Another weekend slips by...

We'll miss you, June Cleaver!


I awoke to the bad new this morning, Beaver's mom has passed away. Like all mom's, she was the strength in that household, the glue that held it all together. Oh, yeah, she always "deferred" to Ward's authority but she cunningly steered his opinion around to her views. She never cleaned in old raggy jeans (not that she owned any jeans!). Her hair was always salon fresh, her makeup perfect and, yes, she wore pearls while cooking, cleaning and simply relaxing around the house. She brought "style" to the roles of mother and housewife. Later, we learned she could also speak "jive" ! I mean talk about cool moms!!!

Barbara Billingsley (her real name) would have turned 95 in December. What a wonderful legacy she has left us.

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In other news, did any of you catch that talented 5th grader that played God Bless America on the trumpet at the 7th inning stretch in the NLCS game between the Phillies and the Giants last night? He was fantastic!! So sorry I didn't catch his name. I was watching it on a TV in a casino bar located in Phillies country. This little guy's fine rendition led to a rousing cheer there. At least they were able to cheer for him, the Phillies lost in the 9th. (I may come from Oriole-land but where are they now in October? I had to find somebody to cheer for. What can I say? I do enjoy baseball.) Oh well, that was only Game 1. Maybe they can make a come-back tonight.

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Yesterday turned out to be a fantastic Fall day, though a bit on the windy side. The temps were in the low 60s and the sun was extremely bright. We found ourselves drawn to a festival on the banks of the Susquehanna River and it was absolutely beautiful! We stopped in at Smokin' On The River in Port Deposit, Maryland just to hear a little music and maybe grab a bite to eat on our way to our evening destination.

This was not an official KCBS BBQ competition so we weren't involved in the judging of this Tail Gate Cook-Off. As it turned out, we were recognized and drafted into judging anyway. (The cooks had been promised KCBS judges and KCBS judging standards.) There were 17 talented cook teams that had fought the cool wind all day to produce some high quality ribs and there was an extreme shortage of judges. Turns out we only had 5 certifeid KCBS judges and one "celebrity judge", the St. Pauli Beer Girl ! (The guys voted her in, Big surprise!)

It wasn't in our plans but took only about an hour to sample and score these eats and we were glad to do it. Oh, and The Big Guy was thrilled to pose with the St. Pauli Girl, too!

Summerfest and BBQ Judging

Well, it took me a week but I finally downloaded pics from Saturday's BBQ competition.

After 3 weeks away from home we relaxed for a day and a half and then were up early Saturday morning to travel to the heart of Amish country for one of the most prestigious BBQ competitions in the East - the New Holland Summerfest in New Holland, PA.


It was an absolutely beautiful day for such an event. (Last year, we had a monsoon!) You could see and smell the smoke a block away and as we approached the park, every tent appeared to be busy getting ready for the first turn in of the day.

A KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society - the largest BBQ sanctioning group) sanctioned event, this contest features the four required categories of chicken, ribs, pork shoulder/butt and brisket as well as two ancillary categories - chef's choice and, new this year, chili. Quite a few teams also participate in the whole hog competition. Those last three categories are optional.

This shot, to the left, shows a team (Pork & Dean's from Phoenix, MD) preparing their whole hog entry.

**It should be noted that BBQ is the only truly American food legacy. People come here from other countries hoping to try real American BBQ!!


Due to space limitations, this event is limited to 72 competition teams. There is a long waiting list to get in and teams know time is of the essence when their application for this one arrives. The field is pretty much full within a week or so of the applications going out. This year, teams came from as far away as Ontario and North Carolina, with the majority hailing from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. These tend to be 72 of the very best in the region.

Likewise, it is quite popular with the judges. A contest this size needs 72 Certified Barbecue Judges (CBJs) as well as 12 Table Captains (usually also Certified Judges). This year, there was a judges waiting list of about 125 names. We also get our forms returned within a day or two of receipt. For years this competition has been able to boast that ALL judges are "certified."

Certified Judges actually attend a class to learn how to rate truly good BBQ. There is more involved than simply saying it "tastes good." (Although, taste IS important to the scoring!) Judges are taught to recognize the correct texture for properly cooked meats, appropriate uses of seasonings and marinades so that they lend flavor but still allow a meat's personality to shine through, and how a serving should look to appeal to our visual senses. Tenderness is also scored separately.

Cook teams have a lot invested in this venture. They provide their own meats and supplies, have thousands of dollars invested in smokers and other cooking equipment, travel long distances and spend at least 36 hours on site preparing their entries (ALL cooking MUST be done on site.) While you see star competitors on TV who have won thousands of dollars in competition, most cooks are extremely happy to receive even the smallest monetary reward for their efforts. They MUST enjoy the activity as they sure aren't in it to make a profit!!

Judges are also in it for the love of BBQ. We are not paid. Most of us travel long distances at our own expense - some stay in hotels. We spend 4-6 hours on site in the process of judging. We have judged contests in 100 degree heat on more than one occasion and also have practically frozen to death at cold windy sites. Most judging is done in tents not buildings so weather does factor into our comfort. (If you watched BBQ Pitmasters last season and saw the Dover competition, you saw the coldest and rainiest event we've ever personally judges!)

