How to Enjoy a BBQ Festival Without Going Insane

By Dru Chai

This past weekend was a glorious day in Southern California to enjoy the outdoor sunshine. It was about a perfect 75-80 degrees. Of course that meant everyone else wanted to enjoy it as well. I recently attended and judged the Santa Anita 2nd Annual Winner's Circle BBQ Championships. The large, lush venue of Santa Anita Park is perfect for a large event. I've attended events like food truck gatherings and cultural festivals here and it's always a great location. While I could talk all about some of the BBQ that I judged (check out last year's post), I wanted to address a different topic: how to enjoy a BBQ festival.


Checking out the race horses practicing in the early morning

Antique cars make their appearance at the Santa Anita Race track infield

Quick overview for the uninitiated -- most BBQ competitions also have a "People's Choice" (or PC) part of the competition. The general public pays for sample tickets to taste BBQ from different teams and they get to vote for their favorite. The teams who participate in PC get paid based on the number of tickets that they receive. This helps to offset the high costs of of the BBQ competition.

I've either attended or judged more than a dozen BBQ competitions/festivals over the past several years. In my book, a BBQ competition also turns into a BBQ festival once the organizers start charging for admission and selling sample tickets for People's Choice. I've met and spoken to a few promoters/organizers and needless to say, there is a LOT that goes into putting on these events. Bravo to them with continued success.

BBQ teams firing up the smoker in the early morning

Great SoCal weather to enjoy some BBQ

Long lines just to buy sample tickets

Unfortunately, in the business of event planning, things inevitably go wrong and there is only so much one can control. For BBQ festivals, here is the quick and dirty equation. BBQ + great weather + great location + "deal-of-the-day" = loooooong ass lines and angry people. It is a common theme, no matter how you slice it. Some people will have a great time, but others will not. So what can you do to enjoy a BBQ festival?

TIP #1: Avoid lines and arrive early. It may be obvious, but it can't be emphasized enough. If you want to enjoy a stress-free experience, plan ahead and go early. If the doors open at 11am, be there around that time or earlier. You can buy your sample tickets early and figure out which teams/vendors to try BBQ from. The closer it gets to noon, the longer and faster the lines swell up. Don't take any chances by showing up later -- tickets and food could run out. Plus who wants to wait in a long line to buy sample tickets, just to wait in another long line for a BBQ sample? Then repeat, again and again? You will be miserable and hungry.

TIP #2: If you purchased a "deal of the day," expect an even longer wait. For most of these deals, it's all about selling as many as possible. Sure, there's probably a cap -- but I'm sure most event promoters want to sell more than less. Usually both the admission and sample tickets are lumped together and you would save some money vs. buying everything separately. Most venues have a separate line specifically for people who purchased these deals. Based on my experience, these lines are usually longer than Disneyland. Once again, go early.

TIP #3: Don't expect to get a full meal from BBQ samples. When it comes to BBQ festivals, people always get excited and expect a smorgasbord of food at their fingertips. By the end of the day, they want their belly stuffed full of BBQ. Most of the time, it just doesn't work that way. Typically, the taste samples are about 2 ounces each, and it depends how generous it is being served. It also depends on how much food you need to get full, as everyone is different. As I mentioned before, by the time noon hits, it will be crowded with people trying to get their lunch. Lower your expectations and don't come in starving.

Trip Report: WFC Vegas '12, Meeting Adam Richman

By Dru Chai

The World Food Championships wrapped up in Las Vegas about a couple of months ago, but the memories are still fresh. Not only did I get to judge some of the best BBQ in the county, but I also got the chance to meet and chat with Adam Richman. Overall, I thought that the event was a success -- not quite the rousing success that the promoters had anticipated, but I think it's something that they can build upon for next year.

I was fortunate to be able to judge two days worth of BBQ, as well as the first round of the sandwich competition. The BBQ was some of the best I've had in my short tenure as KCBS certified judge. I gave some of the highest scores for both ribs and brisket, while the pulled pork deserved some moderate-to-high scores. Because of some promotional restrictions, there was no chicken in this competition. Instead, it was sauce. I'm just not a big fan of judging BBQ sauce.

