BBQ Judge Survey
October 2009
Hello:
Not much to report to you about the American Royal trip except we didn't win anything. With that many teams, they need a lot of judges, and... well, let's just say, they all have different tastes. Our chicken scores ranged from 9-9-8 to 6-7-7. Now, if any of you have seen our chicken turn-in boxes lately, you'll know that an appearance score of 6 is crazy out of wack. Ribs ranged from 8-9-9 to 7-8-8. Our pork also ranged from 9-9-8 to 6-7-7. Brisket from 9-9-9 to 6-7-7. I'm sorry, but if you score our brisket 6-7-7, something is seriously wrong with your taste buds. I think there was one judge that was just giving everybody 6-7-7's.
All in all, we had fun visiting with friends and meeting new friends. Even though we had to deal with...
- A brutal 1000+ mile drive one way to get there
- 40 mile an hour winds on Friday
- We all caught some kind of bug (luckily it was not H1N1)
- We didn't know about "the dark side" until Friday night. There was a party at the site next to us and the noise literally rocked our RV. Luckily that did not carry over to Saturday night. Whatever you do, don't get a site on "the dark
side" at the American Royal unless you
plan on doing more partying than competing.
Speaking of competing...
Myron Mixon has a few more spots open for his November 13-15 BBQ cooking class. It's for BBQ
competitors and back yarders alike. If you don't know who Myron Mixon of Jack's Old South is, you've probably been living in a cave for the past 5 years. He's one You do the math... I can assure you, the $750 price for his school is well worth
it. What's more expensive... a one time $750 fee or going to and losing contests all the time? A contest costs somewhere between $500 and $1000 to compete in. Do yourself a favor... run , don't walk on over to Myron leaves out no details... I was surprised at what the class included.... whole hog, making sauces and injections, and preparation,
cooking, and presenting all four categories - chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. He shows you everything from start to finish and keeps no secrets for himself. You get it all, I can assure you. He'll even let you take all the
notes and pictures you want. 
of the best BBQ cooks that ever lived - 3 time winner of Memphis in May. What I learned from Myron's school about turn-in boxes coupled with some of his other tips
and what I already knew, allowed me to win 4 Grand Championships in 2009. 
e glad you did!
Sign up at www.jacksoldsouth.com
Seats are very limited!
Be sure to tell him Bill Anderson sent you!
Now on to the BBQ Judge's Survey Results...
The BBQ Judge's survey was a success with over 600 judges responding. Just a note about question 3... about 10 judges emailed me to say that I should have included "no garnish" as an option. So there are
probably a lot of judges who would prefer to see no garnish in the turn-in boxes. I am mainly a KCBS competitor, so I was trying to get the opinions of BBQ judges with regards to judging KCBS contests. I think
turning in a box with no garnish in KCBS would be suicidal, but I may be wrong. Most of the questions also pertain to FBA and other sanctioning bodies. I even got an great email from "Famous Dave" Anderson...
Say Bill... this is Famous Dave!
I am a certified judge and have judged in many contests as well as competed in many contests over 35
years. I was very interested in your survey but felt that just giving us choices was not too fair... just like saying anyone rib is the best rib. I love all barbeque! Barbeque is like sex... it's all good!!! Your questions
are about as meaningful as asking if you love blonds or brunettes. Do you love tall pretty girls or short pretty girls? I had to really laugh at one of your categories about whether "Whole thighs minimally
trimmed but still looked good" OR... "Smaller, trimmed, better looking thighs!"
Barbeque is tough to judge... as I think all garnishes are appreciated if the contestant is talented in the use
of garnishes. I have seen what appeared to be whole gardens in a contestants box and had to go digging through the bushes to find the meat! Personally I would prefer not to see garnishes at all as a really great
ribber can do amazing things just with the meat and it is the meat that we are judging after all. I do think that if garnishes are going to be part of the presentation then there should actually be a garnishing award.
This then separates out the task of judging garnishing versus judging the real skills of smoking and the quality of barbequed meats. Barbeque Contests are not florist conventions! As someone who has spent his
whole life in the food business... I follow a very well accepted culinary discipline regarding garnishes... "if you can't eat it or if it is not used in the recipe... don't even think of putting it on the plate!"
Regarding sauce... again this is a tough question and it all depends on the quality of the smoked meat, a ribber's expertise in applying rubs, and the quality of a sauce. For me there isn't anything better than a rib
right out of the smoker. However in the same breath I love a great rib with a great sauce that is running down to my elbows. There are times with the right smoked rib and the right great tasting sauce that I can't
get enough of the stuff all over my face!
And to ask which sauce you prefer is almost insane. I have tasted very tasty sweet tomato based sauces that
I would kill for. I have been in southern states where I have tasted really great spicy sauces that have no tomato or sweetness to them... much like a great southern texas style chili that is not sweet and tomato is
forbidden...and I absolutely loved these sauces as well especially if the meat was smoked over mesquite or in certain parts of New Mexico where I have tasted some really great barbeque smoked with the fragrance
of pinon. Then when I am in the Georgia... how can you say you don't absolutely love the smoky pulled pork slathered with a great mustard based sauce? or if you're in the Carolinas and you have a great vinegar
basted smoky pork... ITS ALL GOOD... how can you in your right mind decide which one is better over the other?
Regarding brisket... I don't think it is fair to ask judges whether they prefer brisket or burnt ends. Two
different categories. I think burnt ends should be a category all by itself. And asking if there should be a "smoke ring" is tantamount to asking if the Pope is Catholic. To me there is no barbeque if there no smoke
ring. Wood is good. The ring is the thing!
When it comes to pulled or chopped pork, sauced or not sauced... again this is all personal taste depending
on what part of the country you grew up in. I love a really great slow smoked no sauced pulled pork with some bark... just as much as enjoy chopped pork with no sauce with some bark. Then if the sauce is really
tasty, spicy, and flavorful... I am just a apt to drown my pulled or chopped pork with the bark with this tasty nectar from the barbeque gods!
Bill... I think you asked some very difficult questions. I think if you had a panel of judges you could not get a consensus with everyone in agreement and it all comes down to one thing and one thing only... whether it
is the ribs, loin backs, chicken, or pork... Does it taste good? If it tastes good. If is authentically smoked slow until tender. If the sauce is tasty whether it is mustardy, spiked with molasses, tomato or no tomato,
spicy or sweet, tangy or zippy... the only thing that matters is whether you feel like you have just tasted the best barbeque in the whole world and you will know that the moment these succulent morsels of barbeque heaven touch your lips!
I love'em all!!! (I suck at being a judge)
Snout-standingly Yours
"Famous Dave"
P.S. This evening I was out in my backyard playing around with a new sauce made with some fresh
cranberries that are grown up near the original Famous Dave's in Hayward, Wisconsin and the natural tartness made a really great zippy sauce that made you think that Elvis was dancing on your tongue!
So just Click Here for the Results of the BBQ Judge Survey!
Click on the book cover to get "Competition BBQ Secrets" TODAY!...
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Sincerely,
Bill Anderson
Chatham Artillery BBQ Team
And remember... Competition BBQ Secrets is available in our BBQ Store along with some great BBQ essentials... thermometers, cookbooks, rubs, etc. Just click on the link below to go to our store...
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