Comp chicken practice

[Meat Man]

Chicken is a tough one, our first year we did reasonably well with it. Last year we went with a different approach and did terrible. So far this year after only one competition, I'm pretty sure it's my sauce. I just don't think it is sweet enough, next time out I'm gonna go back to what used to work and see if we can't improve our scores.

 

[scooter]

Are there any backyard open judging events in your area with KCBS judges? It's a good way to get direct feedback from real judges although sometimes the feedback you'll get can be just as confusing as getting just scores back. At the same table you can hear : it's too saucy, it's sauced perfectly, needs more sauce, too salty, salted perfectly, needs less salt...etc.


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[Big Poppa]

Scooter...please dont take this wrong....but when I never tried to guess in advance which randomly assigned judge Im going to have to please. You follow what you can pick up and make sure that the food is first and foremost appealing because I dont care what the appearance scores are they influence the other two.....the next on chicken is that it is at a crossroads....Ill get to that on brisket if you want too....the old school chicken was poorly shaped, really overcooked, and the sauce was set in stone....the new school is super tender....want it to drip down the chin of the judge...want it a tad spicier quicker in the bite but still sweet. it also should have a hot rod sheen to the set...when the texture is like sandpaper it hurts scores. Now you hit a table of old school they thing that is undercooked.

Things that drive appearance: Shape, degree of sauce set, and the evenness of the seasonings underneath. When you can tell where they put their butter or other stuff it ends up blotchy....

The final opinion and all of these are just my opinion is that judges do not like smoke on chicken...especially the smoke that sauce attracts when setting...if you are putting smoke on the chicken make sure its gone by the time you set.

NOw just to let you know Chicken was my weakest meat forever....until after hundreds of practice I sort of got my trim right and tight, my sauce and seasonings, but my tenderness very even....since we nearly always do well including one of my 3 180's last year.

 

[Norwood]

Scooter,

That is some nice looking chicken. Congrats on the 2nd place. How much rub are applying to get that good looking texture?

 

[scooter]

The final opinion and all of these are just my opinion is that judges do not like smoke on chicken...especially the smoke that sauce attracts when setting...if you are putting smoke on the chicken make sure its gone by the time you set.

This is very disturbing to me. As a judge, smoke is the #2 flavor I look for. The flavor of the meat being my #1 flavor to find. Everything else added to the flavor profile should only elevate/enhance the meat flavor, all in balance with nothing standing out. Hearing that your experiences have shown you that SoCal BBQ judges don't want smoke flavor flies in the face of everything I thought BBQ should be. I can only hope that it's some trend that will die off quickly. In my opinion, smoke is spice #1!

Here's my box from Santa Anita. No sauce problems this time so we got all 9's in appearance.

 

[Big Poppa]

not so cal scooter...iowa...kc florida....look at the cookers..you are overfixating on one comp...trust me sometimes you feel like a nut sometimes you dont...I coult show you lake elsinore boxes (back to back) Matt dalton wasnt cooking it...he was in my trailer at turn in (us bps teams have no secrets) He said "First place" Darren from Iowas smokey D had his camera ready when it came to the last call and we hadnt been called....17th...next day 1st

 

[scooter]

Thanks BP, you're right, we need to cook more and I'm probably over thinking the results from Santa Anita as you say. On the drive home Chris was saying he's not going to freak out from the results and I, being the newbie competitor, was going over and over in my head what I had changed from the 172 score I received two weeks before to the 163 score I got at SA. I don't have many opportunities to cook in front of real CBJs to just do nothing to the recipe between SA and our next comp. After I get the recipe dialed in and I have a bunch of comps under my belt I'll take it in stride like you and Chris do.
It's my nature to analyze and adjust. It's a disorder and I'm working on! I really appreciate all the coaching you've provided.

 

[scooter]

the next on chicken is that it is at a crossroads....Ill get to that on brisket if you want too

Would love to hear your take on brisket.

 

[Big Poppa]

Im afraid to talk about all this stuff...Im trying to give you really good advice...not just from my experience but I am lucky to get to cook with Chris Lilly Darren Warth Scott Nelson Rod Gray and Johnny Trigg and many more.....dont overreact to one comp....I wont tell you about brisket until you get that in your head...a rule of thumb that steph uses is 3 times you give a recipe if it doesnt hit you change....

BBQ in its current state is a numbers game...you get to keep 10 and the big teams throw away 20+ for teams like mine 22 comps I get to throw away 12...if I can finish in the top thirty overall and top ten in a category against the teams cooking 40 I am happy. You guys have to either cook 20+ or take your lumps when it doesnt roll your way.

Look at Sams Sacto today...662 wins it....that is a joke....on ribs 5 of the top six came from the same table....judging is broken.

 

[scooter]

Yes I saw that. An average category score of 165 for GC. That's pretty low. I don't know how the Lake's sort their tables but I doubt it's like K & K with the west coast sort.
Anyway, we'll probably cook under 10 events this year. We'll do our best and hope we land on the right tables.

 

[Big Poppa]

scooter I cooked this sams I think three years ago Steph won chicken with a 136 but look at the rib table....that is inexcusable

 

[jimsbarbecue]

"Look at Sams Sacto today...662 wins it....that is a joke....on ribs 5 of the top six came from the same table....judging is broken. "




I saw this 5 out of 6 from one table and a 662 won. something is not right. When teams stop going to Norcal to compete Maybe the light will come on that something needs to be done.