I have kept this website up because its connected to my email address and every once in a while I get it in my head that I am going to update it on a regular basis.  Why haven’t I kept up the blog?  Well, it has been a while since I spent a lot of time reading bbq blogs and websites… it seemed that things were just the same rehashing of old information and an lot of people with a lot of free time talking about topics they really had little information on.

There is a lot of bbq info out there… most of it is well intentioned, but mostly off base.  Anyone who tells you secrets or tips that include the phrase “when I competed” or “the guys who are winning”  or “a lot of people are doing well with”… is full of themselves, and whatever info is connected to those phrases is 85% just made up.

When someone tells you info, the first thing people should ask about is … when was the last time this person has competed?  If the answer is more than 6 months ago… and that contest wasn’t the Jack… the person isn’t a good source.

Also… if someone’s credibility is based on a single contest or for that matter… less than 10 contests… stay away.  I’ve seen food dropped in the mud at someone turned in that got a 5th place call… I wouldn’t reccomend making that part of the process.

So, my rant ends there (for the time being).

So, in an attempt to actually give out some info, NEBBQ is in the process of some bbq basics for people who actually want to learn simple bbq things, and who don’t want to spend the time sifting though info.   The first should be up next week, and the links will also appear on this page.

I won’t even get into the fact that the NEBS BOD voted to extend the contest “year” by two months based on complaints from a team who couldn’t get into Harpoon.  This was despite the urging of almost every team that has finished in the top 8 for the last 5 years.  So the season is ending at Harvard, MA… so that EVERY team who wants to compete on the last day can be there.   Oh… last I heard… the team that cried last year about not getting in Harpoon isn’t going to come to Harvard either.

(Also, this has nothing to do with the actual teams… I don’t doubt they would do well if they came to New England (MA, RI, CT, VT, NH, ME) to compete.  This has to do with scoring and nothing more.  Don’t take it personally… this is math, and math has no feelings.)

So what’s the big deal?  Well the big deal is that the scoring just isn’t the same.  Western New York… is also considered “New England”  (and so is PA for some reason) for NEBS events.  The scores at these events are way out of whack with the rest of New England.  ”But the scores are related to the food”… umm… nope.  When those same teams compete in actual New England… they score 20-30 points lower.    So does EVERYONE else.

This means that if you live in Western New York and compete out there… you have an extreme advantage.  The rankings don’t take this into account.  Even KCBS which is stuck in 1982, has changed their system to weed out this scoring problem for ranking teams for the year.   With the rise of contests out there, this means you actually don’t even need to leave your area… but would require multiple 8+ hour trips for teams that live in New England to even have a shot.

My contest schedule has been seriously cut down because of work and other things… SO I’m not saying we’d be in the running. But to see teams that have been killing it all year… top 5′s every weekend… and still not even have a slim chance… the system isn’t working.

Hopefully NEBS takes some time fix this for next year, since the Team of the Year awards just don’t hold the credibility they did in the past.

Can’t think of some options?

#1 KCBS style- Give a point value based on finishes… 1st overall is worth 250, 2nd 200, 3rd 175… and so on.   Count the 5 best scores from the year.

#2 Hockey Style- Set up a Western Division…

#3 NASCAR- re-seat after the year… have an invitational contest or multiple contests… to decide overall winner.

#4 have a new Years Eve contest, invite the top 20 teams at that point… finishes decide ranking for the year

Chicken: 1st/ Ribs: 1st/ Pork: 1st/ Brisket: 2nd

Chefs Choice: 7th/ Chicken: 2nd/ Sausage: 1st/ Pork: 4th

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GO BRUINS

Chicken:13th/ Ribs: 13th/ Pork: 6th/ Brisket:3rd (stupid tiebreaker)

First of all a a thank you to those involved with the contest in Lexington last weekend.   No issues with a brand new contest, zero power issues on a day with huge storms, and in a smooth running event from everything we saw.  Having a contest 35 minutes from my house is also unreal… I actually ordered food from the contest to pick up in my neighborhood on the way home… not to bad.

The contest went well from a cooking standpoint considering it was the first of the year, although I did screw up a step on my chicken.  I lost track of time, and one of the final finishing steps on my chicken suffered.  I’m not surprised the final results.  With chicken, especially with the scores being so close, little things like that can prevent you from getting a call.

Our ribs came out well, we were a little disappointed with the finish and the scores.  We’ve used almost the same rib recipe for the past 4 years… and it may be time for a change.  We’ve never been super attached to any other recipe, except this one.  It was the original reason we started cooking bbq… started doing contests… so it’s hard to let go of it.  I’m going to let it go for the New Hampshire contest… we shall see how it goes.

FOLLOW UP:  NEBS did get back to us today.  So look for the listings of our cooking classes on their site.   Thanks Ted for the help.

This is a photo from several years ago, from the first time that we went down to Maryland for their April contest.  We competed in the event for three years, but will not be making the trip this year.   We’re opting for a 35min drive over a 8hr trip each way.  The cookers in this photo have been since retired from competition, some simply succumbing to wear and tear, some ended up just not fitting with what we needed as a team.

I’m off to mix up rib rub… hope everyone is getting excited for next weekend in both Lexington and Maryland.

Are we changing things?  still don’t know.   Thats what the tests will be about.   If you took my pork class… and I decide to go with the new recipe… and you read this… and you email me… mention the secret number 726 then I’ll give you the new program.  That seems fair to me.

Billy Crystal’s daughter is Taubs wife on House?  huh?  sorry, watching Jon Steward.

I started pulling out ‘product’ for the contest. I keep wondering if I am making things too complicated.  I keep wondering what sort of bbq related dream i’ll have tonight-  this happens at the beginning of each season, when it feels like my first event, when i’m the most worried about failing… will it be the one I dream I wake up in the morning and I forgot to put the briskets on the day before?   hope not.

I’ve been writing down everything I do at a contest… I realize my steps for chicken take up 50% of my contest work and notes.  I wonder if this is normal for other teams.