Judging Competition BBQ

6/26/2011

Let's talk about judging competition BBQ.

There are many that look at judging a BBQ competition as an opportunity to show their expertise. Some view it as a donation of their time, whether to support a local charity, or even the sport of competitive BBQ. There ae competitive cooks that judge in order to see what judges are saying about entries, or to see what the competition is turning in. And I suppose that some simply do it as a chance to get some free BBQ.

Whatever your reason might be, please just remember that the primary reason you are there is because of the competitors. without the cooks there would be nothing to judge.

Please remember that the average team has a minimum of $600.00 invested just in being there, not to mention at least a day of time off work. He or she will lose several hours of sleep, function under extreme pressure and most of the time, in climate conditions that are a good deal less than favorable.

Please remember that when you judge there product. Remember that they are being benevolent in their presence, and be benevolent in your judging.

-- Tim "Smokey Okie" Dickey

11 Comments

Herb

6/26/2011 11:02:13

Thanks for the column, Tim! Nice advice. :-)

Herb

Plowboys BBQ

6/28/2011 05:37:45

I've always told judges to really consider that score they are about to right. By all means give the food what it deserves. Don't be overly critical or overly generous. Be fair and even handed. Know that one single point up or down on appearance, taste, or tenderness on just one entry can cost someone a call or a contest. We've lost a contest by .0002 points. I'm not saying that we did or didn't deserve to end up Reserve Grand, but as a judge, you need to know how much fate lies at the tip of your pencil.

Tim

6/28/2011 12:40:09

Todd, what are your thoughts on the competition cook that is very hard on himself/herself that steps into the judges tent from time to time and is equally hard on the entries he/she judges?

Todd Johns

6/30/2011 12:48:00

Tim, good question. I think the same advice applies for every judge, now just those that don't cook contests. You can give or take a contest from a team with an 8 instead of a 9 or 7. Judges need to have confidence in their scores and really consider the overall quality of the product for each scoring category.

Tom (bbq-tom - CBJ w/ KCBS, MBN, NCPC; & cook

9/24/2011 08:57:20

Tim, I am of the mind that EACH competitor should be judged EQUALLY, and that every entry should stand on its own merits. Your article almost suggest that the more a competitor spends to compete the higher we should score their entry. I know that this isn't what you mean, but the amount a competitor spends isn't a reflection of the quality of their entry.

Tim link

9/25/2011 12:26:05

Tom, I don't know which part of my article caused you to think that I was suggesting that how much a team spends should affect their scores, but it was certainly not ,y intent.

what I intended to say was that some judges tend to judge too harshly and that we should all try to remember the level of effort and expense that every team puts into their entries. It doesn't hurt to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I think we should judge every enty on an equal level, but I also think we should judge each entry as if it were the entry of a friend, because the cooks are all our friends.

Do yo think I expressed my thought a little more clearly this time?

Hance - MIM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook

10/15/2011 10:36:55

I judged again today and had a great time. I judge because I really enjoy competition BBQ, both sides (judging and competing). I was asked today for the first time; which do you prefer, judging or competing, because I'm now known as much as a competitor in these circles as I am a judge. I definitely prefer competing, but the effort involved is tremendous (because we compete to win) and the $$$ tends to be up there. I guess you could say I judge when I cant afford to be competing. For us, KCBS, FBA, GBA tend to be between $600 and $800. I actually prefer competing in MBN, and I've never competed in one of these for less than $1000.

Today I had a chance to sit back and among other things critique judges. Of the 35+- CBJ's at this competition, 3 stood out. All 3 have judged MANY competitions between them, and neither of these 3 gentlemen have EVER competed. Frankly, I dont think they've ever made barbecue themselves. They have NO CLUE as to the efforts that go in to it. That, frankly IMHO is a shame. They see themselves as the "authority" on barbecue, and even though they're instructed in every competition to judge the barbecue in front of them for it's merits alone and not against all the barbecue they've had before, they cannot. There is no pleasing these guys. New judges can be assisted and worked with, but these guys; well they KNOW they're the best and there's no helping them...

It's these guys that I would really like to see them try to be the head cook (not just a tag-along) in 2 competitions, cooking all categories, making the turn-in times, adjusting cooks that are going fast or slow, surviving rain or hail, etc.

I dont see cooks who judge get overly critical. Not often any way...

Joe

2/15/2012 09:09:18

Hance is right. I am new to cometion and have competed in 3 so far. I have been a Chef for 5 years before I started in BBQ comptions. I love it just do not love the scoring. When you have scores on appearance that go 9 9 9 8 5, something is wrong. Then the scores for that same product goes 9 8 8 9 4. I do not understand. That 1 person takes you from top 10 to middle of the pack. If some of the judges know how much money we spend and the time we put in on our smokers. But, this is the game that we play and lif sometimes work out that way. So just do my best and let it roll. Thanks ...

5/1/2013 13:00:20

Obviously one judge was low balling scores and one was a bit critical. If the low and high score is thrown out at both site and blind judging its a much better deal. When scores are skewed like this one, the low ball score should be disqualified. A or tells me I couldn't get the meat in my mouth much less chew it.

ThomasA

3/3/2012 08:38:04

A question, please. In a contest of 25 teams, how far down are the teams judged? Do the judges determine a #25' ,#24 , etc all the way up to a #1winning team? (or all the way down to dead last). Does the #25 team get notified they finished dead last? The reason I ask is that it just happened to me. Hurt my feelings and made me not want to spend my money to come back next year. Maybe that's what they wanted to happen.

Tim

3/3/2012 12:41:42

Thomas, all entries from all teams are judged independently and each one is scored by each judge. None of your entries were judged by the some set of judges either. Scores are tallied and results are made available to the cooks.

Unfortunately, someone always has to come in last. while I have never been the very last, I have come close and I know it doesn't feel good. I would encourage you to give it a try again and see if oyu can't place better.

Judging Competition BBQ

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Tim Dickey

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