As usual, the Harvard contest was well-run and a lot of fun. Good job Chris, Ken, Kathie, and all the volunteers who helped to make it a success. No rain this year, so we really can't complain. Well, except for the freezing temperatures Saturday night. Brr. For those of us who sleep in tents, it was particularly chilly. Actually, we have been sleeping in the back of that Explorer lately, but that's really no better than a tent...just easier because we don't need to spend time setting up and breaking down the tent. Sully had his damn dip available to warm us all up, which was great. Good times.
I already listed our scores in each category, so I won't go through each one individually again. The only thing I'll say is that the chicken really does stink. I probably deserved an even lower score than I got. I was fairly happy with everything else. Pork seems to be our category. I just need to fine-tune the pork presentation, and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't finish among the top teams at every contest.
The chicken. For the first time, I'm handing over the meat to Suzanne. She volunteered to try some new things and attempt to improve our chicken score (which really can't get much worse). It's her task to practice chicken over the next several months and come up with a new plan. This may be difficult for me, since I'm controlling when it comes to meat duties, but I'm also excited to try new things.
I'm also going to work on fine-tuning the ribs and brisket. Both need a bit better execution and a lot better presentation. Now that we have it down pat in terms of getting things turned in on time, we need to refine a few things in order to improve the scores.
We plan on competing in at least 3 KCBS contests next year...started with one in 2008 (Harvard), added Maine in 2009, and will add at least one more next year. And hopefully the Snowshoe will keep happening...we had a blast at that earlier this year. Since this will be the first year we've competed in more than two TOY contests, we will officially be a candidate for rookie team of the year.
Oh yeah...and I found a $20 bill on the ground while walking around and trying to keep warm Saturday night at Harvard. So I nearly doubled my prize money.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Harvard Fall Festival - Brief Recap
I'll post a full recap later, but here it is in a nutshell...
Chicken - Sucked. I need to come up with a completely new plan for this. 31/40
Ribs - Not bad. Need to work on appearance a bit, but I was pretty happy with them. 14/40
Pork - Turned out really well, but again need to work on appearance. Got my only call in this category. 5/40
Brisket - Again, not bad. I know what I did wrong, so that's half the battle. 23/40
Overall - A fairly successful contest, especially given that the competition was even stiffer than at Maine. I solved some issues from Maine but a couple new ones popped up. I don't care what anyone says...not being able to use parsley definitely affected my scores at this contest. I'm sure the bigger, more experienced teams and the ones who don't use parsley didn't have an issue with it. It was a big deal for me. 16/40
More later...
Chicken - Sucked. I need to come up with a completely new plan for this. 31/40
Ribs - Not bad. Need to work on appearance a bit, but I was pretty happy with them. 14/40
Pork - Turned out really well, but again need to work on appearance. Got my only call in this category. 5/40
Brisket - Again, not bad. I know what I did wrong, so that's half the battle. 23/40
Overall - A fairly successful contest, especially given that the competition was even stiffer than at Maine. I solved some issues from Maine but a couple new ones popped up. I don't care what anyone says...not being able to use parsley definitely affected my scores at this contest. I'm sure the bigger, more experienced teams and the ones who don't use parsley didn't have an issue with it. It was a big deal for me. 16/40
More later...
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Harvard Fall Festival
The Harvard Fall Festival is the last contest of the year for us. I feel like I'm pretty well prepared. The pork and brisket are all set and I did a practice rib cook on Monday. The ribs tasted really good, but once again they were terribly overcooked.
This time, my excuse is that the damn wholesale club I bought the ribs from put a tiny little rack of ribs between two larger racks. There was no way for me to see the little rack until I was ready to cook and opened up the package. So I ended up with two large, but very THIN racks and one dinky little rack that could probably feed a small dog. I was pissed. But I cooked them anyway, and they were plenty tasty...just not worth a crap as far as competition ribs go. Lesson learned: open the ribs and check them the day before the contest then vacuum seal them back up.
Chicken is marinading now for one final cook tonight. I know what I did wrong in Maine, so I'm hoping to fix the issue tonight.
I'm looking forward to Harvard. My parents will be visiting from Illinois. My dad has always been interested in barbecue contests, but has never been a part of one. So he's on my team roster and I plan to put him to work!
This time, my excuse is that the damn wholesale club I bought the ribs from put a tiny little rack of ribs between two larger racks. There was no way for me to see the little rack until I was ready to cook and opened up the package. So I ended up with two large, but very THIN racks and one dinky little rack that could probably feed a small dog. I was pissed. But I cooked them anyway, and they were plenty tasty...just not worth a crap as far as competition ribs go. Lesson learned: open the ribs and check them the day before the contest then vacuum seal them back up.
Chicken is marinading now for one final cook tonight. I know what I did wrong in Maine, so I'm hoping to fix the issue tonight.
