What is a Barbecue Cook-off?

Barbecue cook-offs come in many different forms. Middletown Delaware State BBQ Cook-off is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. What does that mean? It means that competitors must abide by the rules of KCBS. After competitors arrive, their meat is inspected to be sure it is free of any marinades or dry rubs, preferably in a sealed package. It is also checked that it is being held at 40 degrees or less. Once inspected, it may not leave the competition area. After inspection, any dry rub, marinades, injections, etc can be applied to the meat as the competitor wishes. The various types of meat to be barbecued are brisket, ribs, pork and chicken. All barbecuing must be done over wood or charcoal. No propane or electric grills are permitted. Judging begins at 12:00 NOON on Saturday with the turn in of chicken. Judging is done by certified judges who have attended a 4 hour seminar on how to judge barbecue KCBS style. Each competitor is given a 9 by 9 inch Styrofoam box in which to enter each of their samples. The boxes are marked with a number identifying the competitor. However, after the container is turned in to the judging area, the KCBS rep puts another number on it to ensure that judges have no idea whose samples they are judging. Competitors put 6 samples in the container as 6 judges will judge each competitor’s samples. Each half hour a different meat is turned in for judging. Judges check each sample for appearance, taste and tenderness and assign a value from 2 to 9, with 9 being excellent and 5 as average. Appearance, taste and tenderness are assigned weighted values with taste being the greatest and appearance the least. A perfect score of 180 can be achieved by having all 6 judges give a sample 9’s across the board. At 4:00 on Saturday, the trophies and cash prizes are handed out on the stage. Trophies are really coveted by the competitors as it gives them bragging rights for their work. The team from DE that achieves the best overall score will be designating as ‘DE Barbecue Champion’.