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Gathering Advice

Well, I hate to say it but a good trailer would be nice. I use a tent but have been through the bad weather at one contest. It's rough when your rocking the tent. I lost some of my equipment in Buckhannon. Still never found out what happened to my paper towels...

If you can afford a trailer go for the trailer. No you don't have to have one but if we had the money we would get one. You already have a smoker. Sure upgrades on your smoker would be nice I am sure but it's the cook not the cooker. You lose some of the equipment or supplies and it can hurt. My number one want and where I want to upgrade is getting a tow vehicle and a trailer. I cook on 2 14.5" WSMs and a 22.5" WSM that will be in the setup next year and I feel comfortable using them. A trailer is more important if you have cookers that you are comfortable with. I think if you go for the smoker you may kick yourself for not getting the trailer.

I would go for a trailer first and then next year look at a smoker.

I am still new to comps but I have experienced bad weather once and I am always praying for good weather when we compete. It would be nice not to worry about that.
Ripping a tent down while trying to box ribs and cutting them on the front seat of a buick makes a great story but it's a bit hectic and stressful during.
 
The short term fix might be to rent a trailer for contest if you are only doing a few a year. But I can tell you that renting and having to load it, unload it at contest, load it, and then have to unload again at home to return it is going to accelerate your purchase of one :grin:
 
DMDon said:
Forgive me if I am wrong, but aren't Kosmo's DVDS titled " Competition BBQ Class "? :doh:
Click to expand...

So is watching malcom reed's YouTube videos considered taking a class too???:doh::doh::doh:

I guess I see a huge difference between a $200 dvd set and a $600+ class plus travel expenses
 
tduffy said:
So is watching malcom reed's YouTube videos considered taking a class too???:doh::doh::doh:

I guess I see a huge difference between a $200 dvd set and a $600+ class plus travel expenses
Click to expand...

It is called a competition class. Only difference is it is cheaper and if you miss some things you can rewind it. Although, you can't ask questions. Not a bad thing but it's a class. I have taken a few classes myself.

Got to learn from someone. No shame in it at all.
 
J&B'sBBQ said:
Not all classes are that expensive.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Jason Bishop with Tenacious Q has a pretty good little competition class for $300. That includes his whole cooking process and time lines. Not to mention dinner on Friday night, his wife's award winning cheesecake and breakfast Saturday morning.
 
Rusty Kettle said:
It is called a competition class. Only difference is it is cheaper and if you miss some things you can rewind it. Although, you can't ask questions. Not a bad thing but it's a class. I have taken a few classes myself.

Got to learn from someone. No shame in it at all.
Click to expand...

Only difference???? You are sadly mistaken. Especially when many of the top teams putting on classes are allowing those who take the class to sample taste and tenderness of what they cook. There is a major difference between going to a class and watching some videos on TV
 
This thread has become somewhat of a debate about different forms of instruction: physical classes, DVDs, YouTube videos, online forums, etc. I don't think tduffy meant he's achieved his success without getting any help or ideas from anyone, but I can see how some might have interpreted his earlier comments about never taking a class to mean that. In my opinion, all the above are great resources and it is up to each of us to decide what works best for us.
 
tduffy said:
Only difference???? You are sadly mistaken. Especially when many of the top teams putting on classes are allowing those who take the class to sample taste and tenderness of what they cook. There is a major difference between going to a class and watching some videos on TV
Click to expand...

I can see your point on tenderness. Taste shouldn't it be the same if you order and use the same products?

I am sure you apply what you learned from the DVDs to your cooking. It's called a class so it is a class. Yeah there are some short comings but it is still a class.

Nothing wrong with that. Doesn't diminish any of your accomplishments as far as I am concerned.

Also, I would say with your success it's a testament to KosmoQ's DVD class that it does work. Actually, it might even get me to purchase a copy because of that just to see what I can learn.
 
indianagriller said:
your light coat of rub might be different than my light coat of rub, you cooker will put smoke on the food differently than my stick burner, etc...
Click to expand...

Yeah but you are going to have that variation in taste even if you take a class in person. It's going to be the same taste, at least as close as you can get to it either with using a DVD class or an in person class to learn to cook.

Probably why most people suggest taking a class where the instructor uses the same cooker as you are using. Makes it easier to get closer to producing a similar product.

I can agree that tenderness is really something you have to experience first hand to understand what it needs to be but taste you are always going to have even a slight variation. It really probably changes slightly for even the person who teaches the class as well.
 
Rusty Kettle said:
Yeah but you are going to have that variation in taste even if you take a class in person. It's going to be the same taste, at least as close as you can get to it either with using a DVD class or an in person class to learn to cook.

Probably why most people suggest taking a class where the instructor uses the same cooker as you are using. Makes it easier to get closer to producing a similar product.

I can agree that tenderness is really something you have to experience first hand to understand what it needs to be but taste you are always going to have even a slight variation. It really probably changes slightly for even the person who teaches the class as well.
Click to expand...

Recipes come and go...I have compared notes with guys in the same class as me and walked away going "what class did they just sit through?" I'm not going to class to learn recipes I'm going for the why and maybe just a small tweak I can use. I cook on a stick burner but my most beneficial classes have came from cabinet smoker classes...
 
Spending priorities:

1) Get an insulated cooker. You should be cooking the same way in warm and cold weather, dry and rain, no wind and gale winds. Pellet, charcoal, water cooker, gravity feed, offset with an insulated fire box, UDS or WSM with a water heater blanket...it's a personal choice, and you will get a million different suggestions on here. IMHO use what you are comfortable with, it doesn't matter as much as having something with insulation that cooks consistently in any conditions.

2) Have someplace to sleep out of the elements. This could be a simple cargo trailer with nothing inside it. Rent an enclosed uHaul trailer to try it out. Fancy rigs are mainly for comfort or convenience, and don't provide an advantage except under adverse weather.

3) Indoor prep area - nice after you address the other two options. I cook out of a toyhauler RV. I can prep and box completely inside, but normally opt to use an EZup if the space and weather conditions permit - simply because I prefer working outside.

As far as the "off topic" subject that seems to have become the main thread goes: I think there is more value in taking a live class where you can ask questions and taste the food vs. spending the same amount of money on a DVD.
 
CBQ said:
Spending priorities:

1) Get an insulated cooker. You should be cooking the same way in warm and cold weather, dry and rain, no wind and gale winds. Pellet, charcoal, water cooker, gravity feed, offset with an insulated fire box, UDS or WSM with a water heater blanket...it's a personal choice, and you will get a million different suggestions on here. IMHO use what you are comfortable with, it doesn't matter as much as having something with insulation that cooks consistently in any conditions.

2) Have someplace to sleep out of the elements. This could be a simple cargo trailer with nothing inside it. Rent an enclosed uHaul trailer to try it out. Fancy rigs are mainly for comfort or convenience, and don't provide an advantage except under adverse weather.

3) Indoor prep area - nice after you address the other two options. I cook out of a toyhauler RV. I can prep and box completely inside, but normally opt to use an EZup if the space and weather conditions permit - simply because I prefer working outside.

As far as the "off topic" subject that seems to have become the main thread goes: I think there is more value in taking a live class where you can ask questions and taste the food vs. spending the same amount of money on a DVD.
Click to expand...

spot on ^
 
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