I'm looking forward to Harvard. My parents will be visiting from Illinois. My dad has always been interested in barbecue contests, but has never been a part of one. So he's on my team roster and I plan to put him to work!
Monday, August 17, 2009
NEBS SummerFest
The New England Barbecue Society is holding the 2nd Annual SummerFest this weekend. The event is free to NEBS members and $10 per day for non-members. There are tons of activities for the entire family, and there will be lots of good food as well. I encourage all NEBS members and those with a zeal for barbecue to come join the fun.
Several people have signed up so far, but I'm hoping many more will do so this week. Please help me spread the word! Tell all of your fellow NEBS members and your friends that are interested in barbecue that we'd love to see them there. If people aren't big on camping, they can certainly come for the day on Saturday and/or Sunday. All they have to do is sign up by clicking here. People are allowed to show up without registering, but it helps us out with planning if they register.
If you have any questions about SummerFest, please send me an email.
Here are some views from the last SummerFest when we opened up our tent on Sunday morning...
Several people have signed up so far, but I'm hoping many more will do so this week. Please help me spread the word! Tell all of your fellow NEBS members and your friends that are interested in barbecue that we'd love to see them there. If people aren't big on camping, they can certainly come for the day on Saturday and/or Sunday. All they have to do is sign up by clicking here. People are allowed to show up without registering, but it helps us out with planning if they register.
If you have any questions about SummerFest, please send me an email.
Here are some views from the last SummerFest when we opened up our tent on Sunday morning...
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Back from Maine
We survived our second KCBS contest in Eliot, ME this past weekend (just barely). Here is a rundown by category:
1) Chicken - This is the only thing I really missed the mark on. However, after thinking about this quite a bit, I think I know what I did wrong and I also think it will be pretty easy to fix at our next competition. Finish: 25 out of 29.
2) Pork ribs - Horribly overcooked due to an electronic malfunction. But as Mike from Lakeside said, better overcooked than undercooked. That made me feel better, and he was right. Finish: 14/29 Very surprising...thought I'd be in the 20s in ribs. One judge gave it a perfect score. Go figure.
3) Pork - I was happy with what we turned in for pork. I thought it was probably our best chance at getting a call in anything that day. But I had no idea, with such get teams like I Smell Smoke!!!, Yabba Dabba Que, Bastey Boys, Transformer, Lakeside, Lunchmeat, Cancer Sucks, etc. that it would end up in first. It totally blew me away. Suzanne said she thought that maybe they were trying to figure out how to pronounce our last name when there was a delay in announcing first place pork, but I wasn't thinking that at all. I'm still in shock! Finish: 1/29.
4) Brisket - This was another entry I was very happy with. It came out pretty much as I had hoped. I only got two perfect scores from judges (different judges) and the second was in brisket. Another judge disagreed, however, and gave it a 5 for taste. I only cook one brisket and the entry all came from the same place on that brisket. Cut me a break, Judge #5. :-) That's ok. I'm going to cook it the exact same way next time, because I'm confident in the product. Finish: 10/29.
Overall - Finish: 11/29. Not bad for our second competition. At our first competition last year at Harvard, we finished 31/35 and we were 34/35 in pork. Ouch. What a difference a year makes.
It was a great competition and I'm hoping they will have us again next year. Great job, Jane and Laurel and also Kathie and Leslie (I know the chicken wing turn in time change wasn't your fault!). Also, thanks to Ann, Dan, Carol, Peter, and everyone else who stopped by our site to say hi!
Next up, the Harvard Fall Festival. My parents are joining us from Illinois for that one, so it should be a lot of fun.
1) Chicken - This is the only thing I really missed the mark on. However, after thinking about this quite a bit, I think I know what I did wrong and I also think it will be pretty easy to fix at our next competition. Finish: 25 out of 29.
2) Pork ribs - Horribly overcooked due to an electronic malfunction. But as Mike from Lakeside said, better overcooked than undercooked. That made me feel better, and he was right. Finish: 14/29 Very surprising...thought I'd be in the 20s in ribs. One judge gave it a perfect score. Go figure.
3) Pork - I was happy with what we turned in for pork. I thought it was probably our best chance at getting a call in anything that day. But I had no idea, with such get teams like I Smell Smoke!!!, Yabba Dabba Que, Bastey Boys, Transformer, Lakeside, Lunchmeat, Cancer Sucks, etc. that it would end up in first. It totally blew me away. Suzanne said she thought that maybe they were trying to figure out how to pronounce our last name when there was a delay in announcing first place pork, but I wasn't thinking that at all. I'm still in shock! Finish: 1/29.
4) Brisket - This was another entry I was very happy with. It came out pretty much as I had hoped. I only got two perfect scores from judges (different judges) and the second was in brisket. Another judge disagreed, however, and gave it a 5 for taste. I only cook one brisket and the entry all came from the same place on that brisket. Cut me a break, Judge #5. :-) That's ok. I'm going to cook it the exact same way next time, because I'm confident in the product. Finish: 10/29.
