How do you become better?

Grills Gone Wild · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject: How do you become better?

I have a good idea of what the flavor profile you need to be competitive, but since there is no feedback from the judges how do you know what you need to improve on to become better?
_________________
Backyard Bomber MJH
Team Grills Gone Wild - We're Smokin'

crash55r · Newbie Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 59

I suggest taking a class. There are a ton of them out there.
_________________
VRM Pit Crew

upmm019 · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject:

what sorta class??

Jeff Hughes · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject:

Comp cooking classes are great(and somewhat expensive). While useful to a new comp cook, one would probably gain more if you took a serious comp class with a season or two under your belt.

They also tend to be focused on KCBS. When you get ready to take one, be sure it's focused on the association you cook.

You don't have to take a class, you can rely on experience. I can tell you it's fun when you beat guys who teach or have taken a lot of classes. Taking classes is almost certainly a quicker way to the podium though.
_________________
Klose 72" Mobile
Big Green Egg
Hasty Bake Legacy
Weber 22" Kettle

BlowinSmoke · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject:

coyote · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject:

Along with everything else said, practice, practice then practice some more.
_________________
Neal

Gold Rush Smokers
Lang 60/D
Weber Performer
KCBS CBJ

Kteedid63 · Posted: Jul 09 2010 Post subject:

I am not sure if this is what your asking ,, But taste as many samplings from people around you when you cook, see where they land on the calls. Talk with them if they are consitantly called make friends with them. My first contest I was lucky enough to be placed by the guy that took grand champion, I think he took p[ity on me when he seen me pull in. Every year I talk with him and take advice. He has been a really good BBQ friend, Its nice for people to tell you hey you have the best BBQ ever. Listen closely to the ones who dont say that. a few minor adjustments makes a huge differance.
_________________
He who laughs last, thinks slowest

TomCat BBQ team

DawgPhan · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 3444

when sampling other people's food after turn in, know that what you had didnt go in the box for a reason and they might not of hit that piece with everything that goes on a box piece. I think that you can get everything you need for improving from bottom half to top half in the kcbs scoresheet. once you are hitting top half everytime a class will move you to the top 10-15 area...then it is up to you to actually nail the cooking to get the category wins and overall calls.

SoEzzy · Posted: Jul 10 2010 Post subject:

Try and get a copy of you score sheet at every contest you do, take lots of pictures of your turn in boxes, take notes on the rub / wood / technique that you used to get those results.

Compare your pictures and the appearance scores, if one of your meats got lower scores, check the picture of that box against the other boxes and see if there were any obvious glaring errors, if one got higher scores do the same checking.

On taste and tenderness, compare the scores between the meats, if one is scoring higher or lower, check to see what your ingredient list is for that rub, and see if there is something that isn't working for you.

Be honest with your self about how you did on under or over cooking each meat and compare the texture/ tenderness scores.

Practice with the changed information and try another contest, then go back and compare the second results to the first this will hopefully give you some clues.

The other thing is get to know a few judges and invite them over after turn ins, to taste some of your product, ask them for their honest answers as to how it tasted and it's texture/ tenderness... remember that this is up to 2 hours from when it was at it's best!

Once you have a year of competing think about a class, try and find one that is either pit specific to the pit you cook on, or being given by someone you know and respect for their ability to cook on different styles of pits and to win!

If they haven't taken 10 or more GC's, I'd wonder what they thought they had to sell me, information wise.
_________________
Here's a change Robert.

I still work here!

rgwiazdzinski · Posted: Jul 11 2010 Post subject:

i wish the judges would be required to fill comment cards out on evey meat that they taste. we as competitors spend a lot of money on each contest we enter and it can be very frustrating to spend all that time and money and then get no official feedback on why we were scored the way we were.
i also think that a judging class would be a great help to anyone that is new into bbq but i also know that i live in nc where there are at least 10 plus contests with in a 2 hour drive but i have been trying to find a kcbs judges class less than a days travel and still have not found one. you would think that kcbs would make that happen in areas were there are a lot of contests and a lot of kcbs members

SoEzzy · Posted: Jul 11 2010 Post subject:

rgwiazdzinski · Posted: Jul 11 2010 Post subject:

soezzy i hear what you are saying but is it not the responsibility of a sancationing body "KCBS" to promote and grow the knoledge and number of its members? i pay a memebership fee each year to the kcbs. in return i expect to have them watch over contests and make sure that they are run correctly, set up judging classes to make sure that judges are trained properly and that new judges are being added. i also think it is very important that they help kcbs members be the best cooks they can be. if it means 45 minutes between turn ins rather than 30 so that you can get some comments as to why the judges scored you the way that they did than i am alright with that. it would also be a good idea to add some cooking classes in conjunction with sanctioned contests for members to addtend either for free or a small fee. i guess i am looking at this as if kcbs were the nba, pga, nfl ect. those organizations all promote their sports by having youth clinics, pro ams, etc. if a competitor recieves no feedback and is in the bottom 3rd at contests continually do you think this person is going to keep sheeling out 400-500 dollars a contest or are they going to find a new sport to spend their time and money on.

roxy · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

Practice, practice and more practice and when your sick of cooking BBQ.. even more practice...
_________________
Chargriller Akorn
WSM
LIAR #100
_________________
Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit...

Big Ron · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

SoEzzy · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

roxy · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

Cory Hess · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

roxy · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject:

DC_KS_BBQ · BBQ Fan Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 135

If you want to take a good class where you will learn alot and also meet some great people, take a 4 legs up class with kelly wertz. i have cooked a few comps and learned more from him than i would have cooking 20 comps. his class is good and is reasonably inexpensive.
_________________
Blazin' Guns BBQ
"Competition BBQ team and Custom Catering"
dodge city ks

rgwiazdzinski · Posted: Jul 12 2010 Post subject: