NCBS Boot Camp and Judging Class - Any experience?

If you want to judge a KCBS event, you must take a KCBS CBJ class.
I considered taking the NCBS class when I lived in NC but just never got the time. If you do take it, please post a review.
Good luck

I took the NCBS Boot Camp a couple years ago and found it interesting, but it all depends on what you are trying to get out of the classes. The training is good for a broad general knowledge of meats and other food items, but it will NOT help you to be a quality cook team in competition. IF that is your interest then you would do MUCH BETTER in taking a class from one of the many competition cook teams around that offer training classes. A search on this website will reveal numerous class offerings.

As far as the CBJ element of the NCBS Boot Camp - it is truly NOT in-depth. Additionally, there is only one barbecue contest that NCBS sanctions (as of last year anyway - and I don't see that changing) - the Bourbon, Blues & BBQ contest in Cary in August. NCBS anoints approximately 60-100 CBJs per year, but there are only seats available for about 30 judges at this contest (and there are still NCBS judges from previous years who like to judge this contest again).

I'm NOT trying to talk you out of the class if that is what you have your heart set on, but there are numerous other organizations that might be more along the lines of what you are looking for:

KCBS is the largest barbecue organization in the world and holds approximately 12-15 contests in North Carolina annually, as well as many others in the southeast. They may not be offering a CBJ class in NC this year, but that doesn’t have to keep you from traveling somewhere else to find one (I took my KCBS CBJ training in Kettering Ohio as there were no classes being offered in NC MANY years ago). http://www.kcbs.us/classes.php

The Southern BBQ Network offers a couple of contests in NC annually and MANY in SC, as well as frequent CBJ training. http://sbbqn.com/

The North Carolina BBQ Association is still in its infancy, but offers CBJ training and is hoping to sanction at least three or four contests in NC this year. http://www.ncbbqa.com/

Then there is the North Carolina Pork Council – they sponsor approximately 20-25 whole-hog contests throughout eastern NC annually. They don’t offer a “formal” CBJ class, but contact Ann Edmonson for information on becoming a CBJ. http://www.ncpork.org/pages/bbq_cookoffs/event_calendar.jsp

As you can see there are several other sanctioning organizations around here, and each offers you the opportunity to take their CBJ training and judge their contests. I know, as I am a CBJ or Certified Master Judge with all of them.

Again, it just depends on what you have as an end goal. If you just want to improve your backyard cooking, then there is nothing wrong with the NCBS Boot Camp. However, if your goal is to become involved in competitive barbecue from either a cook team perspective or from a CBJ perspective, then I strongly suggest you look at one of the other opportunities offered in this great state! Whatever you choose – BEST OF LUCK!!!

Anyone desiring any more information or more of my opinions on this or any other subject can contact me via my email at: BBQ.TOM@hotmail.com

Wow Tom, what a way to be a fountain of knowledge!!!
Good Stuff.
Ed

I would echo Tom's comments and add that the NCBS appears to be a very socially focused organization and not so much competitions. I am a 5 year KCBS member and now Master judge and think a lot of the organization, but the others that Tom mentioned are fine organizations.

But a warning, BBQ is addictive, last year I judged my 30th contest at the American Royal in Kansas City then drove back to Charlotte and then cooked with a team in Rocky Mount the following weekend and would do it again!

Take a judging class as soon as you can, but you can volunteer at almost all contests and the great thing is that many of them provide support to worthy local charities.

Hope to see you on the bbq trail!

It sounds like you are well on the path to produce fine swine.

The idea of perfection is interesting, I believe some organizations have a "perfect" score, but KCBS judges essentially score from 9 being excellent, 8 Very Good, 7 Above Average, 6 Average, 5 Below Average, 4 Poor, 3 Bad, and 2 Inedible in 3 catagories....First Appearance then Taste and Tenderness. In each category we are given guidelines in the CBJ class to assess each criteria, but the reality is there are typically a 1 to 2 point spread in the scores in each category and sometimes much more...I say all of this to say there is a huge variety of opinions that make something Excellent and if a 10 were perfect, there would be endless debate on the criteria.

For the backyard enthusiast, competition quality BBQ is not even significant. An "excellent" rib delivered piping hot in a clamshell can have the winning flavors diminish to an 8 or a 7 easily with only a delay of 20-30 minutes in the judging of the offering and many times less, so that curious neighbor that nabs a rib before the guests arrive is going to have a different experience than cousin Judy that as always arrives 45 minutes late.

I won't bore you with how much your own perceptions can change with how you alter your own palate.

At the end of the day, a whole lot of backyard BBQ is quite tasty. Does it have a good smoke smell, are the flavors balanced(my opinion), is it to your desired tenderness which can vary wildly, does it make you want to kick Sonny in the teeth for serving the crap that he does(my opinion, lol), but by all means, experiment with different rubs, injections, sauces (or not), smoking wood, temperature, wrapping combinations and let the guinea pigs that hang around tell you that all of it is the bomb-digity, because it is free and it is better than you know who's.

Have a great time!