Scared to Death
- Thread starter jdolor
- Start date
302smoke
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
- Location
- Clayton, DE
Hit me up. I'll be happy to help you out. First comps are scary. Happy to lend a hand. I'm in kent. 9430570. Did you stop by Triple a Threat?
You will make mistakes. We all do. The key is to not let them get to you and keep plugging along.
You've got about three weeks, so I would suggest doing a full mock competition on the driveway or in the back yard. Set up exactly as you will at the comp and cook everything to the comp turn in times, including doing your boxes as required by the rules.
Keep track of anything that you have to run into the house to get and add that to your packing list.
Also, even though you work for Dogfish, take it easy on the beer until after the last turn in.
Most of all, have fun!
J Rashburne
Found some matches.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
- Location
- Cedar...
To pretty much echo what the others have said, relax and have fun.
Here is the biggest hurdle to get over and it's best to come to grips with it now and move on:
It's absolutely inevitable that you will forget something important or do something incredibly stupid. It's part of the learning process. Adapt and improvise as necessary.
Disregard what other teams are doing. Cook according to your own flight plan.
Keep relatively sober and get some rest when you can.
Allow yourself enough time with your turn in boxes that you have a chance to take a breath and cast a critical eye over each before you close the lid. It's amazing the simple presentation mistakes you can make and overlook when you hurry. I have pictures of pork entries that at the time I thought were perfect but when examined later look like very badly constructed ransom notes.
As you're preparing your boxes, you're going to feel like you have five thumbs on each hand and each has a mind of its own.
Immediately after the contest you'll tell yourself you're never going to put yourself through such torture and misery again. Then, as you're driving home, you'll find yourself going down a mental checklist of the things you will do differently next time.
Don't be intimidated by other people's hardware and rigs. The food doesn't know if it's been cooked over a beat up Weber or a $20k custom pit.
Relax and have fun!
Here is the biggest hurdle to get over and it's best to come to grips with it now and move on:
It's absolutely inevitable that you will forget something important or do something incredibly stupid. It's part of the learning process. Adapt and improvise as necessary.
Disregard what other teams are doing. Cook according to your own flight plan.
Keep relatively sober and get some rest when you can.
Allow yourself enough time with your turn in boxes that you have a chance to take a breath and cast a critical eye over each before you close the lid. It's amazing the simple presentation mistakes you can make and overlook when you hurry. I have pictures of pork entries that at the time I thought were perfect but when examined later look like very badly constructed ransom notes.
As you're preparing your boxes, you're going to feel like you have five thumbs on each hand and each has a mind of its own.
Immediately after the contest you'll tell yourself you're never going to put yourself through such torture and misery again. Then, as you're driving home, you'll find yourself going down a mental checklist of the things you will do differently next time.
Don't be intimidated by other people's hardware and rigs. The food doesn't know if it's been cooked over a beat up Weber or a $20k custom pit.
Relax and have fun!
wags
Got Wood.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2010
- Location
- Massachu...
Don't be afraid to contact the organizer with any questions. Most are really helpful. My biggest fear was not having something I was required to have and not being able to compete. Once your on site, sometimes it can be tough to leave and get yourself say, a fire extinguisher. And don't panic about the meat inspection(like I did) it's really no big deal.
Our first contest we felt the same way......all I wanted to do was not look (results wise) like we didn't have a clue.
Forget that........go to win!! Be confident and remember that you have just as good a chance to win as anyone. The boxes are not marked and great food will be rewarded. We got two calls our first time out and it was awesome.
A nice goal is to get a call and as always not finish DAL.
Have fun (you will) and be prepared......don't think you can wing some new method or recipe on the fly. Cook how you know is best and stick with it.
Practice as much as you can and repeat the success at the contest exactly step by step.
Know how to make a pretty box AHEAD OF CONTEST DAY.......including how you will arrange the meat. When that clock is ticking it can get stressful.
Get your food in no matter what. If the appearance is off you get dinged a little......if you are a minute late you get DQ'd. Don't be late.
Having a timeline to follow is VERY helpful to keep you focused on the tasks at hand as well as getting prepared for what is just around the corner.
Taste and tenderness win contests........anyone can make food LOOK pretty.
Forget that........go to win!! Be confident and remember that you have just as good a chance to win as anyone. The boxes are not marked and great food will be rewarded. We got two calls our first time out and it was awesome.
A nice goal is to get a call and as always not finish DAL.
