What it’s all about; Ribs, at the 2009 competition
Once again Mary and I have been asked to be judges at the Experience West Oakland BBQ Cook Off. This is the same Memphis BBQ Network-sanctioned event we were judges at last August at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan. This event feeds into the massive Memphis in May national BBQ competition, and it’s an honor to be part of it.
This year’s Experience West Oakland BBQ Cook Off is part of what is now known as the Novi Palooza – Beer, Bands and BBQ event. From the email we received, “In addition to the BBQ cook off there will be a full day of family events, live bands, a casino tent, a volleyball tournament, games, and more!” If you live in the area or would like to attend the event it will be held on July 31st and August 1st. Weapon enthusiasts may also be interested in the Novi Gun & Knife Show which will take place at Rock Financial Showplace the same weekend.
A Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack Series 300 competition smoker being used by one of the 2009 teams in Novi.
We had a seriously great time at the 2009 BBQ competition. While the competition last year was all ribs and will likely be ribs again this year, the judges’ training we’ll attend this time will apparently be for all three types of judging: Ribs, shoulder and whole hog. We’d been wanting to learn all three categories but due to some communication errors for the August 2009 training we were only allowed to study the rib portion of the competitions. I already get the impression this time that, that particular issue won’t exist and that we’ll also study shoulder and whole hog.
On occasion I’m asked if I compete, or when I’m going to start competing in BBQ competitions. I can cook up a shoulder or rack of ribs quite nicely, receive regular compliments on how good they are with a nice “bite” to them, and have served up numerous racks of spare ribs to a waiting public on the Lake Erie beachfront on the 4th of July. So what’s my problem? Frankly, I have yet to put together my own sauce. One of these days I might have to buckle down and create one. If and when I do, will competitions be far behind? We’ll see …
Oh poor you, going whole hog and taking it for the team to be a judge.
I realize it’s not all fun and games, that judging (esp. ribs) is serious business.
Will there be more people? How did your choices stack up with those who won last year?
Good luck on the sauce. LPC BBQ sauce at a store near you…?