The neighbors and I cooked in our second year of the EMC Fair and Rodeo BBQ Cook Off in New Caney, TX. This is the only cook off we do, so we are more recreational than serious competition cookers. It was hot and humid, then rainy and windy, then humid again, etc. Love Bugs were out in full force and a few ant piles emerged in our spot during the weekend. There were 103 total teams entered this year. Not exactly an easy competition for a recreational team.
We ended up 5th in chicken. That was a complete surprise to us. I got the chicken started late due to poor time management on my part. With 45 minutes left until turn in, I pulled it out of the brine, patted it dry, dusted it with Suckle Busters Comp Rub and started it on indirect heat in my Weber kettle, Since I was running out of time, I spread the coals out and went direct. I sauced it with Suckle Busters Honey BBQ Sauce for about five minutes and pulled it for the turn in boxes with less than five minutes on the clock. It probed at 165. I cut the chicken in half prior to cooking and the skin pulled back some during cooking. The judge almost didn't take it, but let it through. We were floored when we got the call for fifth. Our second comp ever and we got a call for chicken, our most stressful dish of the day. The lesson I took away was that if it goes in the box right off the grill, it will be that much more juicy and fresh for the judges.
We didn't get top 20 in anything else. Because it is such a big comp, they don't post all the results and only read the top 20 or so. My open entry finished 12th last year, but was nothing this year. My ribs got too tender in the foil when the smoker shot up to 300 and I couldn't cool it down. I was lucky to get nine good ribs out of them. My brisket was a bit dry and I cut it a tad thick. It's by far my weakest meat.
And now for the pictures. One teammate is a semi-professional photographer, so he snapped a few pictures.
Slicing of my BBQ Uramaki Sushi Rolls
Boxing of the Open entry
Fresh off the grill
Turn in box
After resting in the cooler
Profile shot
Turn in box
It was fun and I'm still a bit worn out. I have my final cleaning up to do today. It's amazing the amount of stuff you need for a cook off and party. The fact that my teammates are more laborers and drinking buddies than cooks is a bit tough, but they are getting there.
We ended up 5th in chicken. That was a complete surprise to us. I got the chicken started late due to poor time management on my part. With 45 minutes left until turn in, I pulled it out of the brine, patted it dry, dusted it with Suckle Busters Comp Rub and started it on indirect heat in my Weber kettle, Since I was running out of time, I spread the coals out and went direct. I sauced it with Suckle Busters Honey BBQ Sauce for about five minutes and pulled it for the turn in boxes with less than five minutes on the clock. It probed at 165. I cut the chicken in half prior to cooking and the skin pulled back some during cooking. The judge almost didn't take it, but let it through. We were floored when we got the call for fifth. Our second comp ever and we got a call for chicken, our most stressful dish of the day. The lesson I took away was that if it goes in the box right off the grill, it will be that much more juicy and fresh for the judges.
We didn't get top 20 in anything else. Because it is such a big comp, they don't post all the results and only read the top 20 or so. My open entry finished 12th last year, but was nothing this year. My ribs got too tender in the foil when the smoker shot up to 300 and I couldn't cool it down. I was lucky to get nine good ribs out of them. My brisket was a bit dry and I cut it a tad thick. It's by far my weakest meat.
And now for the pictures. One teammate is a semi-professional photographer, so he snapped a few pictures.
Slicing of my BBQ Uramaki Sushi Rolls
Boxing of the Open entry
Fresh off the grill
Turn in box
After resting in the cooler
Profile shot
Turn in box
It was fun and I'm still a bit worn out. I have my final cleaning up to do today. It's amazing the amount of stuff you need for a cook off and party. The fact that my teammates are more laborers and drinking buddies than cooks is a bit tough, but they are getting there.
