Hot take: I think competition BBQ has gotten worse since 2015

I saw a brisket from a winning team at a Kansas City event last weekend that looked like it was cooked with a blowtorch. Back in 2012, the top guys actually focused on flavor over just making things look dark and shiny. Am I the only one who thinks the judges are rewarding looks over taste now?

3 comments

3 Comments

samflores14d ago

Man, you're not wrong about the judges getting distracted by that dark crust. I've been going to competitions since 2010 and I swear they're looking for that midnight bark over a clean smoke ring now. A buddy of mine got knocked in his tenderness score last year even though his brisket passed the pull test perfectly, just because the fat wasn't rendered shiny enough. If you want to win, you basically have to find that sweet spot where it's dark enough to impress the table but soft enough that it doesn't taste like charcoal.

leehall14d ago

Hold on a minute. I get what you're saying but are we really acting like a shiny fat cap is the difference between a 180 and a 160? I've judged a few local comps myself and honestly half the time those dark crusts are just people burning their rub. It's not some magic science. Sounds like your buddy just ran into a table that had a bad morning or wanted to get out of there early. I think people overthink this stuff way too much.

valc9114d ago

See what you mean about the fat rendering thing though. Was the outside of his brisket actually greasy or was it just not glossy enough? I've noticed judges will knock you for a wet bark even if the meat itself is perfect, so I wonder where the line is between "shiny" and "greasy slop" in their heads. At what point does a dark crust become a liability instead of an asset in their scoring?