During one of the judging days, Adam Richman dropped by to sample some of the pulled pork. Many of the judges simply stopped and started taking pictures, including myself. Hey, when one of the more popular food celebrities walks over, you have to take notice, right?

During one of the days, I was lucky enough to be able to win free admission to the VIP burger event, which took place right in front of Bally's. This event was heavily promoted, mostly because Adam was going to be there in person, but the high price of admission ($175, I believe) deterred many people from attending. The few burgers that I sampled were great in concept, but unfortunately were lukewarm to cold at night. Burgers are at their best hot and fresh off the grill.

Of course, the highlight of the evening was meeting Adam. My conversation with him was brief, so I just asked him what some of his favorite BBQ restaurants were -- a very open-ended question. He proceeded to rattle off about a dozen BBQ places off the top of his head, many of which I recognized from his show Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. He mentioned the Salt Lick in Austin and Rendezvous in Memphis. He even talked about Phil's BBQ in San Diego, one of my favorite BBQ restaurants in Southern California.

All in all, the World Food Championships was well organized with plenty of star power in the food industry. I saw Dr. BBQ, Chef Tim Love, Chef Eric Greenspan, and even the winningest man in BBQ himself -- Myron Mixon. If they can gather even more celebrities to help draw more people to the event, it would definitely raise the profile for this food competition a couple more notches. Who knows, they should even start judging and competing international food dishes, instead of just American food. 'Til next year!

How to Pick the Best Watermelon; Ribs Pigs Watermelon BBQ Contest at Westminster, CA.

By Dru Chai

Watermelon is probably my favorite fruit of all time. It's the perfect way to end a BBQ meal and it just makes you want to go pee every other minute. Plus, it's fruit, and everyone could stand to eat more fruit these days. I also take pride in going to the local grocery store or Costco to pick out the best one. Everyone wants a watermelon that's super juicy and sweet, but how do you know without slicing it open?

Well, everyone has their theories and own way of doing things -- but I like to tap the watermelon several times like a congo drum. If the result is a deep sound, then that means it's more ripe and juicy with a higher water content. In all my years of picking out watermelon with the congo drum method, I would say my success rate is about 90%.

At the market, I get the occasional weird look, but surprisingly not very many people do the congo drum method when picking out watermelons. I see people just randomly selecting one, thinking that they are all good. Also, you should also pick the watermelon up -- you want the biggest and heaviest watermelon you can get. If you have leftovers, no big deal -- just blend it up and make a slushie or granita. 

I'm talking about watermelon because I attended and judged the first annual Ribs, Pigs and Watermelon Summer Festival and BBQ Competition in Westminster, CA. It's a 3-day event organized by American Family Housing, which helps those in need with much-needed shelter. I thought that the event had some very reasonable prices, of which the proceeds go to a very worthy cause. They even had free watermelon throughout the event!

For their first event, I thought it was well-organized -- the layout was good, and I liked how everything wasn't completely spread out too far from each other. It just felt like a cozy, hometown BBQ event -- just a very hot one! Since it was in the parking lot at the Westminster Mall, it was scorching hot during the afternoon hours, so mostly everyone took refuge in the shade from the large tent nicknamed the "Watermelon Zone."

As always, it was good to catch up with familiar faces. OC Weekly's Shuji Sakai gave me plenty of tips and recommendations for my planned trip to Austin and Lockhart, TX next year. Mr. Slap Yo Daddy himself, Harry Soo, just returned from a competition and training students in the UK. He's got some awesome giveaways on his website, so check those out. 

As far as judging, it's always fun meeting new people because you always sit with random people at random tables. Everyone may be quiet strangers at first, but after several hours together -- it's the common bond and love for BBQ that has everyone talking. It was even cool to find out that the person who sat next to me at the judging table was one of my blog readers. This competition marked my 5th competition that I judged -- hard to believe it was only a few months ago that I was a BBQ judging rook. 'Til next time!

OC BBQ Festival 2012

By Dru Chai

Since 2010, I've attended the OC BBQ Festival at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Even though I was just a BBQ newbie back then, I always had an interest in the art of low and slow BBQ. I wondered, what does it take to participate in a BBQ competition? What kind of skill and experience is required?

