# 3rd Comp of my Rookie season...



## bruno994 (Aug 21, 2012)

This past weekend I competed in my 3rd event of the year, I had plans on doing more, but the summer heat here in Texas (for those of us without campers) kind of keep you from cooking in June, July and August.  The comp was sanctioned by IBCA...http://www.ibcabbq.org/index.html  ...it was a benefit put on by the Cleveland, Texas Booze Fighters Chapter 58 Motorcycle Club, benefitting the Military Assistance Program with 20+ teams.  In most IBCA comps, you turn in 7 ribs, 7 slices of brisket and 1 half chicken fully jointed.  Those numbers change once the cookoff reaches a certain number of teams and some of their comps also include pork butts (KCBS style). 

Here is my chicken turn in:













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






Brined from 6:00 PM Friday night, until 9:30 AM Saturday, rubbed some mixed squeeze Parkay and my rub under the skin on the thigh and breast area, sprinkled my rub lightly on the skin, then a bit heavier on the underside of the chicken.  Smoked for 1 hour untouched, then brushed sauce on and put into foil pans in a butter bath with some sauce mixed in for the last hour.  Pulled out of the pans with 15 minutes left before turn in, placed back on the smoker near the hot end to set the sauce, then into the box and off to turn ins.  Juicy, tender and delish.  Got my only call of the day in this category, getting a 10th place call.  Not as high as I would like, but still a call. 

Next was ribs.  In the past few months since my last comp, I have been cooking ribs at least 1 weekend a month, trying to perfect or at least improve them.  I felt like I have tremendously, just not in these judges eyes.  No call on ribs, maybe I need to go back to a no sauce / glaze ribs like in my initial comp, I got a call there, but have yet to get one since I have been saucing.  I use a modified 3-2-1 method with my ribs.  3 hours smoke, 1 1/2 hours meat side down (for some char), 1 1/2 hours meat side up, 1 1/2 hours in foil with Parkay squeeze, brown sugar, some more rub and apple juice.  Check them after 1 1/2 hours, if they are not tender enough, back on for another 1/2 hour to tender, then I sauce / glaze, and back on for 30 minutes to set the glaze.  Here they are:













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






I am still looking for a better brush (one that doesn't leave brush marks) to apply the sauce/glaze with, so this weekend I tried a mopping style, so it looks like it is gooped on, but it is really quite thin.  The glaze is a mixture of Sweet Baby Rays, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.  A bit of tang, some sweet and smooth.  They are a hit everywhere except at the comps....???  I'll keep working...these were also some of the most curved bones I have ever ran into, I was talking to another cook, he believes it's beacuse of the way the pigs are raised, in such close quarters, that there is no room for the ribs to grow except in a curved fashion.  Makes sense to me...

Last meat was brisket, and boy did I mess up.  Last week our local HEB was running briskets (select grade, I know, I know big mistake for a comp) on sale for $1.29 a pound, so I picked up a couple.  I cooked one last week on my smaller patio pit and it was ok, but a bit dry.  So I loaded up the other one, a 13 pounder to cook at the comp.  2 different methods, 2 different weekends, 2 different pits, but the same dry brisket.  Being select grade and the fact they had marked them down so low, I should have known.  Just not enough marbling in the meat to keep it moist.  So, after slicing, I laid the slices in some of the juices and tried to bring it back to life, but it was not enough as I did not recieve a call in brisket either.  Here's a look at my turn in...get a glass of water before you look at the pic, your gonna need it...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






All in all, I was happy with everything except the brisket, but as always, I would have liked to gotten more call.  I did not feel too bad, another cooker next to me (he has cooked American Royal Open and Invitational, the Jack and won a number of grand championships over the years, including the last comp I cooked) only got a chicken call as well.


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## bruno994 (Aug 21, 2012)

As it has been for all the comps I have cooked, my family joins me on Saturday to spend the day with me, assist in turn ins and help pick up and clean up after all is done.  This weekend was no exception, as my wife and youngest son came over Saturday morning...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






Both of them love my Q, so taste testing is their specialty.  My wife helps me select the pieces for turn in and does pretty much anything I need her to do (if I could only get this kind of help out of her at the house, LOL).  My son keeps us entertained and he loves climbing all over the pit and trailer.  He really liked the sink addition and needed to wash his hands alot!  Here is a shot of the camp...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






One of my sink area with my cell phone keeping me on top of the time, the Maverick keeping me on top of the pit temps, all while I read the morning paper and chill during some dead time...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






And one at night...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012


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## bruno994 (Aug 21, 2012)

A quick look at my Maverick about an hour into the cook...had a probe in wood blocks on either side of the bottom cooking grate.  The firebox side is typically 10 degrees or so hotter than the opposite end, but I was dead on, so I had to take a pic...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






A shot of one side of the lot and some of the other cookers lined up (Stancil Park, Cleveland, Texas)...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






My cooking neighbor (Paul Martinez, Po' Meskin Cookers) and his awesome setup, it is a Pitmaker vault, mounted on trailer with sink, storage area and a charcoal grill on the front.  If you have never looked at one, pull up pitmaker.com, I am not advertising for them, but they are well built, fuel efficient pits.  Custom paint and trailer options are nice...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012






And finally me, and my one, lone call of the day...













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__ bruno994
__ Aug 21, 2012


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## scarbelly (Aug 21, 2012)

Looks like a great set up and things are only going to get better with experience. Great looking family too


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## uga fan (Aug 27, 2012)

Congratulations Bruno!!  I envy you because I would love to do a competition or two!!  Well after i get my pit operational..  I read u were looking for a brush that didn't leave brush strokes.  Last weekend I saw a mop style sauce brush at Academy Sports.   This may be something that will eliminate the problem.  If u don't have a store near u, PM me and maybe I can mail one out to you..  Good luck with the next competition!!


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## raptor700 (Aug 27, 2012)

Your turn-ins look good to me Bruno,I'm with you on the (no sauce) ribs. You Probably would have done better.

Thanks for the great pics


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