Overall - Finish: 11/29. Not bad for our second competition. At our first competition last year at Harvard, we finished 31/35 and we were 34/35 in pork. Ouch. What a difference a year makes.
It was a great competition and I'm hoping they will have us again next year. Great job, Jane and Laurel and also Kathie and Leslie (I know the chicken wing turn in time change wasn't your fault!). Also, thanks to Ann, Dan, Carol, Peter, and everyone else who stopped by our site to say hi!
Next up, the Harvard Fall Festival. My parents are joining us from Illinois for that one, so it should be a lot of fun.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Sick
I can't friggin believe it. I've got some sort of flu bug. Taking drugs. The damn thing better be gone by Friday!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Catching up
I'm guilty of blog neglect. This is what's been going on...
1) June/July - Caught a very nasty virus which basically kept me in bed for a full two weeks and took a full four weeks to get back to "normal." Missed judging in NH and spent my birthday in bed. Not a fun time, to say the least.
2) Harpoon - I was feeling good just in time for Harpoon. I judged both days and got to try a lot of good entries. I had fun with the NEBS BOD folks, and spent some time helping out in the NEBS booth. I know everyone says this, but Harpoon truly is the best.
3) Brookline, NH - Andy and Ken were looking for more judges for this backyard contest, so I decided at the last minute to lend a hand. It was some of the worst barbeque I've had in a long time. I feel a little bad about saying that because this is a backyard contest and I'm sure many teams were competing for the first time, but I have to be honest. Maybe I was just at the wrong table. My first competition was at Brookline, and I really hope my food wasn't that bad. It probably was. In any case, it's too bad the Brookline event doesn't draw bigger crowds. There is a lot of potential there.
4) Upcoming Maine Competition - I've been remiss in posting about my practice cooks for the upcoming Maine competition. Lord knows I've been practicing! The last of the practicing is done. Chicken was giving me fits...until last night. I finally figured out the key that will earn me first place chicken in Maine. Or at least won't earn me DAL. Maine should be a lot of fun. With a little prodding from Jane the Maine BBQ coordinator, I decided to cook the People's Choice and Iron Chef competitions as well. The People's Choice should be easy enough (chicken wings) and I've always wanted to do an Iron Chef. Oddly, I already know what I'm going to make for the Iron Chef competition. How do I know without even knowing what the secret ingredient is? I have easily adaptable recipes. I can make my recipes with shrimp, beef, pork, eggplant, or whatever. Bring it on.
5) NEBS SummerFest - I've been busy, with Andy King's help, getting things lined up for the 2nd Annual NEBS SummerFest. This is a free event for NEBS members. All you have to do is go here to register. For more information about SummerFest, you should click here. If you aren't a NEBS member, what are you waiting for?
1) June/July - Caught a very nasty virus which basically kept me in bed for a full two weeks and took a full four weeks to get back to "normal." Missed judging in NH and spent my birthday in bed. Not a fun time, to say the least.
2) Harpoon - I was feeling good just in time for Harpoon. I judged both days and got to try a lot of good entries. I had fun with the NEBS BOD folks, and spent some time helping out in the NEBS booth. I know everyone says this, but Harpoon truly is the best.
3) Brookline, NH - Andy and Ken were looking for more judges for this backyard contest, so I decided at the last minute to lend a hand. It was some of the worst barbeque I've had in a long time. I feel a little bad about saying that because this is a backyard contest and I'm sure many teams were competing for the first time, but I have to be honest. Maybe I was just at the wrong table. My first competition was at Brookline, and I really hope my food wasn't that bad. It probably was. In any case, it's too bad the Brookline event doesn't draw bigger crowds. There is a lot of potential there.
4) Upcoming Maine Competition - I've been remiss in posting about my practice cooks for the upcoming Maine competition. Lord knows I've been practicing! The last of the practicing is done. Chicken was giving me fits...until last night. I finally figured out the key that will earn me first place chicken in Maine. Or at least won't earn me DAL. Maine should be a lot of fun. With a little prodding from Jane the Maine BBQ coordinator, I decided to cook the People's Choice and Iron Chef competitions as well. The People's Choice should be easy enough (chicken wings) and I've always wanted to do an Iron Chef. Oddly, I already know what I'm going to make for the Iron Chef competition. How do I know without even knowing what the secret ingredient is? I have easily adaptable recipes. I can make my recipes with shrimp, beef, pork, eggplant, or whatever. Bring it on.
5) NEBS SummerFest - I've been busy, with Andy King's help, getting things lined up for the 2nd Annual NEBS SummerFest. This is a free event for NEBS members. All you have to do is go here to register. For more information about SummerFest, you should click here. If you aren't a NEBS member, what are you waiting for?
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