Jeff R
TVWBB Pro
Forgive me in advance for the ramblings and long post, but I know you will get it.
Well my first competition with 100% CBJ’s is done and I thought I would share my experience and ramblings.
This was a rib fest in which they provided 12 riblet sized slabs to prepare for the KCBS judges as well as the public for people’s choice. Had no idea how they would cook, although I did suspect a little faster based on what some of you said.
I got there at 7:30 am for what was said an 8am set up and found 75% of the teams set up already and looking they could start cooking any minute. So I began to unload the SUV and make the multiple trips needed to get set up. I was a one man band and I quickly found out how I needed to have other team members. I had to set up camp, prep 12 slabs of ribs, fire up the WSM and attend a cooks meeting. Cooks meeting was at 10am. Of course that was right when I wanted to have the ribs on.
Shortly after I got set up I observed the first act of kindness that I have heard about at these events. Someone came up to the team next to me and was looking to see if he could buy some extra pellets. The guy started pouring pellets from his bucket and then refused any money for them. Shortly after that, he noticed I was struggling with the rib membrane as I forgot a butter knife. He quickly loaned me one. We soon began chatting back and forth and if we were not tending to task, we had some great conversations getting to know each other.
The cook is on and going well except I sure had the bullet loaded as I had planed an extra slab for friends and family who may show.
My wife gets there around noon, looks around, and seeing all the big offset and trailer smokers and says, “How are you going to compete against all of that”. I just smiled and said don’t you worry. She loves my cooking but just doesn’t get into like I do. So in a way it was good I started alone and had her available to bring some additional wish items.
The cook is done right to my planned schedule and I show her my turn in box. She has never seen one and seemed impressed. I filled my box and did my turn in.
In the mean time, the camp next to me wives’ show up and now she has made some good friends. She’s startin to get it!
Turn in is done, and people’s choice starts in 30 minutes. I get everything cut up and ready to serve. People started coming buy and sampling. You could see some smiles and talking between the patrons as they tried. After about an hour of good feedback from people, she’s startin to get it!
Soon there after, a judge comes up and says she scored a rib perfect 9’s and she is trying to find it. We chat for a while about KCBS and later she brings her husband back for a sample. By this time my wife is beyond herself and Startin to get it.
We spend the next couple hours with our new friends waiting for the results.
I took 2nd place and it brought my wife to tears. We enjoy another hour there then pack up. Once home she still can’t “believe” it. I turn on Episode One Pitmasters on Netflix so she can meet Harry Soo. We ended up watching 3 hours of it at her wish.
She turned to me and said, “I get it now, when is OUR next one”
Well my first competition with 100% CBJ’s is done and I thought I would share my experience and ramblings.
This was a rib fest in which they provided 12 riblet sized slabs to prepare for the KCBS judges as well as the public for people’s choice. Had no idea how they would cook, although I did suspect a little faster based on what some of you said.
I got there at 7:30 am for what was said an 8am set up and found 75% of the teams set up already and looking they could start cooking any minute. So I began to unload the SUV and make the multiple trips needed to get set up. I was a one man band and I quickly found out how I needed to have other team members. I had to set up camp, prep 12 slabs of ribs, fire up the WSM and attend a cooks meeting. Cooks meeting was at 10am. Of course that was right when I wanted to have the ribs on.
Shortly after I got set up I observed the first act of kindness that I have heard about at these events. Someone came up to the team next to me and was looking to see if he could buy some extra pellets. The guy started pouring pellets from his bucket and then refused any money for them. Shortly after that, he noticed I was struggling with the rib membrane as I forgot a butter knife. He quickly loaned me one. We soon began chatting back and forth and if we were not tending to task, we had some great conversations getting to know each other.
The cook is on and going well except I sure had the bullet loaded as I had planed an extra slab for friends and family who may show.
My wife gets there around noon, looks around, and seeing all the big offset and trailer smokers and says, “How are you going to compete against all of that”. I just smiled and said don’t you worry. She loves my cooking but just doesn’t get into like I do. So in a way it was good I started alone and had her available to bring some additional wish items.
The cook is done right to my planned schedule and I show her my turn in box. She has never seen one and seemed impressed. I filled my box and did my turn in.
In the mean time, the camp next to me wives’ show up and now she has made some good friends. She’s startin to get it!
Turn in is done, and people’s choice starts in 30 minutes. I get everything cut up and ready to serve. People started coming buy and sampling. You could see some smiles and talking between the patrons as they tried. After about an hour of good feedback from people, she’s startin to get it!
Soon there after, a judge comes up and says she scored a rib perfect 9’s and she is trying to find it. We chat for a while about KCBS and later she brings her husband back for a sample. By this time my wife is beyond herself and Startin to get it.
We spend the next couple hours with our new friends waiting for the results.
I took 2nd place and it brought my wife to tears. We enjoy another hour there then pack up. Once home she still can’t “believe” it. I turn on Episode One Pitmasters on Netflix so she can meet Harry Soo. We ended up watching 3 hours of it at her wish.
She turned to me and said, “I get it now, when is OUR next one”