Chinese red ribs

I haven't but I love to eat them. At a comp I never turn in anything outside the box. Such as a chicken lollypop are anything like that.

Why would you want to?

Everyone knows ribs are rubbed smoked wrapped in foil containing butter sugar and honey then put back on to firm up then sauced. Anything else should be dq'ed.

smoke ninja said:

Everyone knows ribs are rubbed smoked wrapped in foil containing butter sugar and honey then put back on to firm up then sauced. Anything else should be dq'ed.

Click to expand...

:rofl:

It's true!!!

Scottie said:

Why would you want to?

Click to expand...

Was thinking the same. Way too sweet. Are they even considered bbq?

tduffy said:

Was thinking the same. Way too sweet. Are they even considered bbq?

Click to expand...

Here lies the problem for me in this competition world. Could be cooked just like your 'BBQ' rib...but with a different flavor profile.

Nope, can't happen....low scores.

Let's just all use the same sauce and rub, that's a whole lotta fun, right?

This past weekend I judged a KCBS licensed contest where there was a Chinese bbq rib entry. I found the flavor to be excellent and gave it a 9 in taste. The appearance needed help, and it was slightly underdone, so that resulted in lower scores with the other categories.

Although I enjoyed it, other judges at the table do not care for char siu, and scored it down.

The risk vs reward in submitting this type of entry and hoping you land on a table of judges that like the alternate flavor profile doesn't seem to be worth it... from a competitor standpoint. As an example, I had worked for a while on a chicken piccata glaze with lemon and caper that hit the sweet, sour, salty and savory marks, but it was just "too weird" to some people to ever consider submitting (maybe in an open category at some point... maybe)

Way Outside the Normal Box.

Chicken salad is a legal entry as long as everything in the sauce is cut to less than 1/8", but you will be DAL.

Chicken Satay is legal as long as the skewers are removed.

Hulu Hulu Chicken has a great flavor, one of my favorites, but the judges don't agree.

Pan fried chicken is legal, but you risk getting DQ'ed. Deep frying is not legal.

Grill marks are legal, but some judges consider it grilling not real BBQ.

Crispy pork skin if its cooked as part of the shoulder is legal, not sure how you would score with that one. Crispy pork skin is yummy.

Chopped BBQ brisket is legal, but your scores will be chopped.

Right, so let's just make sure there is BBQ sauce on the chicken, and then the judges won't score it down from the moment the box is opened.

I'm pretty sure it should taste like Blues Hog, too!?

Fornia said:

Here lies the problem for me in this competition world. Could be cooked just like your 'BBQ' rib...but with a different flavor profile.

Nope, can't happen....low scores.

Let's just all use the same sauce and rub, that's a whole lotta fun, right?

Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying. However from a judging perspective, when tasting bbq I wouldn't want it to all taste the same but when I taste it I should be able to tie it to a certain style or combined styles or regions. Whether that region is an American region or not is up for debate. To me, BBQ is American, not chinese.

BMerrill said:

Way Outside the Normal Box.

Chicken salad is a legal entry as long as everything in the sauce is cut to less than 1/8", but you will be DAL.

Chicken Satay is legal as long as the skewers are removed.

Hulu Hulu Chicken has a great flavor, one of my favorites, but the judges don't agree.

Pan fried chicken is legal, but you risk getting DQ'ed. Deep frying is not legal.

Grill marks are legal, but some judges consider it grilling not real BBQ.

Crispy pork skin if its cooked as part of the shoulder is legal, not sure how you would score with that one. Crispy pork skin is yummy.

Chopped BBQ brisket is legal, but your scores will be chopped.

Click to expand...

Right or wrong, this is the reality of competition BBQ.

tduffy said:

I understand what you are saying. However from a judging perspective, when tasting bbq I wouldn't want it to all taste the same but when I taste it I should be able to tie it to a certain style or combined styles or regions. Whether that region is an American region or not is up for debate. To me, BBQ is American, not chinese.

Click to expand...

And, you very well may be right. I'm just having trouble with the idea that it's all gotta be 'BBQ potato chips' style flavors. I really thought BBQ was the style of cooking, not the flavor.

Honestly, that aspect has really diminished our team's interest in competing. Fact is, we've never tried anything 'outside the box' to date. Can't go anywhere on here or in this hobby without hearing 'why try it?', or 'it won't work'.

Doesn't super sweet BBQ sauce flavor get old after a while? Maybe I'm unique, in that my backyard chicken cooks seem to have much better reviews when I do something 'different' than BBQ sauce. Of course those folks aren't normally CBJs, but they do tell me if it sucks. On occasion I've explained this logic to these friends and family, and they all seem to scratch their head. I can tell almost immediately, that the whole process of cooking/judging loses credibility to many of them.

However, on here and other places you might also hear 'work on cooking your meats the best you can, and let the judges decide on flavors'. Well, those two theories don't match at all. So I'm lost there.

It's a fine line to spend a bunch of cash to compete, and then try something outside that box. Haven't had the courage to do it yet. Tough for me to imagine a judge looking at non-BBQ sauced chicken....scoring it lower on appearance, and then doing the same for the taste and tenderness, primarily because of the appearance to them. Even typing that sentence makes my stomach sick. But, I guess it's fact.

But, we're getting a very late start this year with our first contest of the year next month. We may choose to do something non-BBQ rub/sauce with chicken. It'll still be thighs, on the same cooker, etc.

But if we do it, I'll be fully prepared for DAL! Makes total sense to me. :thumb:

I hear what you are saying. I have reached the conclusion that I am doing as well as I can trying to match the current trend in competition BBQ. I do not think I can do any better without taking a class. I have decided that instead I am going to continue to try to find my own way. I am cooking a lot of wings and whole chickens for practice. I am also doing a variety of not the norm ribs. Having great fun and eating some pretty good food. May never gat a GC but I am having fun and know that I am going to raise a judge or twos eyebrows. Keith

tduffy said:

To me, BBQ is American, not chinese.

Click to expand...

Who do you think Bbq ed first Asians or Americans? In school I was taught that the west invented things like the printing press and firearms. It's seems comp bbq is the victim of fighting the last battle, everyone chases what did well previously until the standard slowly shifts. I would guess there are few trend setters. I would love to do some comps just to meet new and interesting people but if I had the money it takes I would end up using to feed those in need. One day maybe I'll hit the lotto and can afford to do both.

smoke ninja said:

Who do you think Bbq ed first Asians or Americans?

Click to expand...

I don't remember there being any discussion about him having favorite nationalities though...

Although there are many forms of BBQ, for the purposes of KCBS (or other similar sanctioning bodies) it is the American style of BBQ that is intended on being judged. Heck, the judge's oath reads: I accept my duty to be an Official KCBS Certified Judge, so that truth, justice, excellence in Barbeque and the American Way of Life may be strengthened and preserved forever

That's a good point within the Judge's Oath.

Now that being said, I would only question another classic 'don't even try that, it won't do well'.

That would be for me cooking a contest in Pennsylvania, and the thought of perhaps trying a vinegar based BBQ sauce.

These folks obviously forget to be American in that scenario. Makes total sense.

Whatever happened to the melting pot?.

smoke ninja said:

Whatever happened to the melting pot?.

Click to expand...

Haha! Yeah, no kidding. I'm thinking it still applies, but not to judging American BBQ.