After 6 or 7 years of talking about it, I finally did it! I entered my first contest! It was a "backyard" contest, but a lot of very experienced, and very good teams were cooking in it (some with very expensive cookers to).
I arrived early Friday morning, the weather was nice! (But that would not last)
On Friday night first turn in was chicken wangs. I was very happy with these. Wangs and dessert were a joint contest with the pros. My wangs took 2nd place!:yahoo:
So I was really happy about that!
Next turn in was dessert. I turned in a Texas sheet cake. I thought it was awesome but judges didn't seem to like it.
Friday night was pure hell! After 3 or 4 rounds of thunderstorms it was a challenge just to keep everything dry, including me! I took 3 changes of clothes with me and by the time I got home they were all soaked (even the tshirt I got at the contest)!
It's all good I didn't let it get me down!
First turn in on Saturday was chicken. I really liked these. I got 8s and 9s, but one judge gave me a 6 in tenderness. I'm a CBJ no way these deserved a 6! Anyway these took 9th.
Next was ribz. These were awful, they never got tender. A thunderstorm hit just as I put them on, I didn't get a good bark on them, they just weren't good. I blame the weather!
Next was pork, over all I was pretty happy with it, the money muscles weren't as tender as they should have been, I originally wasn't going to put them in the box but when I sliced them I thought they were good. I think they tightened up a little in the box, it cost me. The judges didn't like it.
Overall in my first contest I finished 15th out of 22 teams( not bad for a guy with 1 ez
up and 2 Hunsaker Drums), but most importantly I survived! It was a lot of fun and I got to meet some really awesome people.
If any of you are considering competing, my advice would be to just go for it and if there's a chance of rain bring rubber boots!
Thanks for looking!
I arrived early Friday morning, the weather was nice! (But that would not last)
On Friday night first turn in was chicken wangs. I was very happy with these. Wangs and dessert were a joint contest with the pros. My wangs took 2nd place!:yahoo:
So I was really happy about that!
Next turn in was dessert. I turned in a Texas sheet cake. I thought it was awesome but judges didn't seem to like it.
Friday night was pure hell! After 3 or 4 rounds of thunderstorms it was a challenge just to keep everything dry, including me! I took 3 changes of clothes with me and by the time I got home they were all soaked (even the tshirt I got at the contest)!
It's all good I didn't let it get me down!
First turn in on Saturday was chicken. I really liked these. I got 8s and 9s, but one judge gave me a 6 in tenderness. I'm a CBJ no way these deserved a 6! Anyway these took 9th.
Next was ribz. These were awful, they never got tender. A thunderstorm hit just as I put them on, I didn't get a good bark on them, they just weren't good. I blame the weather!
Next was pork, over all I was pretty happy with it, the money muscles weren't as tender as they should have been, I originally wasn't going to put them in the box but when I sliced them I thought they were good. I think they tightened up a little in the box, it cost me. The judges didn't like it.
Overall in my first contest I finished 15th out of 22 teams( not bad for a guy with 1 ez
up and 2 Hunsaker Drums), but most importantly I survived! It was a lot of fun and I got to meet some really awesome people.
If any of you are considering competing, my advice would be to just go for it and if there's a chance of rain bring rubber boots!
Thanks for looking!