Pitfaced BBQ @ the 2019 Bedford Blues and BBQ Festival/Competition

Good morning, folks.

 

Good Morning Byran

 

Argh Matey.

Can’t be a pirate if you don’t start drinking in the morning.

 

At least wear the patch so you can focus with the other one.

 

What a disaster of a weekend so far. We can't catch a break (other than a broken canopy).

Just royally screwed up the IBCA chicken.

Only our second time doing it. We sent one of our cooks to the meeting last night and they moved the location, so it wasn't where he went. The person at that building sent him clear across the camp grounds to a place that also wasn't hosting the meeting.

We ended up missing it altogether.

We thought we were supposed to turn in half a chicken. Brandon boxes it up and off he goes to turn it in. I sit down and take a slice off the thigh. A minute later, Brandon comes walking in with the box saying we need both halves.

Dammit.

Put them both in the box and off he goes. I'm sure we get DQ'd.

Our fault for not understanding the rules clearly enough, but still pissed. Tried to get to that meeting and everything.

We have yet to have something break our way this weekend thus far. Maybe People's Choice will be better.

 

Hope they dont DQ you....

 

I’m sure things will go better. Just need to compete more per year.

 

9 rib bones and 9 slices!

 

IBCA rib turn in.

 

Solid box!

 

Look great.

 

Cleaned it up a tad before turn in, but here is the brisket for IBCA.

Taste and tenderness were crazy good. I hope this fits what the judges are looking for.

 

Likely the winner right there but good luck passin’ the post comp. drug test. Pitfaced is totally addictive.

 

IBCA boxes are a different animal. I’d love to share some box building tips with you if you plan on hitting some more. Overall looks to be a very strong couple of entries, best of luck!

 

Share away. I want to get into some comps next year also.

 

Let's hear them

 

Ok. First off start with the biggest brisket that fits what you look for in your program. Square up to the grain, and try to trim to about 10.5”. What this does is make the slices meatier on the ends. Squaring up is not always possible but when you can do it, it will give you complete control over your finished texture as you can slice from 90 degrees all the way to 45 and still have very consistent slices.

When I build a box I try to get all 9 slices directly from the middle of the brisket and if I have to go one way or the other, I move to the point end. When you put your slices is, leave the deckel and point meat on the rear 6-7 slices. This does two things, adds more mass for heat retention, and gives moisture holding fat under your “money” flat slices. You will place the flat slide towards the hinge so make sure you have a good bark there even if you have to cheat it with a bit of bbq sauce and a hot pit. The idea is to fill the box as much as possible with the 9 slices, final table is gonna get it cold, but the longer you can maintain good color and a little heat, the better chance you have a getting there. Here is a mediocre box I did a few years ago, don’t have many pics on my phone as I never shared my best.


For the final finish have some boiling beef broth with a bit of rub in it standing by to brush on right before you close the box. This will help keep discoloration slowed down and keep it looking appealing as long as possible.

As you see above this brisket didn’t have the thickest of flats, but I tried to have the post cook slices so that they looked as if they were made to fit the box.

Obviously taste and texture are the big keys, but above is what can separate you in a stacked field.

I’m sure I’ll come up with a few other things as well. I do still have my notebook lol.

 

Thanks a ton for the tips! We have done KCBS 5 years in a row, but this is only our second IBCA. The insight is helpful. The BBQ community is nice, but comp tips tend to be really hard to come by. Thanks a bunch.

We used the choicest of slices, but we aren't hugely invested in IBCA and didn't make the box terribly pretty since they don't weigh appearance like KCBS does.

Tomorrow's pictures will be nicer looking.

 

No top 10s in IBCA. Brisket made it through two rounds, but I don't have anymore info. Thought the ribs would have done better, but at least the brisket gave it a run.

Doesn't matter, though.

We served over 500 samples of our pork belly burnt ends at People's Choice. Those along with our homemade 'Pit-ckles'.

More than 40 teams entered and it was an open category voted on by the fans.







After the dust settled?

Your 2019 People's Choice Champs!!!!





So proud of our team. Little guys going up against some big dogs and we won the favor of the crowd.

We're going to try like hell tomorrow, but this win made our weekend.

A nip of whiskey, then off to bed. Smokers fire up in a few hours.