Of course in the last year, I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could about BBQ. Now as a judge in this year's OC BBQ Festival, I'll definitely have a brand new perspective in the world of competitive BBQ. As a cook, it's no easy task -- a lot of it is knowing what flavors the judges like. The BBQ world is a relatively small community, so you see the same teams (and judges) over and over again.

Check out some pics from last year's OC BBQ Festival.

The 2012 OC BBQ Festival is by far the largest yet, spanning two days and featuring about 70 teams vying for a piece of the money pie. Organized by Kristie's Foundation, all proceeds go to the charity, so it's definitely a worthy cause and you're chowing down on some lip-smacking 'Q.

In past years, the event was relatively low-key and not really that crowded. To be fair, there wasn't all that much to do besides walk around, eat, and listen to teenage bands play (with Sugar Ray playing this year, it will remind me of my 'ol college days). This year, I anticipate a huge turnout with all the planned family-friendly activities. So if you plan on going -- go early and avoid the long lines. Although long lines is usually a good sign that the BBQ is good and worth waiting for. There's even been some TV coverage promoting the event. Check it out here.

As the OC Weekly mentioned, BBQ competitions have really taken off over the last several years because of TV shows like BBQ Pitmasters (season 3 is fantastic, I'll write more in a separate post).

But I have to say, if it wasn't for judging this event (and an extra few hundred dollars laying around), I would be out in New York City this weekend, where a huge BBQ block party is going to take place at Madison Square Park. It's called the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, where they've invited dozens of famous pitmasters from almost every BBQ region in the country.

Dirty Smoke BBQ Blog's One Year Anniversary, West Coast BBQ Classic at Queen Mary, LB

By Dru Chai

I haven't posted in almost two months (that darn full time job getting in the way), but I've recently had some time to reflect on my BBQ experiences. Something told me to post today -- it was as if the BBQ gods spoke to me. So I looked up my original post and the date was May 24, 2011. Amazing -- exactly one year since I started this blog.

Since starting this journey, I've met so many interesting people from all walks of life, who share the same love and passion for BBQ. In just a year, I've filled my brain with so much BBQ knowledge and experience. As soon as I bought my WSM (Weber Smoky Mountain), it was off to the races.

Of course, about a year ago I had more time on my hands, fresh from being laid off from the corporate world. I took a BBQ pitmaster class from Harry Soo and started applying and practicing the techniques I learned by selling (and giving away) lots of BBQ to friends and coworkers. I became a certified BBQ judge and immediately began judging world-class BBQ competitions from all over the place. I even took a crack at competing in a contest.

Harry Soo of Slap 'Yo Daddy BBQ

Dr. BBQ in Las Vegas

So with a year of BBQ knowledge and experience under my belt, what exactly have I learned about the world of low and slow BBQ? Here are some of my random thoughts about the world of BBQ competitions -- with some more obvious than others.

BBQ is one very expensive hobby. I'm not just talking about buying a grill for your backyard, then using it once or twice to grill some burgers or hot dogs when your friends come over in the summer. We're talking REAL BBQ that takes hours of low and slow smoking with a temperature of 225-250F. In order to help with that process, there are countless BBQ gadgets that you "have" to have. There are rubs, sauces, knives, thermometers, wood, the list goes on. It's a multi-billion dollar business, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. Of course, that doesn't even include the meat. If you want to practice making good BBQ, you'll end up with lots of leftovers -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Starting a BBQ team and competing is even MORE expensive. If you're interested in seriously competing with the big boys, you better have something saved up in your piggy bank. Unless you're one of the big names, you're most likely not going to make a living by just competing. Most teams will tell it will run about $1K and up (on average) per competition, and that's not including start-up costs. Many teams will to recoup that cost by participating in PC (or People's Choice). When you're at a festival, and you pay $2 for a ticket to sample some BBQ, the team is happy to get your ticket because that's money back in their pocket to help pay for everything. Some of the cash prize money is nothing to sneeze at, but that's no guarantee. BBQ teams have to drive far, set up, and get very little sleep just to compete. For what, a little trophy? Nope, it's all for the love of BBQ.

