Texas Barbecue Cookoffs
Ready, set, cook!
Don't be alarmed if you see drive across Texas and see smoke rising across
the horizon. In all likelihood it's the product of Texas' prized pits:
barbecue.
From the Panhandle to the Piney Woods, from Gulf beaches to the Mexican
border, Texas is dotted with barbecue cook-offs. The pits usually fire
up on Friday afternoons and contestants stay up through the night, checking
their meats to make sure they reach smoky perfection. Judging is generally
midday on Saturday, and afterwards most cook-offs invite the public to
wander among the contestants and judge the barbecue for themselves. How
do you judge good barbecue from a so-so product? Typically judges base
their decisions on color and appearance (especially a well-defined smoke
ring), texture, taste, and aroma.
In a state where you can hardly throw a sausage link without hitting a
cookoff, one of the largest cookoffs around is in the small town of Taylor,
located northeast of Austin. Now almost two decades old, the August cookoff
draws some of the best pitmasters from around the Lone Star state. Although
there are no cash prizes, up to 100 teams show up every year to compete
for 27 cooking trophies plus prizes for showmanship.
"They also compete for braggin' rights," explains Michael Peschal
of the International Barbecue Cookoff. Besides the prestige of being able
to claim the best brisket, poultry, lamb, goat, pork ribs, seafood, or
wild game, the teams come for the pure enjoyment of the competition.
"The comment that I get from cookers is that this is a fun cookoff,"
explains Peschal. "Some cookers only go to money cookoffs, but they
say Taylor is one they will come to even though we don't give away money
because it is so much fun."
Using secret spices, the pitmasters season the meats and start the slow
process of smoking over their chosen wood. Many cooks stay up through
the night, basting or "mopping" the meat with marinade to keep
it from drying. "Some of them cook on through the night, it just
depends on how they want to do it," says Peschal. "Barbecue
is much better if it's done real slow."
The next morning, the teams make their final preparations and ready the
meats for judging. Samples of their entries are placed in Styrofoam containers,
numbered, and turned into the judges, a group with the difficult task
of sampling the many entries to determine the best. Although the meat
can be basted with barbecue sauce during preparation, after the meat is
cut, sauce is not added for the presentation. The judges are looking at
the smoky wonder of the meat itself, not the quality of the sauce.
Judging takes place on Saturday, and once the judging is completed, the
real fun begins. Cooks are encouraged, although they are not required,
to provide the public with a sample of their craft. In the relaxed atmosphere
after the judging is completed, cooks also enjoy talking about the art
of barbecueing, sometimes even sharing tips and secrets.
Every competitor's recipe varies (and some will remain secrets the pitmasters
will take to the grave), but most recipes call for slow cooking over oak,
hickory, pecan, or mesquite chips. The meat is rubbed with dry spices
and finished off with a tomato-based sauce that can range from sweet to
spicy.
One thing on which most cookoff competitors will agree is that barbecuing
is not grilling. Grilling may be good, but to be labeled barbecue the
meat must be cooked in a closed contraption to hold in the smoke which
imparts its flavor on the chosen meat selection. Grilling is done in the
open where the smoke dissipates before becoming an integral part of the
meal itself. Grilling is also accomplished quickly, while barbecuing take
plenty of time, sometimes an entire (24-hour) day.
Although barbecueing is serious business to these cooks, the task of barbecueing
is liberally spiced with plenty of levity. At the Taylor International
Cookoff and at other similar competitions throughout the state, a favorite
event is the showmanship competition, with comedy skits and a lighthearted
atmosphere. "Barbecue cookers do tend to put on a show, even just
being normal, or as close to it as they can be," says Peschal with
a laugh. Trophies are awarded for best showmanship as well as most elaborate
rig, master chef, and reserve master chef.
FEBRUARY
Livestock
and Rodeo Show Barbecue Cook Off, Houston. The world's largest stock
show includes country and western entertainment, parades, rodeos, and
a barbecue cook-off with over 100 contestants. Trophies are awarded for
best chicken, ribs, brisket, and overall winner, as well as for "Most
Colorful Team or Contestant," "Cleanest Contestant Area,"
"Most Unique Pit," and "Best Skit." Write for a copy
of the four-page rules with details on mandatory insurance for each contestant
or team.
MAY
Cow
Camp Cookoff, San Saba Chamber of Commerce, San Saba, TX 76887. (915)
372-5141. Fire up the pit and pull out your best brisket, pork ribs, or
chicken recipe to compete for more than $2,000 in prizes. San Saba, "The
Pecan Capital of the World," celebrates this hill country cook-off
with plenty of pecan pies followed by volleyball, horseshoes and washers,
and an antique and classic car show.
AUGUST
International
Barbecue Cookoff, P.O. Box 230, Taylor, TX 76574. (512) 352-6364.
They come from around the state to compete here in seven categories. Over
100 teams roll into Taylor's Murphy Park and enjoy two days of pit partying.
Besides the usual offerings, you'll also find teams here preparing kingfish,
rabbit, venison, rattlesnake (yes, it does taste like chicken), and even
raccoon (no, it's not like chicken, but more like a slightly sweet brisket).
The categories include pork, beef, poultry, goat, lamp, wild game, and
seafood. The grand champion qualifies for the Kansas City Barbecue Society
American Royal Invitational and the Jack Daniel Invitational in Lynchburg.
National
Championship Barbecue Cookoff, Meridian. This serious cook-off is
by invitation only with thousands of dollars in prize money up for grabs.
To enter, you must have placed in a recognized cook-off. Contestants choose
from numerous categories, including pork ribs, pork other than ribs, brisket,
chicken breast, pinto beans, showmanship, best rig, and best layout. The
event is always the last Saturday in August. Meridian is located northeast
of Waco.
SEPTEMBER
World
Championship Barbecued Goat Cookoff, Brady. Usually held the Saturday
before Labor Day, this cook-off brings in as many as 125 competitors to
west Central Texas. Goat or cabrito is the order of the day here. After
a lunch of cabrito, watch a sheep dog-handling contest, a goat pill flip
off, or a tobacco spittin' contest.
OCTOBER
Czhilispiel,
Flatonia. This festival located between San Antonio and Houston is one
of the largest chili cook-offs in Texas with over 200 teams. Barbecue
is well represented here, too. International BBQ Cookers Association (IBCA)
Jackpot Championship, IBCA
Traders
Village International BBQ Cookers Cook Off, Traders Village, Grand
Prairie. There's something for every barbecue chef at this cook off that
bills itself as the second largest in Texas. The cook-off draws over 100
competitors. The whole show takes place at Traders Village, one of the
largest flea markets in Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth.
Every weekend, 1,600 dealers fill the 106-acre park.
For More Information
For more Texas cookoffs, check out
the festival listings at www.tourtexas.com
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