Kcbs judging class question

[Barefoot BBQ]

The advice you were given seemed pretty clear. Read the thread all the way through and it is solid advice. A summary is that the class itself would be minimal help to you as a cook. IF you judge a few contests after the class, then you will have the opportunity to see what others are turning in with respect to appearance, taste, and tenderness.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

The advice you were given seemed pretty clear. Read the thread all the way through and it is solid advice. A summary is that the class itself would be minimal help to you as a cook. IF you judge a few contests after the class, then you will have the opportunity to see what others are turning in with respect to appearance, taste, and tenderness.

Ok thanks for summarizing. I appreciate that. So take the class and then go out and judge. Thanks.

 

[Drh7003]

This is only my opinion:
I took the judging class several years ago and helped with two in the following years.My class lasted from 9am to 1 pm. There were a lot of people in each class. Some of the people I have seen since; at competitions, others I have not.
The food in the classes was cooked by competition cooks, two pretty frequent competitors who do well on the circuit. The food was started the night before and finished similar to competition times: they did chicken at 1000, ribs at 1130, pork at noon, brisket at 1200. (they were an hour less than competition).
The one problem I saw was not many questions were answered between meats. If a question like "what did you think of the chicken? was I right to judge an 8-7-7 or should it be another score? The answer I got was "in my opinion..." And so it went with each meat. The general class discussed (lectured about the rules) and spent a lot of time on garnishes (this was a few years ago) and sauce pooling. Not much on taste, a little on tenderness, and appearance.

Generally, you learn more by asking cooks after a competition. You NEED the course in many cases, to get to judge. There are great bunch of brothers on this board that would be more than happy to discuss food after judging is done or at a regional meeting and such.

I have cooked many foods and judged many foods prior to doing kCBS judging. I worked professionally as a chef in a small restaurant but need more gainful employment (not much pay there!)

I took the class thinking it would help me be a better cook and, as was said previously, it did not. What did help was going to competitions and tasting food. In the judges tent and perhaps, if you get lucky, a brethren may offer you some good BBQ to try and know that is what really got me hooked on wanting to cook BBQ.

The main issue I have is, that my area is saturated with judges. I apply for 10-12 contests a year, and I get to judge 2-3, on a good year. I travel up to 4 hours away to judge a competition at this point.

And remember, it does cost money to judge, travel expenses (gas wear and tear, hotel room/campground, meals other than BBQ, keeping your membership, etc). It does not cost as much as cooks pay out, but it isn't free either.
I look at judging as an honor, I try to do the best I can and do it fairly. It costs a lot of money for cooks to compete and they deserve a fair shake. Oh, I also do not take left overs home as I feel it is disrespectful, but that is me.
Have a good time, meet some good people and do the right thing!

 

[Joe Black]

As a SCBA Senior Judge, I can speak to the training that South Carolina judges receive. The classroom time is 8 hours including hands on practice of comp grade product. After the classroom training, 4 comps are required on a training table. All trainees are at a separate table with a teaching table captain. Some of the cookers prepare special boxes for the training table and the TC explains the various differences and discusses the scoring from the whole table. These scores are not a part of the comp results. After 4 comps on a training table, a judge can then go to a regular table. Under most circumstances, only 1 new judge is at a regular table at a time. The training is very specific and IMO is some of the best around.

As far as KCBS is concerned, how many hours of instruction is needed to judge lettuce?

 

[Rookie'48]

IMHO the class will teach you the rules. Your actual knowledge begins after the chicken judging at the first comp. That's when you'll hear stuff like: "What did you think of #4?" and; "Wasn't #2 the best one here today?" and; "That #5 was great on the flavor but it was all dried out - way overdone!" or one of my favorites; "That guy who did #6 really made my day - probably the best yardbird that I've had this year!"

 

[Bubba]

To the best of my knowledge no one has ever failed the judging class. Turn em lose let em go kcbs has got their money. The damage is done

 

[Drh7003]

As a SCBA Senior Judge, I can speak to the training that South Carolina judges receive. The classroom time is 8 hours including hands on practice of comp grade product. After the classroom training, 4 comps are required on a training table. All trainees are at a separate table with a teaching table captain. Some of the cookers prepare special boxes for the training table and the TC explains the various differences and discusses the scoring from the whole table. These scores are not a part of the comp results. After 4 comps on a training table, a judge can then go to a regular table. Under most circumstances, only 1 new judge is at a regular table at a time. The training is very specific and IMO is some of the best around.

As far as KCBS is concerned, how many hours of instruction is needed to judge lettuce?

Now this is the way to train people.

 

[bbq.tom]

Here is the “Training” for each of the CBJ classes that I’ve taken over my judging career:

KCBS – 4 hours classroom instruction, with a short judging exercise at the end of the class. CBJ awarded immediately upon completion of the training.

MBN (Memphis Barbecue Network) – 4-5 hours classroom instruction, with a short judging exercise at the end of the class and a final exam (self graded). Must judge a minimum of 1-onsite and 1-blind, and at least once in each of the three meat categories – Whole hog, Ribs, Shoulder; over a minimum of two contests before receiving CBJ.

SBN (Southern BBQ Network) – 4 hour classroom instruction, with a short judging exercise at the end of the class. CBJ awarded immediately upon completion of the training.

NCBBQA (North Carolina BBQ Association) - 3 hours classroom instruction, with a short judging exercise at the end of the class. CBJ awarded immediately upon completion of the training.

NCBS (North Carolina Barbecue Society) – 2 hours classroom instruction, with 2 hour judging exercise where every judge must stand up and explain their scores. CBJ awarded immediately upon completion of the training.

NCPC (North Carolina Pork Council) – watch a DVD on how to judge, then shadow a CBJ at a contest (going to every team and judging their whole-hog on-site along with the CBJ). IF the CBJ signs off that you know enough about judging to judge on your own then you are awarded a CBJ. If not, then you must shadow another judge at another contest until “approved”.

MiM (Memphis In May) – 4-5 hour classroom instruction, with a short example of how to judge at a contest at the end of the class and a final exam (self graded). Must judge a minimum of two contests to become a CBJ.

The SCBA 8-hour training with "training tables" for four contests sounds like it would make the judges more knowledgable and understanding of the judging process. But does it make better judges? Couldn't hurt! But would KCBS ever go for a complete revamp of the CBJ process? I doubt it!!!

 

[Wampus]

For the judges how do you decide what is a 9 or a 2 or a 6?

THAT, my friend, is the ultimate question.

 

[Podge]

That made me laugh!

I brought that up awhile back.. makes me laugh and cry ! Heck all my textures are nice for all 4 catagories... heck, a tough rib has about as nice texture as a pork chop... gimme a 9.