# Comp cooking vs backyard



## phathead69

Well turned 50 this year and got to do the cleansing and camera procedure. I have trouble with anesthesia so while nothing dramatic I'm really slow shaking it off, think not drunk but light buzz all day. Well that led to a binge watching of Q competition on Destination tv channel. Some things I have questions about.

1. They wrapped almost everything 95% of what I saw. Ribs of all kinds beef, pork whether st louise or BB or country style and brisket flat of course. I'm sure part is to meet time constraints of turn in time. But does that equal better taste since it is competitive cooking with flavor being a factor. On here just me guessing I think it's a split. When topic comes up most say don't matter unless bark or time is a major factor.
2. Ribs - beef or pork just about all used squeeze butter and brown sugar in the wrap. Sugar for caramelization after unwrapping I'm sure. Ive read the discussions on here about the sugars in rubs. The butter however is new for me. They were claiming adding moisture back. 
So are these things comp only or does the backyard guy need to look at or apply more often, in particular the butter. Do they pro comp guys have a start time that forces wrapping or they just think it's better for moisture retention.


----------



## fivetricks

It's all about time. Many if those guys and most all competition guys will tell you that there are distinct differences between backyard bbq and comp bbq. 

Whether it be wrap, temp, method, phosphates, etc it's all about the time constraints and the fact that only one bite will be taken in comp


----------



## SecondHandSmoker

The comp guys wrap due to time constraints so they'll add liquid and what have you to "steam"  the ribs.  

And as fivetricks said above the comp guys are judged on bite as well as other factors. 

For the backyarder, it really boils down to personal preference as to methods and what not. 

This past summer, I was doing a lot of 3-1-1 BBs with nothing added during the wrap basically because my wife and I don't care for FOTB ribs.  Next time I do ribs, I will not even bother wrapping. 

Just food for thought...


----------



## WaterRat

There's not really any moisture in the blue bottle to start, I can't see how you can "add it back". As for wrapping and flavor, Aaron Franklin did a video where he directly compares unwrapoed, paper wrapped and foil wrapped:


----------



## JCAP

Knowing nothing about comp bbq except what I hear on podcasts....I’d think Judging has to be really crazy hard. Everything is probably pretty darn good.


----------



## phathead69

Forgot this on the original post.
3. They REALLY REALLY REALLY coat with the rub, at least compared to me. But to quote most of them "I want the rub to compliment the flavor of the meat ". 
I use rubs on most things but I usually can clearly see the meat with thru the rub
All the above and the original post like secondhand said is personal preference. Maybe a better way to ask is, with comp guys doing so much different would our Q hold it's on at these competitions minus the presentation part with only the one bite.


----------



## daveomak

In competition cooking, the judges are local...  You should know what has won in the past comps and do your best to duplicate it...  If you comp cook to meet what you like, you ain't gonna win...  It's all about feeding the judges that don't get paid...


----------



## noboundaries

A lot of rub works well with foil-wrapped meats. The steam tends to wash the seasoning off the meat. I never understood the fake butter, except as a jus flavoring to use as a glaze. I do miss the jus to use on the meat, but prefer the bark and bite of my process.

I've done foil-wrapped, paper-wrapped, late wrapped, and no-wrapped. No-wrap, light dusting of rub is my favorite, with paper-wrapped second. I have zero interest in competing or using their techniques.


----------



## phathead69

noboundaries said:


> A lot of rub works well with foil-wrapped meats. The steam tends to wash the seasoning off the meat. I never understood the fake butter, except as a jus flavoring to use as a glaze. I do miss the jus to use on the meat, but prefer the bark and bite of my process.
> 
> I've done foil-wrapped, paper-wrapped, late wrapped, and no-wrapped. No-wrap, light dusting of rub is my favorite, with paper-wrapped second. I have zero interest in competing or using their techniques.


I have no interest either, just asking for taste side of it. Like you I rarely wrap except for time


----------



## bbqbrett

Not a total expert as I have only done a couple of comps but wrapping is interesting.  On the BBQ Pitmasters show pretty much everyone wraps but after the first season the show is not representative of how a regular comp is.  The couple of comps I competed in and some I just visited there was a mix of people, some wrapped and some didn't.

As far as wrapping it can help somewhat with time but from what I have learned most people wrap to try to get the correct tenderness and to help add flavor profiles.  Easier to get a bit of extra flavor without having to constantly open the smoker and spritz or mop.  As far as the butter goes from what I gather it is to help add a bit of fat\flavor content back in to the meat when they wrap since some will render out when it cooks before wrapping.  I never did that at a comp my self though.  I used squeeze butter a couple of times at home and then tried real butter that was softened.  I got better results with the real stuff.


----------



## unclebubbas bbq

My 2 cents are as follows. I am a KCBS judge and have competed as well. Most guys who are wrapping their product is because they don't want anymore smoke on their meat. Wrapping with foil will affect the bark, wrapping with butcher paper does not.  I always wrap my ribs whether I'm cooking for my family or competing. I just like the way it comes out. When I wrap them I place them meat side down and the juices settle into the meat.  I only wrap my pork butts if they stall on me, but that way I can also catch the juices and save it for when I pull the meat. As far as brisket goes I prefer wrapping with butcher's paper instead and save the juices as well for the same reason. There are a 100 different ways to do things, half the fun is trying something new and see if it gets better!


----------



## Motorboat40

I usually dont wrap my ribs I just let them cook I never noticed any difference except for time. I do use brown sugar in my rub that I like to add the night before and I also like to drizzle honey and the squeeze butter on them and rub it all together then do another light layer of rub.