When judging BBQ, it doesn't mean everything you taste is excellent BBQ. At my first judging experience, I was just excited to be there. I thought I would taste some of the best BBQ of my life. But it was just not the case. Obviously, the BBQ palate becomes sharper with every competition. But part of it is just the luck of the draw. For example, there may be 50 teams competing -- but as a judge, I'm not sampling BBQ from each of those teams (I would be 20 lbs heavier, and you would have to roll me out from being so full). A judge samples up to 6 teams per meat category. Recently, I judged the West Coast BBQ Classic in Long Beach. All of my chicken samples were excellent and I gave them all very high scores. The pulled pork and rib samples were run-of-the-mill. The brisket was some of the worst I've ever tasted. It had me scratching my head, thinking, were these teams serious? But another table of judges could've had excellent brisket samples -- it's just how things turn out.

Nifty logo

Good turnout by the Queen Mary

The view from the judge's tent -- very picturesque

ACM BBQ Throwdown in Vegas & What is Considered "Bad" Competition BBQ?

By Dru Chai

Las Vegas hosts plenty of conventions and trade shows, so it was a no-brainer that a BBQ competition be thrown into the mix. Promoted by Smoke on the Water, the ACM BBQ Throwdown was part of a weekend full of festivities leading up the ACM (Academy of Country Music) award show. It's only natural to see country music and BBQ teaming up together. Of course, the total prize of money of $50k helped draw over 100 teams from around the country.

I'm not much of a country music fan, but I just couldn't resist making the 3.5 hour drive to Vegas to judge some top-class BBQ. I was able to squeeze in as one of the last judges. If I couldn't go, well, I'm sure it would've broken my "achy breaky heart."

The parking lot of the Mandalay Bay was a nice location for the competition. There was plenty of wide open space, and the BBQ smoke filled the air (when it wasn't windy). Combine that with sunny 80+ degree weather and free admission, I was actually surprised that there wasn't a bigger crowd.

Other than eating and drinking, there was plenty of "country" related entertainment -- country line dancing, mechanical bull riding, and even lassoing. I was hoping Carrie Underwood would show up as a last minute surprise performance, but of course that didn't happen. 

After getting over the initial excitement of judging my first contest in Santa Anita a few weeks ago, I had a better "feel" of what to expect the second time around. Not that I have years of experience or dozens of contests judged under my belt, but my BBQ judging taste buds are getting a good workout. Obviously, BBQ judging is subjective and everyone is different, but everyone is generally in the same ballpark when it comes to what is good or "bad" competition BBQ. The regions also matter too -- west coast judges tend to like spicier, bolder flavors, while the east coast favors the mellow and traditional flavors.

Here are my thoughts, and my thoughts only:

Chicken - In competition BBQ, chicken thighs not only have to be juicy and flavorful, but have "bite-through" skin as well. Smoking meat generally produces tough, leathery, and rubbery skin. Judges typically take one bite, so you don't want the skin to completely slide off. That skin has to be edible and taste good too. Every team has their own secret or tricks of the trade when it comes to treating chicken thigh skin.

Ribs - Most ribs that I've judged look fairly identical upon first glance, but that completely changes after the first bite. Ribs present the best opportunity for that "blank canvas," as most teams try to provide their own distinct and unique flavor -- whether it's the rub or the sauce. Most judges I've talked to seem to be like their ribs on the sweet side.

Pork - This category is the one that many teams have trouble with appearance, which is open to interpretation. Unlike the other categories, pulled pork meat can be presented in different ways within that styrofoam box -- in all shapes and sizes. When it comes to texture, I find that a lot of samples are mushy and overcooked, which is easy to do with pulled pork. 

Brisket - Everyone agrees that brisket is the toughest category in terms of tenderness. But the taste and flavor of brisket varies so widely with each team. Some teams may opt to use a certain type of injection, which just stands out. Some judges may like it, and some don't -- it all depends. For me, I like brisket to taste natural and smoky, and not have any weird and distinct off taste. One judge said to me, "beef should taste like beef." Amen to that!

