# Did my first competition on Saturday



## veener88 (Oct 28, 2007)

Well thought I would share my local ACE hardware did its first all cooker BBQ contest.  This means you had people grilling and BBQ'ing since up north people think grilling is BBQ.  I have to say this was my first time I have ever done a competition and in this event I knew of at least 4 guys that do competitions on a regularly.  At least I had some good competition to learn from.  The fun part setup was at 7:30 and poultry the first was do at 1, beef at 1:30, and pork ribs at 2.  

I did chicken halfs so I had enough time, a end trimmed brisket about 3.5lbs, and 2 slabs of ribs.  The fun part is that it was about 50 deg out with 30MPH wind gusts.  I had to cut the meat inside the truck just so it did not cool off when cutting  To my shock my brisket was done by 11 for some reason it cooked up very quick and I just rapped it towels and it rested for 2 hours in the back seat of the truck.  It dropped from 193 to 160 in that time.  Everything else cooked up right in time and was very nice and tenter and moist.  

This was my setup.





















This was all of us in the parking lot all 13 teams






Because of the cold I did not take pictures of the food on the smoker because of having to keep the door open but I did take pictures of my turn ins after I cut them on my cutting boards inside the truck on the center councel.  

This was my chicken.  I did not get high marks for it was 2nd to last.  :(  I think part of the problem was that I put brown suger on the outside skin but I forgot to do it under the skin.  So I had comments that the skin tasted great but the chicken was bland.  For me I normaly do whole chickens beer can style but for time I cut the chicken in half and this was my first time doing halfs.  I have to figure out a way to get more taste into doing halfs.






This was my brisket and this took me a 2nd place in beef and I went up agaist all top end steaks.  I was the only one that did a brisket.  Even that guys that do competitions did not think they had enough time so they did steaks to.  I was so very happy with this.






These are my ribs.  These I took a 3rd place on.  Again I was very happy with it.  






Over all out of the 13 teams and I was team 13 I took a 4th in the grand champion.  Just to take that I was just over joyed.  The one thing that just stood out to me is that we had a guy from Big Green Egg come out after judging since he was a judge and asked me if I was team 13 and I was and wanted to know how I got my brisket to tender.  He wanted to know as much as I would tell him.  I have an idea that being able to rest if for 2 hours did help out a lot.  I cut into it and my cutting board was just filled with juice.  

I am just so happy after this weekend and I have to say the fun part was watching customers and compeditors turn their heads and just look at my smoker.  I was the only one that used one unit to cook everything and the only one to use all wood.  Everyone else had at least 2 grills or standup smokers going.  

I do have to say the awards were cool to get.  We did not get money because this was a charity event for the Childrens Miracle Network and that is where our $15 fee per entry went.  In a raffel I won a webber rib rack.












If you see anything that you think might help me out for future events please let me know.


----------



## meowey (Oct 28, 2007)

WTG!  Sounds like you had an enjoyable day!!!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey


----------



## ron50 (Oct 28, 2007)

Congrats. Nice showing and it was for a great cause.


----------



## smokebuzz (Oct 28, 2007)

Good job, it's useally the nonregular guys that scare me at the "local" events, most of them could compete on a higher level and do great, as you could also!!


----------



## mossymo (Oct 28, 2007)

veener88
Congrats on your first competition, you did well.


----------



## blackhawk19 (Oct 28, 2007)

Sounds like you done good, Congrats


----------



## pigcicles (Oct 28, 2007)

Awesome Job! Now you've got the bug, you're gonna have to get that smoker set on a trailer. Nice job on the overall placing too.


----------



## keywesmoke (Oct 28, 2007)

Great job, glad you did well your first time out.


----------



## veener88 (Oct 28, 2007)

This winter I am going to build in a rack for it to sit on that has air tires on it so that way we just take our lawn tractor ramps and roll it right onto the back of the truck.  It should be easy to weld it up.  Also in moving it I found out that I have to refore the legs and that I will do in the next few weeks and even try to add a small top rack.  When I built this smoker I did not have a welder at the time but now I do so I can add and adjust some things that I could not before.  The other thing I had to add is drain holes for grease and a catch container.  

Yea I do have the bug now.  I am thinking of what I can do next year for some fun.  As of right now I do not care if I win I just want to have fun and learn.


----------



## allen (Oct 29, 2007)

Congrats on your competiton, maybe you will move up and try Great American and the American Royal Comps. The food u smoked looks delicious, again con grats


----------



## richoso1 (Oct 29, 2007)

Congrats on a job well done. Love the Q Views, we're all very proud of you.


----------



## allen (Oct 29, 2007)

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/f...o2007031-2.jpg

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/f...o2007031-2.jpg

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/f...o2007031-2.jpg

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/f...o2007031-2.jpg


----------



## smokebuzz (Oct 29, 2007)

Allen, i get PAGE NOT FOUND, i want to see them!!!


----------



## pigcicles (Oct 29, 2007)

All better now Buzz


----------



## cowgirl (Oct 29, 2007)

Congratulations Veener..... that's awesome!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






Allen, great Qview!!


----------



## desert smokin (Oct 29, 2007)

Congrats on a great job your first time out. All that and you raised money for charity. First rate!!!


----------



## bwsmith_2000 (Oct 29, 2007)

Hey Veener!!
     Congratulations on your first competition! We're all so proud of you and the pix are great. I so envy your effort. I'd really like to do something like that as well. I'm not ready for the big time but something local would be great. Like you said. It doesn't matter whether we win nothing at all. Just to learn and gain experience is worth all the effort. Again, congarats and hope to read about you in the big league soon.


----------



## gooose53 (Oct 29, 2007)

Veener88, what an awesome job!!  Congrats!!  Where bouts in Northern Il are you from?  I've yet to enter my first comp.  I admire you for giving it a try.  Good luck in the future!!


----------



## hawgheaven (Oct 29, 2007)

That's awesome, especially for your first time out! Congrats!!


----------



## veener88 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thanks everyone.  I have to say it was a lot of fun and I can not wait to do it again.


----------



## rip (Oct 29, 2007)

Congrats! Great job on your first, it's got to make you proud.


----------



## gramason (Oct 29, 2007)

Congrats, good cause, and good food, can't get any better.


----------



## Dutch (Oct 30, 2007)

veener88-that is one heck of a showing-4th place overall, 2nd in beef and 3rd in ribs and in 50 degree weather and 30 mph winds to boot!!  Job well done; you've done made us here at SMF pround of ya!!


----------



## deejaydebi (Oct 31, 2007)

Congrats Veneer we're all proud of you!


----------



## richtee (Oct 31, 2007)

How cool!  Well done! Eh  heck with the chicken...pork or beef for me. well, I DO love my hot wings tho...  :{)

Congrats on a fine showing.

Yanno..there should be a sticky for member's comp results... I thinkI'll request a quorum from the OTBS on this...


----------



## gofish (Oct 31, 2007)

Veneer,
 Hope my local Ace Hardware does this at some point .... It'll give me a way to show off (and justify) all the BBQ accesories I have bought from them!  Congrats on such a great showing.


----------



## smokeys my pet (Nov 27, 2007)

Congrats on your 1st comp. Hope you keep it up.


----------



## scotty (Nov 27, 2007)

I was exited  just looking at the pictures.
Thanks for posting them


----------



## glued2it (Nov 27, 2007)

I bet that was fun! Congrats on the award!


----------

