So when is the sauce contest going to end?

[HookedonSmoke]

I thought that this is what the forum is for -- to exchange ideas. I'm not criticizing -- I'm bemoaning a trend. You can take from it what you want, but many judges, not just me, are very tired of sauce contests. Balance is the key.

Just as you are tired of sauce contests, many cooks are tired of getting low scores, 6-7, without any reasoning why. I understand that a 7 is 'Above Average' but you won't win with 7's. Your cook will be ruined by being given 7's. That's why I wish judges were given more time to complete comment cards.

Cook teams have migrated to using sweet sauce because that's what has been a proven taste profile. Granted, you have to have some balance, but sweet is the proven winner more often than not. I detest sweet bbq but I have been forced to cook that profile in order to be competitive. My teammates and I constantly remind each other that what we like doesn't matter. We are cooking for six strangers that, as a group of 1000's, have shown that overly sweet, many times over sauced bbq is preferred.

 

[JS-TX]

IMO, I think most BBQ cooks that cook and eat BBQ on a regular basis prefer non sweet, candy type of BBQ. However my experience here in TX is that 1/2 the judges aren't cookers and prefer sweet BBQ. There are no absolutes when it comes to BBQ judges, you just never can be sure what the judges will prefer that day, hence the challenge and frustration lol

I've heard it over and over, turn in well balanced, non-offensive BBQ with a little flavor pop, cooked just right and you'll do well. Sounds easy but it's not!

 

[ModelMaker]

Alright I gotta come clean.... I grilled a family pack of Wally world wings tonight and SOAKED about a third of them in Blues Hog. They was shloppy, messy, slippery, and DELICIOUS!!!!
Point is they was really satisfying but not an award winning entry, just goood.
Ed

 

[LakeRat Bbq]

I tell myself I won't react to one comment card but this year I got two comment cards in chicken in consecutive comps. One was too spicy and the other was to much pepper. I changed my sauce and went with something more boring and bland (imo). After I changed sauce I went on a run of 4 comps in a roll with a chicken call. I've only competed for two years but I don't think the system is as broken as some make it out to be...