----------



## Dunstablegrizzly

noboundaries said:


> A lot of rub works well with foil-wrapped meats. The steam tends to wash the seasoning off the meat. I never understood the fake butter, except as a jus flavoring to use as a glaze. I do miss the jus to use on the meat, but prefer the bark and bite of my process.
> 
> I've done foil-wrapped, paper-wrapped, late wrapped, and no-wrapped. No-wrap, light dusting of rub is my favorite, with paper-wrapped second. I have zero interest in competing or using their techniques.


I read somewhere that the fake butter, parkay, really has to do with something about what temp butter deteriorates compared to the fake butter. So i quess the fake butter  burns at a higher temp? Not sure where I got this from but it may have been Harry So from slap your daddy bbq.


----------



## bbqbrett

I hadn't heard that before.  I thought it was more just for convenience since it can be spread out evenly from the squeeze bottle.  I have used real butter most of the time and had good results.


----------



## zwiller

HA beat me!  I don't think it's the melting point but the squeeze bottle if you ask me.  I also don't think it adds moisture or flavor per se but it richens and thickens the flavor.  

There is so much more to comp level cooking than adding butter or wrapping.  If you are really into comp style cooking (I am) Mixon is a must read.  There's stuff in there that will blow your mind.


----------



## Khaymanbb

I've done everything:  butcher paper, foil, no wrap, blue bottle butter vs real butter, extra rub vs light rub.  To be honest it's all a taste preference for how you like your meat.  Get used to the temp of your smoker and try them all.  Really, they're all super good.  I guarantee you your smoked meats will be better than any restaurant in town.  Find what you like, what your family likes.   You won't go wrong!


----------



## Hawging It

Motorboat40 said:


> I usually dont wrap my ribs I just let them cook I never noticed any difference except for time. I do use brown sugar in my rub that I like to add the night before and I also like to drizzle honey and the squeeze butter on them and rub it all together then do another light layer of rub.


Same for me except I add the brown sugar during the cook. I also add Tiger sauce and a Coke or Dr. Pepper and spritzing with apple juice. Many layers of flavor. My wife loves my old school method that I have been doing for 30+ years.  A light dusting of Tony's creole seasoning. A light dusting of Cavender's Greek seasoning and black pepper. All smoked the same just not all the extra flavor layers. I prefer all the layers.


----------



## Khaymanbb

Hawging It said:


> Same for me except I add the brown sugar during the cook. I also add Tiger sauce and a Coke or Dr. Pepper and spritzing with apple juice. Many layers of flavor. My wife loves my old school method that I have been doing for 30+ years.  A light dusting of Tony's creole seasoning. A light dusting of Cavender's Greek seasoning and black pepper. All smoked the same just not all the extra flavor layers. I prefer all the layers.


Oooh, yeah, Dr. Pepper.  I found that if you add Cherry Dr Pepper and an ounce or so of Grenadine, that makes ribs out-freaking-standing.  Or use the juice from Maraschino cherries.


----------



## Hawging It

Khaymanbb said:


> Oooh, yeah, Dr. Pepper.  I found that if you add Cherry Dr Pepper and an ounce or so of Grenadine, that makes ribs out-freaking-standing.  Or use the juice from Maraschino cherries.


Cherry juice sounds really good and interesting. Will try it and see how the family likes it.


----------



## Khaymanbb

Hawging It said:


> Cherry juice sounds really good and interesting. Will try it and see how the family likes it.


Just don't use a lot.  Maybe a tablespoon or so when you wrap them.  I've added a half cup once, it tasted like cherry candy.  My kids destroyed them, but it hid the smokey and pork flavor too much.  But a little, that gives a different flavor that's sublime.


----------



## TunaciousBBQ28

I watch the shows too and I heard a contestant says squeeze butter is easier to use than stick butter. Allows them to get the wrap finished and back on the smoker quicker.


----------



## thirdeye

TunaciousBBQ28 said:


> I watch the shows too and I heard a contestant says squeeze butter is easier to use than stick butter. Allows them to get the wrap finished and back on the smoker quicker.


Competition BBQ is a different beast, and cooks go to extremes to make the most out of one bite.  I'm a BBQ Judge and I use some of he comp tips and tricks at home, but usually to a lesser degree.  Injections are a good example, I use competition products, but my mixing ratio might be 1/3 of the amount used in competition. 

To comment on the squeeze butter question.... In addition to wrapping, a lot of comp cooks are using the spray version of Parkay or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter during the cook.  Parkay doesn't break like butter can, has a higher smoke point, it helps melt the sugars in the rub and to some degree it keeps the sugars in the rub from darkening or burning and adds a level of moisture.  Some cooks will use butter flavored popcorn oil.


----------



## TunaciousBBQ28

thirdeye said:


> Competition BBQ is a different beast, and cooks go to extremes to make the most out of one bite.  I'm a BBQ Judge and I use some of he comp tips and tricks at home, but usually to a lesser degree.  Injections are a good example, I use competition products, but my mixing ratio might be 1/3 of the amount used in competition.
> 
> To comment on the squeeze butter question.... In addition to wrapping, a lot of comp cooks are using the spray version of Parkay or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter during the cook.  Parkay doesn't break like butter can, has a higher smoke point, it helps melt the sugars in the rub and to some degree it keeps the sugars in the rub from darkening or burning and adds a level of moisture.  Some cooks will use butter flavored popcorn oil.


Interesting to hear from a Comp Judge. Thank you for your insight on the butter use and properties.


----------

