Backyard vrs Competition barbecue


 
There's a lot of truth in those comments, and pretty much why I don't enter either homebrew beer or barbecue in competitions. I make what I like, hopefully what my guests like, not to a perceived standard (although I will admit to some influence from those.)

Clean bowls & plates, along with comments like "You've ruined me for...." make me happy, not ribbons on the wall.
 
I had a short competition "career" many years ago (competing with Rick Jones and against Henry Joe Peterson....both TVWBB members who have not been seen here in a LONG time), and I think that what Rod says is very true. You are cooking BBQ to please a trained BBQ judge (hopefully, though this isn't always the case.....), and the things that trained BBQ judges are looking for tend to be a bit specific, but will also vary regionally. The most challenging thing about comp cooking is figuring out what "perfection" is for the general judging community, and then getting all of that into ONE bite (for taste and tenderness), and a somewhat short look at your prepared box (appearance.) Let me tell you, I've eaten a lot of winning ribs (as a competitor, judge, etc), and in almost every case I would not want to eat a whole rib prepared that way. Good for a bite or two, but not much more (for me, at least.) And many of these competitors are cooking HUGE amounts of meat (3+ shoulders, 3+ briskets, 6+ rib racks, etc) to get the best bits to turn in, so there's that part of comp BBQ that doesn't appeal to me either.

In the backyard, you are cooking what YOU like, or what YOUR family likes, or what YOUR friends like. For some that's falling off the bone, for others it's something else. For some that's heavily seasoned, for others it's light seasoning/smoke so the meat shines. In your backyard, there are no parameters you feel like you have to hit to please a judge in a single bite, and, for most of us, even the cooks that we think didn't turn out as we'd like will still likely impress family and friends, which, as Rod says, is what you want to do as a host anyway.

Competing was fun, I enjoyed the challenge of it. I don't think it relates much to backyard, except in the case that I did get much better at controlling variables (seasoning, smoke, heat, etc.), which are skills that come in handy.....especially when something is not going as expected.

Just my thoughts (while I reheat some backyard bbq for lunch.) :)

R
 
There's a place for both. I've never had much interest in competing but I get the appeal. There are lessons to be learned from the competition side to apply to the backyard side. Restaurant barbecue cooking is what I really admire but I have no desire to get into that. It's too much work!
 
In restaurants, it’s about portion control and repeatability. In BBQ contests, it’s about 1 bite. When I serve ribs, I am looking for people to stuff their faces. I prefer to be a backyard BBQer because it’s about providing mass quantities of food and as the pit master, it’s about what you want to do. If people stuff their faces with competition food, I’m not sure they will be happy.
 
Some corrections to a couple of "miscues" ...

There is no such KCBS "judging standard" like written above.
We use a KCBS approved methods to test for tenderness and texture that applys to all pork products, both ribs and Boston Butt, with an additional test for a "properly cooked rib".

KCBS does not have a standard for appearance and/or rib color, period !
Keep in mind that it was the COOKS that set their "unwritten standard", not KCBS and not the CBJs.

We judges only take one or maybe two bites for a good reason... Remember we judge 6 boxes of Chicken, 6 boxes of Pork Ribs, 6 boxes of Boston Butt, and 6 boxes of Beef Brisket. And there maybe additional categories such as up to 6 boxes of desserts...
I really enjoy BBQ, but there's a physical limit (grin).

Oh... No comp BBQ will ever be "Perfect". Perfect is a limit. There should never be a limit in BBQ, except the sky.... maybe ;)

Here's a link to site with some comp BBQ pictures.... BBQCRITIC

Bob Bass
KCBS Master CBJ # 58212
 
I apologize to all others who may come across this thread. Given the fake information syndrome and attacks on one's integrity that has gripped this country, it would be unfair to just leave the posting as is. I have reviewed my original posting with another KCBS Master CBJ. They too found my original posting to be 100 % correct.

Lynn, just wished you fully read my posting. Why do I believe you didn't... You missed my signature at the end, or maybe you don't know what a KCBS Master CBJ is. So your posting of how to become a CBJ had me shaking my head in disbelief.

As far as Rod Gray... I both follow him on social media AND frequently use his rubs. Rod's one of good guys of BBQ.

Lynn, are you a KCBS CBJ ?

Bob Bass
Lifetime KCBS Member
KCBS Master Certified BBQ Judge # 58212
KCBS Certified Table Captain
 
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