Sample #1
Sample #2
Sample # 3
Sample # 4We're been pretty successful lately with brisket at KCBS contests. These four sample boxes are actual turn-in boxes from various contests during the past couple of years. Can you pick the first place turn-in box?
If you compete in bbq contests, I would urge you to purchas a digital camera and take pictures of all your turn-in boxes. I haven't looked at these boxes for several weeks now and they are a real eye opener for me. Linda prepares all of our turn-in boxes and I can see the progression in the overall quality of the presentation. It's been my experience that if you have terrible meat and good presentation, you can still salvage a respectable finish in the event.
Hint: One of these boxes looks a lot better than the brisket tasted, but it still finished very well in the contest.
Scroll down a little more for a summary of the actual contest results for these entries.
Sample #3 and Sample #4 were winners and #1 was a 6th place entry and #2 was a 13th place entry.
The pictures don't do them justice, but although #3 was the best presentation (in my opinion), it was also my least favorite brisket I've ever turned in. Either 14th place through 50th turned in some really bad brisket entries, or the presentation saved us. I'll bet on the presentation myself. As long as KCBS allows lettuce and parsley for garnish in their entries, I think appearance counts just about equal for taste. Only when they do away with the greens will the judges truly begin to focus on the taste of the meat samples.
I'd say that, if I had to rank them, I'd rank them 2,3,1,4... But the bad part of the digital camera thing is that you get different lighting, etc. What may look dry in a dark picture may not look at all dry in person. 3 looks a bit dry, but that may just be the photo... otherwise, I'd guess that one.
ReplyDeleteHi Curt,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback. I've posted the actual contest results in an updated article posting earlier this a.m.
You're right about the digital camera. What you end up with isn't quite what you start out with.
I'm a Kcbs certified barbeque judge. Just as I judge in a contest I scored my judging before looking at the next box. #1 5, #2 7, #3 9, #4 6 all scores based on photos live results could be not be the same. draw back on #1 left & right greens not full. Draw back on #4 scrap pieces in front, setting them in back could have made this a 8 or 9 this is IMHO and is based on presentation only. The best idea here is photograph your box, one has worked and cooked for a long time and it will be hard to remember what the box looked like at turn in when seeing you score. From this time forward I will photograph all boxes before turn in when I cook.....Andy
ReplyDeleteHi Andy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting. It's nice to receive a judges opinion and nice to see a judge visiting my blog.
Thanks for the feedback. We have reached many of the same conclusions.
Two of the boxes are 1st place brisket boxes from recent contests and another scored 9's in appearance, although the tenderness scores hurt us a little, but stil finished 17 or so out of almost 60 teams.
It's always nice to hear others thoughts and I'm sure it will help us improve upon our efforts.