Judging Class Judging 101 for the amateur rib fest attendee

BKish25 · Aug 31, 2014

A bit later today, I'm taking the family to the annual Pittsburgh Rib Festival at Heinz Field. Instead of just chowing down, I wanted to approach like a certified judge and rate the various booths we'll be visiting.

How do I start and what are some good basic parameters/categories to use?

Thanks!

Bruce

GrillBillie_D · Aug 31, 2014

Great idea Bruce!

First off is appearance. Probably won't be able to do much for this. In competition, we must arrange a box of food to look appetizing. I suppose you could judge how well the booths are set up.

Next is tenderness. A perfectly cooked rib will allow you to take a bite, and the meat should have a very slight pull to come clean off the bone. The meat should be moist and tender but not mushy when chewing. If the meat completely comes off the bone when taking a bite, the rib is overdone.

Finally there is taste. This is subjective. The taste should be a balance of flavors. Some prefer heat, some sweet, others want savory. Most agree that the best flavor profile should be a balance.

Have fun and enjoy!!

ITBFQ · Aug 31, 2014

GrillBillie_D said:
Great idea Bruce!

First off is appearance. Probably won't be able to do much for this. In competition, we must arrange a box of food to look appetizing. I suppose you could judge how well the booths are set up.

Next is tenderness. A perfectly cooked rib will allow you to take a bite, and the meat should have a very slight pull to come clean off the bone. The meat should be moist and tender but not mushy when chewing. If the meat completely comes off the bone when taking a bite, the rib is overdone.

Finally there is taste. This is subjective. The taste should be a balance of flavors. Some prefer heat, some sweet, others want savory. Most agree that the best flavor profile should be a balance.

Have fun and enjoy!!

I agree with almost all of this... for appearance, you could approach it like this. How badly do you want to dig in to those ribs? Do they look pleasing to the eye? Nice color? Sauced heavily, just right or not at all? Do they look over cooked? Did the ribs look like you wanted to take a bite right away, or were you able to wait? Those are some of the things I would consider when "judging" for appearance at a rib fest.

Judging Class Judging 101 for the amateur rib fest attendee

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