Competition Brisket weekend


 
Rusty Breaux

Rusty Breaux

TVWBB Fan
So my brother in law puts on a BBQ Cookoff for his church. This is the 3rd year for the HolySmoke BBQ Cookoff and its becoming a pretty good event. Full KCBS rules and blind judging by mostly local restaurateurs. 20 Teams this year and there were some serious cookers out there. A few sponsored teams and quite a few from restaurants. Well last year I entered with my wife's uncle and his son. I do the brisket, uncle does pork shoulder and cousin does ribs) I had ZERO experience in smoking meat and kinda winged it. Borrowed a busted old Electric Brinkman smoker and put out a **** brisket.

Well a month or so later I picked up an 18.5 WSM and spent the next year learning how to smoke meat (especially brisket). This site as well as many others have been amazingly helpful and become some of my favorite sites to frequent. This weekend "Pork Authority reunited with my WSM and a couple BGEs among the pull smokers and commercial rigs.

We placed 3rd in ribs, 5th in pork shoulder, and i got FIRST in brisket. :) ..

I worked hard these last 12 months (probably smoked 8 briskets in that time) and learned as much as i can leading up to this silly event, and it was ALLL worth it. It felt AMAZING when i got that call.. :)

Just thought i would share a couple pix from the weekend. I am still waiting for more pix to come through.

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Thanks for looking and for all the help and information!!
rb
 
Congratulations on a job very well done. All that hard work paid off in spades. Sounds like you will be the one to beat next year. Going from no experience to first place in one year is awesome and you should be very proud.
 
Thanks boys. it was a great experience actually knowing what im doing then getting some props. Had a couple scares as my brisket got to 160 in about 2.5 hours... so i left it unwrapped in the stall for almost 3 hours @ about 260*. made a strong bark... wrapped her around 171* and 6 hours into the cook. Pulled it around 202* when tender, but a few spots were probing at 210*... was a little worried. then after about 3 hours sitting pulled and started slicing... the end of the flat was pretty much WAY over.. but about 4" into it i got an almost perfect slice, great bend test, amazing tenderness, VERY happy w/ flavor and MOIST... I suddenly had a HUGE smile on my face... got 6 slices out of it and a few cubes out of the point. I didnt do any real burnt ends (with the sauce atleast). I really didnt think we needed any sauce (nothing to hide), so i brushed a little of the foil drippings for appearance and turned in. IF i didnt place, its because i have no idea what can win since it was EXACTLY what i wanted to turn in.

And being someone that never really thinks about actually WINNING anything, but instead always thinks im going to get outdone by someone that does this all the time; When i didnt get hear my name through 2nd place, i was already thinking what the hell do i have to do to actually make a brisket that is worthy..... then the rest is history.. :)

if you cant tell.. im still pretty excited.

rb
 
Excellent job Rusty !!! A big congratulations to you and your team !
I have to ask... Are you hooked ? :)
 
Bob Bass said:
Excellent job Rusty !!! A big congratulations to you and your team !
I have to ask... Are you hooked ? :)
Click to expand...

I am REALLY fighting an itch right now. If i would pick up 2 more WSM's along w/ a Kettle, It would be a hell of a time doing a couple comps around the area... HHMMMMM.. :)

A friend texted me "does this mean you are going pro?" ..
My reply: "I wouldnt say that, but if there was ever a first step".

Of course i wouldnt have my team, which REALLY did make the event alot of fun. They are all live 4 hours away and we get together for this event.

But who knows what next year will bring. I am going to keep playing in the smoke and MAYBE look into a couple of small events.

rb
 
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