My First Amaetur Competition

Stouffer · Joined: 24 Apr 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

A buddy and me entered our first competition on Saturday. It was amaetur and was at a guy's farm that has been having this for a few years and promotes his businesses - meat market and is a dealer for Meadow Creek pits. There were 7 teams that entered and we were by far the least experienced and most ghetto in our equipment. There were 3 categories - chicken, pork ribs and chef's choice. We did chicken thighs, baby backs (never again - spares only) and a 9 lb boneless rib eye. You couldn't start fire until 9:30am and first turn in was at 2pm. We ended up getting 1st in chef's choice and 3rd overall. We got medals and a $100 gift certificate to the meat market. Not bad for two guys with 3 months of smoking under their large belts. Hopefully the pictures work.

Here's the rib eye seasoned with Lea and Perrins and Chicago Steak Seasoning from Penzey's.

Here is the final shot before being taken off to rest for 30 minutes. I took it off at 135.

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the sliced product, tt was getting down to the wire to turn it in and I forgot. It was about perfect - medium rare.
Here is one of me and my buddy with our first winnings. I'm the fat guy with hair.

I have a feeling this won't be the last time I enter a contest. I just need to upgrade my equipment a little so I can do more food at once. We were a little cramped in our current stuff. The board has been great with all of the advice on what to do during competitions. I look forward to learning more and cooking more.

Smoke on the Horizon · Posted: May 12 2009 Post subject:

Congrats on your first comp and winnings. Sounds like you had fun and that is what is important.

Now you are on the slippery slope to bigger equipment, sanctioned events and all that fun stuff. Wink

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Team Enoserv

Smellwhatscookin · Posted: May 12 2009 Post subject:

Congrats you guys. Sounds like you caught the bug real bad there. hehehehe. Good luck to on your new adventures.
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Lang 84 delux
Old homemaid pit
WSM
Weber Kettle
Always welcome by my campfire.

Mike Lawry · Posted: May 12 2009 Post subject:

Thats the neat thing about Qing.

Congrats . Another smoke ring success story.

Mike Lawry.

Coz · Posted: May 12 2009 Post subject:

Better go get a shot this stuff is one nasty disease.Starts off with a little cooker then a comp now its oh no I dont have enuff room get 2 more cookers.Shoot now its too much work keepin track of 3 .I KNOW JUST 1 BIG COOKER man and the accessories therma pens gurus stokers.dont forget the atomic clock.but man I got a check for 3rd in brisket just think what I could do with a nother cooker.LOL AND SO IT GOES AND THERES NO 12 STEP PROGRAM.My name is Coz and I have a problem.Welcome to ground zero.
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BRINGIN'THE HEAT BBQ Team

BBQ as tender as baby mice !

SmokinOkie · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 2078

Congrats on the calls.

The photos say it all, how much fun you had

Adam · Joined: 04 May 2009 Posts: 19

Stouffer · Joined: 24 Apr 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

I just find that spare rids have more meat and cook a little more evenly than baby backs. To me it seems that there is a lot of rack size variation in baby back racks and by trimming spares you can get racks that are similar in size. Plus it is much easier to cut similar size pieces when the bone is straight and not curved like it is with the baby backs.

I personally like all types of ribs cooked all different ways and the comment was not meant to say that I won't eat them (I'm a husky fella) or ever make them again, but any competitions that I enter in the future will be spare ribs.