Have fun (you will) and be prepared......don't think you can wing some new method or recipe on the fly. Cook how you know is best and stick with it.
Practice as much as you can and repeat the success at the contest exactly step by step.
Know how to make a pretty box AHEAD OF CONTEST DAY.......including how you will arrange the meat. When that clock is ticking it can get stressful.
Get your food in no matter what. If the appearance is off you get dinged a little......if you are a minute late you get DQ'd. Don't be late.
Having a timeline to follow is VERY helpful to keep you focused on the tasks at hand as well as getting prepared for what is just around the corner.
Taste and tenderness win contests........anyone can make food LOOK pretty.
tduffy
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2011
- Location
- Pierre, SD
It's supposed to be fun so make that the priority. Rely on your knowledge of past cooks and do the best you can. Enjoy the time at the contest and the people there because when it's over regardless of how you did you always wish you had more time to hang out with all the teams and awesome people who share the same love to cook bbq.
jdolor
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2014
- Location
- Lincoln, DE
Thanks for all the good advice. I am planning on doing a full test run this weekend.
RumRunner_1492
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2013
- Location
- Dayton, OH
The way to get over the anxiety is to make a solid plan. I created a timeline as well as an equipment/item checklist to ensure I had everything I needed. Then do a complete practice cook so you can adjust times as needed and figure out when you can get some sleep. By doing those things it allows you to focus on the competition itself since you have the process and timing worked out.
You will meet a lot of great people who are more than willing to help out. In our first competition an experienced team came over and showed us how they build boxes and other tips. It was a HUGE help.
Just relax and you will have a great time. Good Luck!
You will meet a lot of great people who are more than willing to help out. In our first competition an experienced team came over and showed us how they build boxes and other tips. It was a HUGE help.
Just relax and you will have a great time. Good Luck!
Patrickkva
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2011
- Location
- Woodbrid...
As others have said, try to relax. When you realize that you forgot something (even though you went through your checklist), just ask one of the teams near you. Everyone of us will be glad to help. We've forgotten sponges for cleaning, ran out of wipes, had broken hoses and each resolved with the kind help of our fellow BBQ brethren.
When things settle down after the comp, take an inventory of all the stuff you brought and see what you can leave home next time. It will probably be a pretty good list. Our 1st comp site looked like a scene from Hoarders. :roll:
Given our team name, I will withhold comment on the over consumption of alcoholic beverages. :becky:
When things settle down after the comp, take an inventory of all the stuff you brought and see what you can leave home next time. It will probably be a pretty good list. Our 1st comp site looked like a scene from Hoarders. :roll:
Given our team name, I will withhold comment on the over consumption of alcoholic beverages. :becky:
Or the reps or your neighbors. Welcome and good luck!
Maybe you will appreciate this...my recap of my first competition:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145222
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145222
Go and have fun Talk to other teams Everyone loves to help and offer advice That is one of the things that is so good about Comps. I have never been there but have heard really good things about that Comp
Slamdunkpro
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2007
- Location
- Northern VA
- Don't try and cut your timing too close on the first comp. Overcooked is better than under cooked.
- At Chesapeake you'll have to deal with the Fire marshal Nazi. Make sure you have a current 5 lb ABC extinguisher with receipt or tag. Your cookers will have to be outside of your shelter by 5 feet.
- Ask a lot of questions
- Practice your box making so you know what you want to do.
- Ask a lot of questions
- Other teams will help guide you so,,,ask a lot of questions
tduffy
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2011
- Location
- Pierre, SD
wow, what a joke! so you can't have a canopy over your cooker?
Slamdunkpro
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2007
- Location
- Northern VA
Nope
Stoke&Smoke
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2007
- Location
- Western...
Our WSM has been pretty stable temp wise even in pretty good downpours (like the last Elk Grove IL contest a few years back)
It will just make more room under your canopy
As others have said, plan and practice, relax, and enjoy. Making mistakes is normal, it's how you recover that matters.
I totally stressed our first two or three comps, to the point I was sick to my stomach. Then, I actually relaxed and things began to be much more enjoyable!
Good luck!
It will just make more room under your canopy
As others have said, plan and practice, relax, and enjoy. Making mistakes is normal, it's how you recover that matters.
I totally stressed our first two or three comps, to the point I was sick to my stomach. Then, I actually relaxed and things began to be much more enjoyable!
Good luck!
