# No charcoal allowed in this competition, what do I do?



## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

I entered a BBQ competition for next Friday and discovered they will not allow charcoal (lump or briquettes). This is my smoker setup...any ideas?













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__ sauceboss
__ Apr 15, 2017






No offset firebox, the charcoal basket sits below everything with water pans just above it.


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## daveomak (Apr 15, 2017)

What are the rules....   could you post them.....


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## sxfxz (Apr 15, 2017)

Better start practicing burning a clean fire in that puppy. I'm sure it's possible. If you can master it, the reward will be much better!


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## bbqwillie (Apr 15, 2017)

Can you pre-burn the wood to coals and then add them? You'll need a fire barrel to burn the wood in and a shovel to "spoon" the resulting coals into the firebox. Throw a few small splits into the firebox with the wood coals as you need them. You gonna be busy during that cook.....


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## daveomak (Apr 15, 2017)

I use cookies of Alder in my Totem Smoker..  Electric burner with the "over temp" snap switch removed..  one cookie at a time...    sawdust usually will not burst into flame...   chips, sometimes burst into flame..













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__ daveomak
__ Apr 15, 2017


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

No charcoal, propane, or electric. Wood only. On base competition. They provide the meat, we smoke it. Everything else is just standard food safety rules.


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## daveomak (Apr 15, 2017)

You need to buy a new smoker....   I'd skip the comp...


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

I think we can preburn wood onsite. It's sounds like the guys running it don't BBQ that much themselves though. Going to the team captain/co-captain meeting on Monday. Need to find out if foiling is allowed, time for judging, if serving material is supplied by us or the command. Lots of questions and not a lot of answers as if yet... 

At least it's just a friendly comp (excuse for a day off), no entry fee or prize.


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

Do most competitions forbid charcoal?


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## daveomak (Apr 15, 2017)

sauceboss said:


> Do most competitions forbid charcoal?


Most competitions forbid electric and propane as heat sources...


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

I figured propane and electric would be a no, just not charcoal. At least I have a lot of oak and a portable fire pit.


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## bbqwillie (Apr 15, 2017)

sauceboss said:


> I figured propane and electric would be a no, just not charcoal. At least I have a lot of oak and a portable fire pit.


Then you sound good to go.


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## sxfxz (Apr 15, 2017)

Heck yeah burn down your wood to coals! Good old Carolina style! Forgot about that... lol


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

Next week I'll post the results.


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## bbqwillie (Apr 15, 2017)

SxFxZ said:


> Heck yeah burn down your wood to coals! Good old Carolina style! Forgot about that... lol


It's that East coast crazy! Thank G_D for the Mississippi River........


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## gr0uch0 (Apr 15, 2017)

BBQWillie said:


> It's that East coast crazy! Thank G_D for the Mississippi River........


Dunno, Willie, it may be worse the farther west you go from the Mississippi:  seems there's more stuff folks can't do in California than what they can.  Feels like anything I open has some disclaimer from or about the Golden State....


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## bbqwillie (Apr 15, 2017)

gr0uch0 said:


> Dunno, Willie, it may be worse the farther west you go from the Mississippi:  seems there's more stuff folks can't do in California than what they can.  Feels like anything I open has some disclaimer from or about the Golden State....


That's why G_D made the Continental Divide.


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## sauceboss (Apr 15, 2017)

gr0uch0 said:


> Dunno, Willie, it may be worse the farther west you go from the Mississippi:  seems there's more stuff folks can't do in California than what they can.  Feels like anything I open has some disclaimer from or about the Golden State....



Awhile back I bought a sheet of plywood. After cutting it, I noticed a warning that said "This product contains wood dust; a chemical that has been shown to cause cancer in the state of California"


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## sauceboss (Apr 21, 2017)

So...this happened...













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__ sauceboss
__ Apr 21, 2017






I didn't think to take photos until after the judging.


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## crankybuzzard (Apr 21, 2017)

sauceboss said:


> So...this happened...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## sauceboss (Apr 21, 2017)

Thanks


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## noboundaries (Apr 21, 2017)

OH MY GOD!  I haven't laughed that much at a thread in a long time.  Timing was perfect!  If you only could have heard Governor Moonbeam this morning.  He was explaining the difference between illegal political vote buying and the legal politics of getting votes by agreeing to add $15 million dollars in riders to an unrelated 20 cents per gallon gas tax bill for road improvements. 

Here in California, BBQ judges probably inspect your woods for disqualifying spotted owls but qualified carcinogens. 

Now, back to the competition issues. 

Thanks for the laugh guys!


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## daveomak (Apr 21, 2017)

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## bbqwillie (Apr 23, 2017)

Congrats of the 1st place!


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## sky monkey (Apr 23, 2017)

Great ending sauceboss, congrats on first place! Tough rules to that competition.


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## myownidaho (Apr 23, 2017)

Lol! Great job!


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## b-one (Apr 23, 2017)

Congrats on the ribs!


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## sauceboss (Apr 23, 2017)

Thanks y'all! I guess I'm gonna have to try some of the local competitions now.


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## daniels (Apr 25, 2017)

Now I know who to ask for expert advice!

Congratulations!


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