Page 31 - DEC2021 Digial Issue: Barbecue News Magazine

us, it was a great way to start competing without breaking the bank on meat and entry fees.
Our first competition was stressful. Learning the time- lines, your smokers, your set up - it’s a lot to take in. I would suggest contacting an- other team before a competi- tion, it’s great to have a touchpoint for questions. Ask a Masters team to be your mentor. Follow teams on so- cial media to get a feel for the process, lingo, and start to build relationships.
Experiment with smaller runs
on your smokers, have other
teams taste them if you can.
Know that competition barbecue will look and taste differ- ent than what your family may like. “Fall off the bone” isn’t the standard. Read the sanctioning body’s rule book, it will give you an idea of how events will work.
Practice, practice, practice! Utilize YouTube, internet fo- rums, and other media to learn about prepping meat, flavor profiles, and expectations. Another important aspect is nailing down your competition site setup. You don’t want to be desperately searching for your slicing knife a few minutes before rib turn-in. Lastly, find a reliable meat sup-
plier, you don’t want to be short on meat before a compe- tition! Utilize your local bbq shops for supplies, and ask them about what they’ve seen trending in the bbq world.
One thing we noticed after our first season is that we have no idea what our fellow competi- tors do for their day jobs. It never comes up in conversa- tion, which is a nice change from the Minnesota “get to know you” chatter. It’s a friendly competition and we’ve been welcomed into several circles that make us want to spend more time with our bbq family. People are al- ways willing to share butter, borrow a knife, or lend an
extra hand. When you don’t hear your name called last, you’re still ecstatic for your friends to have taken home the title.
Our rookie season has been better than we ever imagined. We were able to snag 3 Grand Championships, 2 Reserve Grand Championships, and lots of other top 10 calls. We made so many friends who we enjoyed spending our smoky weekends with. Our dog gets lots of extra pets. We’ve been able to camp more weekends. We have made a ton of great memories. And we’ll be back.
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DECEMBER 2021
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