigestion]

I am competing for the first time coming up on Nov 7 and 8.  I have help from my wife and parents, but would like to find someone who would either like to be on the team or just let me pick their brain.  I pretty much know what I am going to do, but would like to have someone with experience to help me out this first time.  If you can't be on my team, I will take any advice I can get.     

[Lynn]

Just go and cook the best product that you can that day and if you place then it is icing on the cake.

Enjoy yourself and meet a lot of new friends.

Good Luck

[Brewhaha]

We will be there, so dont be bashful, come on by and have a cold one, and ask anything you want. We dont have any secrets, and will be more then happy to help ya out in any way we can. 

We have all been there, and have to start out somewhere.  Just dont be like me and have a pit fire your first cookoff.  Yes there is a reason you need to have a fire extinguisher, and make sure it works!

Make a list, of what you need, what you want to do, and when you should do it. Think you have everything, make another list, and check it again.

Good luck

[bruce bebee]

JUST COOK LIKE YOU WOULD IN YOUR BACK YARD
HAVE A GOOD TIME, MEET PEOPLE,THERE SHOULD BE A COOKS MEETING AND YOU CAN ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT THERE AND IF YOUR LIKE ME YOU WILL NEED
TO HAVE SOMEONE WATCH YOUR TURN IN TIMES (DON'T BE LATE)
 

[ronbeaux]

Only thing i would add is to not change your game plan mid cook. Do your best, ask questions, and have a good time.

[BigBro]

 I agree.    Cook like you would in the backyard. My brother and I entered our first comp this past summer and won 15th in brisket out of 23 teams. We definitely got hooked.     Watch your times    and add in some rest time on the schedule. Make a list of everything you think you might need and then go over it again & again. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. A couple of folks helping to watch the fire and clock, the better off you'll be. Most important; HAVE FUN! Nothing like the Brotherhood of the Smoke!  

[appetitefordigestion]

I appreciate all of the advice.  I am still working on a couple of recipes and will test them out this weekend.  I know my smoker pretty well, but we are also using my dad's smoker....but I'm putting him in charge of it!   

I plan on having fun, but getting everything together is a little nerve racking.  My plan is to get my team focused and then I will go around and meet some of the other teams...that way it doesn't feel like I am just working and not socializing.  Still have an open spot on my team and will hopefully fill it soon....my buddy was interested until I told him that his job was to watch the meat...he didn't think it sounded very exciting.

We are also planning on cooking more than required and giving it away.  I asked the event coordinator and they love the idea.  If I do good, then there will be opportunities to do some catering jobs in the future....and that is the only way my wife will let me buy a mobile smoker.   

[Lynn]

I have a check list from a team in the Kansas City area that might be helpful on planning your first outing - just ignore the part about lettuce, parsley -  In Texas we don't use that stuff.

www.smokingunsbbq.com
Click competition and see the checklist

They have been successful in the KCBS curcuit

[Brewhaha]

That is the same list I have been using for years.  It hits on just about everything you might need. 

We are not going to make it to Bastrop as we had thought.  Have a few personal things that have come up that wont move on the schedule, and we will have to try again next year.  We are planning on doing Chilly Chili in Feb though!

[appetitefordigestion]

Had an interesting time at my first event.  I met so many great people and got some good advice.  We got there around 4pm and had time to setup and then go around and talk to several teams.  I just about froze to death because my team went home and left me by myself until around 2am, when they brought a tent back...big miss communication on my part.  We didn't place in any of the meats, but our key lime pie got third place in the wrong category.     We entered it for custard and it won in fruit.  Good news is that all 3 pies brought in around $175 in the auction and that helps with the charity. 

I was worried about my cooking times, but everything was done right on time.  The beans were a little spicy, but now I know how to cook beans (first time).  We did try a new recipe for the cook's choice and it came out good.  We made pork loin steaks with an dried apple rub and we made some fans when we gave out samples.  My chicken was a huge hit and we ended up eating a whole chicken in less time than it took to cut it up.  I gave a drumstick to one of the volunteers and he said some nice things about it, but I couldn't hear him very well with his mouth full.     Everything else was made according to plan and came out the way it was supposed to. 

I think that my style of bbq didn't jive with the judges.  I know what kind of bbq they eat here in town and I should have styled it more like that and I would have placed.  I did realize that bacon wrapped whatever seems to win the cook's choice.  Guess I need to wrap something in bacon next time.  Get well to Kyle who nearly cut 2 fingers off taking the membrane off his ribs...that was a good way to get out of having to do it next time.      Congrats to those who won and we will be back next year!