Fire it up! Getting ready for 2010
Tips from the Pros
By Pete and Melissa Cookston
Yazoosdeltaq.com
Years ago, before this crazy BBQ bug infected us with the "swine flu," winter never really seemed that long. However, now it feels like someone has inserted some extra months between the end of one BBQ season and the beginning contests of the next - either that or we are truly going stir crazy. Heck, we've even started baking! Lord please let this contest season begin!
If any of these or similar symptoms have affected you, then you also have been infected with the "swine flu". You might as well go on and tell your spouse that there is no known cure and that the only treatment is cooking contests. If he or she happens to cast that doubtful expression in your direction, or even worse, a full-fledged GLARE, all the more reason to improve your cooking skills/contest success. Nothing helps you avoid the "mean-spouse syndrome" more than a bite of perfectly cooked rib or a few trophies and checks from a contest!
Ways to get ready for the season vary widely depending upon your skill level and experience. First and foremost, CLEAN YOUR COOKERS. Last year at an early contest, a team next to us obviously had failed to do that since the year before. The smell was definitely not appealing and I felt sorry for any judge that would be forced to eat their offerings. Secondly, you must get organized. The beginning of every contest year sees many teams trying to "shake off the cobwebs" while at a contest. Don't fall into this trap — typically it will mean a poor performance out of the gate. At least one month before your first contest, begin by breaking all of your supplies out. Take an inventory of all your supplies — plates, sauce cups, knives and sharpeners, injectors, etc. Make a list of any items you need to replace then keep your list updated for your whole contest year. Trust me, the peace of mind offered by having your supplies organized will pay major dividends when it's time to get ready and compete. We use large bins and store supplies by type — electrical, food, utensils, etc. This makes packing for a contest much easier.
Picking out your contests is just as important as selecting your meats. Go to KCBS.US or MBNBBQ.com for a listing of all the Kansas City or Memphis style contests. Depending on your competitive level, start mapping out your own "circuit." Many times there will be multiple contests that we would like to attend on the same weekend and unlike some teams that decide to send out multiple teams, we believe in the whole one team, one contest rule. Make sure you factor in items like fuel, estimated number of competitors, entry fees, payouts, etc. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut in making your decision.
We would never go cook our first contest of the year without putting our cookers through their paces. If you are doing KCBS, cook a mock contest complete with your presentation boxes. Invite a few "judges" over (don't forget to include the wife, see paragraph one) and get some feedback. We find these dry runs are invaluable in getting our timing back, as well as looking to make some minor changes. If you roll with the MBN, run some shoulders or ribs through a cooking, and then do some practice presentations (yes, in front of a mirror if you have to, you'll feel kind of dumb but it will help.)
Take a Class. A few years ago there was NOBODY that would let you in on their secrets, thus the monumental rise in "shigging" ( the surreptitious acquisition of other teams skills and secrets). Currently, there are many classes available from several different BBQ Gurus cooking at the top of their game. While it may appear expensive, view the cost in terms of the cost of a contest. The average MBN Contest can cost us upwards of $1800, depending on our fuel and lodging. A full blown BBQ class may run you around $700. When you have proven winners teaching you championship methods, the cost really is a bargain when you can go from a top 10 team (no prize money) to a winning team (PRIZE MONEY). List of classes can be found on MBNBBQ.com, KCBS.us, the Bullsheet, or on some of the more successful teams' websites. I can only speak for us, but we are extremely laid back during these classes and feel that the more comfortable you are, the more you will learn. It never hurts to get another opinion on how to achieve the best possible product and you never know what helpful tips you'll receive. See our website at yazoosdeltaq@yahoo.com for upcoming classes.
So, you've signed up for a class, inventoried your supplies, cleaned your cookers, and cooked a trial run all the while avoiding the wrath of mean-spouse syndrome. What to do now? Get out and cook! See you on the circuit!
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