Tips From a First Time Certified BBQ Judge

By Dru Chai

I don't know how well horses can smell, but I'm sure they could sniff the BBQ smoke wafting through the air (not sure they care anyway, they all eat hay, right?) when they were getting ready for their races at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA. The race track served as the backdrop for the KCBS sanctioned Santa Anita Winner's Circle BBQ championship on March 10th, 2012. The weather was fabulous and the event organizers couldn't have picked a better day for BBQ gnoshing.

As the crowd soaked up the sun, set up lawn chairs, and sampled BBQ from several teams in the infield lawn area of Santa Anita Park, there was some serious usage of brainpower and taste buds in an unassuming white tent several yards away. About 50 judges were busy judging the four categories of chicken, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. There were judges where you could easily tell just by looking at some of them that this wasn't their first rodeo. They wore official polo shirts, proudly wore their name tags, and some even brought portable lunch-bag coolers to take home leftovers. They just LOOKED like BBQ judges.

The view from the judging tent

Fabulous day for BBQ from the Santa Park infield

SYD had a steady stream of people to try their BBQ

I, on the other hand, probably stood out like sore thumb as a first-timer. After all, I had been waiting to become a BBQ judge for almost a year and was fresh out of BBQ judging class. I was excited, to say the least, but I didn't want to screw up. I wanted make all the BBQ judges proud. But just in case of any rookie screw-ups, the organizers made sure to mix in the rookies with the seasoned vets and "master" judges -- those who have judged more than 30 competitions. It's all about balance, to be as fair as possible in the scoring system.

Any apprehension about sitting in a table full of strangers for about 3-4 hours quickly subsided. Everyone came from all walks of life and different cultures, but we were all bonded by the love of BBQ. As the rookie at my table, I listened as the other judges shared their stories and experiences. We weren't allowed to talk during judging, but once we turned in our score cards, I was always quick to ask "so what was your favorite?" or "what did you think was the worst?" More often that not, the way I scored was about the same from the experienced judges.

I picked up some valuable tips and tricks from a few judges. I was lucky enough to sit next to a gentleman named Jason, who was very friendly in giving me advice about judging BBQ. Some day, I'll pass along the same wisdom to a rookie several years down the line. But if you're reading this blog, and you want to be a certified BBQ judge (or CBJ), you're in luck. Here is some of what I've learned.

Tip #1 - BBQ judging is not as easy as it looks and sounds. You really have to eat a lot of BBQ and know what to look for in judging competition BBQ -- and not restaurant BBQ. For instance, many people think that ribs should be "fall off the bone" from Tony Roma's. Blech. For BBQ competitions, that's called "mushy and overcooked" and will be scored very low. Experienced judges know what to look for, versus the rookies -- which brings me to my next tip.

Tip #2 - If you're just starting out, go to as many competitions as possible. BBQ competitions want to sign up rookie judges to balance things out. More often than not, the majority of the BBQ judges will have years of experience under their belt -- which can be good and bad. It's nice to have some fresh new faces. So if you just took a judging class, try to find as many competitions near your area to build your reputation. More often than not, rookies are more likely to be selected.

Tip #3 - Be prepared and organized before judging begins. You want all of your focus to be judging the samples, so you don't want to be fumbling around looking for water, or reaching across the table for paper towels. Make sure you have everything next to you, and most importantly, have a stack of wet paper towels. Things will get very messy. Every sample has their own seasonings and flavor profile, so you don't want to mix them up. It's so much easier to wipe your hands clean (or as much as possible) with wet paper towels. 

WSM's were everywhere

Bacon = pig candy

Candied spam

Overall, I had a great time being a BBQ judge. As a cook, it definitely helped my decision-making process in giving a certain score (scale of 2-9, with 9 being excellent). I knew what to look for, as far as appearance, taste, and tenderness. Although anyone can sign up for the judging class and become a certified BBQ judge, I would venture to say that not very many actually go out and make the commitment to judge BBQ at a competition. But for the BBQ diehard's, it's a satisfying and rewarding experience. With one under my belt, I can't wait for the next one.

