DES MOINES IA (August 12th, 2022) I've always wanted to judge food at the Iowa State Fair and today I am doing just that. Judging comes naturally to me, but the trip to the fair is another story.
You know that feeling you get when you take a long drive to an area you are not familiar with, and then have a commitment to arrive at a specific time? Best way to ease your mind is to leave early, right? I left early so I would arrive at 1:30 pm, way before my 2:40 pm deadline to check in as a judge. Not early enough, though.
My GPS brought me right to the fair on time, but traffic at a stand-still, barely moving to the parking gates. Set me back 30 minutes to reach Gate 3, and parking took another 15 minutes! Time was passing fast and panic set in right before I hitched a shuttle ride to the main entrance. Got directions from staff and walked a very fast pace down the street, dodging horse dung in the road. I finally arrived at the Elwell Family Food Center building. Am I frustrated? Not one bit. I am here to judge at the Iowa State Fair!
You know that feeling you get when you take a long drive to an area you are not familiar with, and then have a commitment to arrive at a specific time? Best way to ease your mind is to leave early, right? I left early so I would arrive at 1:30 pm, way before my 2:40 pm deadline to check in as a judge. Not early enough, though.
My GPS brought me right to the fair on time, but traffic at a stand-still, barely moving to the parking gates. Set me back 30 minutes to reach Gate 3, and parking took another 15 minutes! Time was passing fast and panic set in right before I hitched a shuttle ride to the main entrance. Got directions from staff and walked a very fast pace down the street, dodging horse dung in the road. I finally arrived at the Elwell Family Food Center building. Am I frustrated? Not one bit. I am here to judge at the Iowa State Fair!
The Iowa State Fair is packed! Thousands of people.
I still managed to check in early. I met up with the other three judges (Lisa A. Merten, Marilyn Spatz and John Kirkpatrick) who I will join in judging Division 115 (A) - Mine is the Best BBQ Sauce (Sponsored by the Iowa BBQ Society)
(Left to right): Lisa A Merten, Marilyn Spatz, John Kirkpatrick and Herb Kane
I asked a lot of questions about the judging process. It is way different from judging BBQ contests, First off, I get to take photos of the entries (but I cannot publish the recipes). Pretty cool! A writer is assigned to each judge who writes down our scores and comments.
My writer was a very nice, intelligent lady who was a pleasure to work with. Makes me wish BBQ contests had writers, too. Reps would love to receive non-gooey score cards, but what a headache to recruit writers in addition to judges. Not gonna happen with KCBS. Plus we have to be quiet at the judging table. Not at this contest, though, and I love it.
The scoring is based on percentages :Taste (45%), Originality (30%) and Appearance (25%). For example, I might score an entry 41% for taste and give another entry a perfect score of 45%. Easy enough. Let the judging begin.
My writer was a very nice, intelligent lady who was a pleasure to work with. Makes me wish BBQ contests had writers, too. Reps would love to receive non-gooey score cards, but what a headache to recruit writers in addition to judges. Not gonna happen with KCBS. Plus we have to be quiet at the judging table. Not at this contest, though, and I love it.
The scoring is based on percentages :Taste (45%), Originality (30%) and Appearance (25%). For example, I might score an entry 41% for taste and give another entry a perfect score of 45%. Easy enough. Let the judging begin.
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Six samples of BBQ sauce came across our judge table today. Each one very distinct on its own. A wide variety of flavors, indeed. I would first judge appearance. The consistency and color combined would help my eyes determine what was appetizing and what was not. I saw anywhere from smooth to chunky, and varying colors of red and one mustard color. Most of it looked pretty darn appetizing.
The Judge Table
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Samples of Sauces
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Next I would examine the recipe of ingredients, keeping that in mind for the originality score after tasting the product. Ah yes, the tasting. My favorite part of the judging process.
The flavor profiles were all over the place. I saw ingredients such as hot sauce, honey, chipotle, cherries and other unique foods along with all the basic stuff. It was interesting to taste each BBQ sauce knowing exactly what was in it, and how all those ingredients created a unique, over-all flavor and texture.
The flavor profiles were all over the place. I saw ingredients such as hot sauce, honey, chipotle, cherries and other unique foods along with all the basic stuff. It was interesting to taste each BBQ sauce knowing exactly what was in it, and how all those ingredients created a unique, over-all flavor and texture.
 Smooth |  Chunky |
One entry surprisingly came with a chicken quarter all sauced up (I forgot to take a photo of the chicken). I am thinking it was to show us judges how the sauce would appear on meat, but I took a bite of it anyway. Hey, I'm a BBQ judge! I did so after scoring the sauce first (to be fair to all). I enjoyed sampling all six BBQ sauces, but for me it all came down to one entry that blew me away totally.
RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce. I counted 23 ingredients that cooked up a deep red appearance and thick sauce zapping my taste buds with a heavenly combination of flavors. A perfect score.
RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce. I counted 23 ingredients that cooked up a deep red appearance and thick sauce zapping my taste buds with a heavenly combination of flavors. A perfect score.
 RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce |  Perfect score for RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce |
When judging concluded, we had the option to discuss among all judges who the winner should be or just go by our scores alone. We felt just using the scores would be fair.
John Kirkpatrick, a long time judge of this division, took the mic and announced Russel Place took 1st Place in "Mine is the Best BBQ Sauce" with RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce. Fantastic and boy was it delicious!
John Kirkpatrick, a long time judge of this division, took the mic and announced Russel Place took 1st Place in "Mine is the Best BBQ Sauce" with RP's Cherry Habanero Moonshine Sauce. Fantastic and boy was it delicious!
John Kirkpatrick Announces Winner
(Left to Right): John Kirkpatrick, Marilyn Spatz, Lisa A Merten, Russell Place and Herb Kane
Brief Interview with Russell Place
1st PLACE WINNER of "Mine is the Best BBQ Sauce"
Iowa State Fair 2022
1st PLACE WINNER of "Mine is the Best BBQ Sauce"
Iowa State Fair 2022
My day started out stressful, but what a way to end the day to see my #1 pick in BBQ Sauce win the contest. The two hour drive from Cedar Rapids, the parking delays and dodging horse dung was well worth it.
Congrats, Russell Place, and thank you Anne Rehnstrom for considering me as a judge for this event. I would love to do it again some day.
Congrats, Russell Place, and thank you Anne Rehnstrom for considering me as a judge for this event. I would love to do it again some day.
- BBQ CRITIC
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