Santa Anita Winner's Circle BBQ Championship

Whatever you may think of Bobby Flay (annoying, obnoxious, cocky, and a bit of a prick?), he's one of the few celebrity chefs known for his grilling and BBQ inspired dishes. So my eyebrows raised just a little when he tweeted about upcoming Santa Anita Winner's Circle BBQ Championship this Saturday, March 10th. Well, I'll say one thing -- it's a good thing they're not racing pigs around the track.

As the LA Weekly posted on their blog, this is one of only two sanctioned BBQ contests in the LA County this year. If you're a BBQ enthusiast living in LA, I say check it out. Take in the scene, take a big whiff of meat smoke, eat some samples, and vote for the "People's Choice" award. You can even say hello to one of the top BBQ teams in the country, Slap Yo Daddy BBQ. Harry Soo has been hovering around the top of the points leaderboard for the better part of the year. 

I'll take a sample of that, wrap it to-go please!

Insider's View of a Certified BBQ Judging Class

By Dru Chai

I'm not gonna lie. As I mentioned before on this blog, a big reason of why I wanted to become a BBQ certified judge was for the free food. I mean, who wouldn't be excited for that? If you eat, breathe and sleep BBQ, free food has to be on the top of the list. Heck, BBQ is expensive!

But as I sat through 10 hours of BBQ judging class at the NBBQA Conference & Trade Show in San Diego, I realized something. I realized that the world of BBQ competition is serious business. When I mean serious, I'm referring to everyone's passion, love, and dedication for BBQ.

The NBBQA Conference rarely happens in SoCal

As a certified BBQ judge, I want to make sure that I'm judging each piece of BBQ meat with fairness and equality. There is no such thing as a BBQ expert. Everyone has different taste buds, and their own idea of what constitutes good BBQ. BBQ judges take their "job" seriously and look that way on the outside, but make no mistake -- I'm doing a happy little dance inside each time I taste a tender, flavorful, and mouth-watering piece of BBQ.

So how was the BBQ conference and the judging classes? Well, I consider myself lucky. Both judging classes and the conference rarely make an appearance in Southern California. So I had to take advantage. Since both classes took up the entire day, I didn't get a chance to check out some of the other how-to presentations, guest speaker seminars, or the trade show. I barely had a chance to taste some BBQ, but this one was clearly my favorite.

Neil "Bigmista" Strawder serving up some pulled pork

Flavorful and tender pulled pork from Bigmista BBQ

That BBQ sauce was da bomb

MBN Judging Class Overview
Memphis Barbecue Network competitions is all about the swine -- judges blind taste test pork shoulder, ribs, and whole hog. What sets them apart from others is that there is on-site judging as well. This means they get to visit and talk with the cooks and pit masters in person, who have the opportunity to explain their cooking methods and present their food personally to the judge. We went through two demonstrations to get a feel of what it would be like.

Showing what pork shoulder is all about to a "test judge"

Pork shoulder goodness, the money muscle

Some teams will show their sauce and rub, but it's all about the meat

The class was small in size at around 20 people, and understandably so. After taking the class, we were only MBN "trained." We only become officially certified once we judge 3 competitions. MBN sanctioned competitions rarely occur on the West coast, so finding one in Southern California will be tough. Chances are, I'll probably be just an MBN trainee for a while.

KCBS Judging Class Overview
Kansas City Barbecue Society competitions occur all over the country, and quite a few of them take place up and down California. So I knew this was going to be a popular class -- there was about 60 people in attendance, jam-packed in rather small conference room. Many in attendance were BBQ teams, wanting to know more about the judging process, so they know what to look for when putting out their BBQ during competitions.

Getting ready to do some practice judging

Pulled pork category, not so good... but it's practice

This class was definitely a lot louder than the smaller MBN class. After going through a presentation, we were presented with BBQ samples from each category (pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket) for our own judging session. Unlike MBN, there is only blind judging for KCBS competitions. There are a few things to look for that could disqualify an entree, so they purposely threw in some screwballs to test us. I'll definitely be looking to judge as many KCBS events as possible!

Lining up for some BBQ samples

Now that's old school

Just don't BBQ his pet