In return, we get to taste some of the best smoked food in the country!! We've made great friends with other judges and cooks and their teams. (Just for the record - All judging for KCBS is blind judging so friendship with the cooks is not a hand up to any of them.) We've attended some events with fantastic entertainment where we stayed all evening just to enjoy the music. We've gotten to know some fantastic folks working hard to put on quality events in their communities. The Big Guy and I have been happy to sit and talk with new organizers and give some advice as to what they need to do to pull off a great event. We've taken new judges under our wings and guided them a bit through their first experiences. Since we are quickly identified by our judging shirts and name tags as we stroll through an event we are always approached by spectators who ask questions about the judging process and BBQ in general. In effect, we are ambassadors for BBQ. ALL of the judges we know have done these same things. We want folks to enjoy and promote BBQ. It's as American as apple pie and Chevrolet!

A very full and happy judge!!

Each judge tastes and scores only six samples in any category but even at that rate, we are served approximately 2 lbs of meat at any one competition (This does not include whole hog categories. It takes a special appetite to judge Whole Hog. I have never done so.) Obviously, we cannot eat all of that in one sitting. Most of us take 2 or 3 bites of a sample and move on to the next. That is usually enough to reach a score. This means we each have lots of leftovers.

I've become a pro at using the leftovers in creative ways. Tonight for instance, we had enchiladas made with leftover pork and brisket. Enchiladas can really stretch a little meat a long way. I actually made 19 enchiladas from the leftovers we had. At least there's a few meals now stockpiled in the freezer!

We are not scheduled to judge again for a few weeks but, who knows, something unexpected often comes up!

Pig Patrol and more...

Despite an "on again, off again" drizzle (which occasionally became a heavy downpour) and a few mud bogs, we did judge the 10th Annual New Holland Summerfest in New Holland, PA on Saturday.

Luckily, they didn't get quite the amount of rain we did in our area between midnight Thursday and early Saturday morning. (Our neighborhood received between 7 and 9 inches of rain during that time.) Their heaviest rain hit there in the afternoon on Friday after most cookers had their rigs in the park and actually had their tents up. While not ideal weather, it was better than plowing the heavy equipment through a wet field and trying to set the tents up while dodging raindrops! The rain after that came in bits and pieces with only a few heavy downpours. (Only 90 minutes away, we had monsoon-like weather most of Friday!)

New Holland always features 72 contestants cooking in the standard four KCBS categories of chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. They are required to submit entries in each of these categories. There are also two ancillary categories of sausage and chef's choice. Cooks may also participate in the whole hog category and, this year, contest organizers also accepted those who ONLY wanted to cook whole hog. Twenty cook teams undertook this huge challenge!

As most cooks participate in a number of shows in a geographic region just as we judge more events within a few hours of our home, we have many that we see at most events and this was no exception. "Pork & Deans" is a team based in our immediate community and we see them often. They win frequently and are highly respected, especially when it comes to chicken and whole hog. This team takes their BBQ seriously and it shows when you see their popular bright red rig. The Big Guy leans a bit to "Smoker Envy" when they're around!

There are also a few who travel a major distance to this particular contest and this is the only place we get a chance to see them. Within the past year, I have subscribed to a blog by a BBQ team but could not recall having met them personally. Smoke in Da Eye is a team from Garden City, NY so our events only overlap occasionally. They recently mentioned they'd be at New Holland, again, this year. (They've won in the sausage category there for the last two years! What can I say, 72 smokers can start to blend together in your mind!) I purposely sought them out this year. When I found their set up after judging, only one team member was in the tent and he was on the phone. I decided to be polite and come back later to say "Hi!" Unfortunately, the clouds burst right after that decision and we ended up leaving without backtracking that way. Well. maybe next contest!!

I must say, the submissions at this contest were the best in overall quality of all the contests we've judged this year. KCBS scoring is based on a 2-9 scale, with 6 being "average", 2 is "inedible" and 9 is "excellent". I found myself giving more 8s and 9s than I think I have ever given in the years I've been judging. The Big Guy came away with the same thoughts. (Spouses cannot sit at the same judging table as couples tend to share similar food preferences and it skews the scores. Therefore, we did not taste the same submissions.)

When it is time for the whole hog judging, some judges need to participate on the "Pig Patrol." Both The Big Guy and I have done this for the last several New Holland events. One member of the Pig Patrol is assigned to each team producing a whole hog entry. It is our job to stand by and watch the team carve their entry and verify that every piece of meat submitted came off of that particular hog and no substitutions were made from other sources. (A team cooking in all categories may also have cooked multiple racks of ribs and several butts which they may feel turned out better as they are easier to control while cooking. They cannot use any of these individually cooked "pieces" to create a whole hog entry.)


I had the pleasure of overseeing a hog prepared by the Colombo Family BBQ team who were making their first attempt at competition cooking. Mr. Colombo has done many hogs at home for family events but made this a family activity. He was well supported by family members and friends, there to lend their moral support as well as a physical hand where needed. I enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm of this first time cheering crew. They did produce a beautiful pig!!

I must say, I also appreciated the fact that a more experienced cooking team that was set up next to them but not participating in the whole hog competition was also watching their effort and lending a few suggestions. We find cooks tend to have a special camaraderie and don't mind sharing advice. Just don't ask for their secret rub or sauce recipe!!

As chief cook, Mr. Colombo was heard to exclaim, "This is really nerve wracking!" As a team cannot begin carving until a Pig Patrol member is present at their site, their time is limited to only about 45-50 minutes in which to carve 6 perfect samples from 5 areas of the pig - shoulder, ham, loin, rib (bone-in or bone-out) and bacon. They then need to arrange them in an attractive manner on a tray provided by the contest organizers and then carry them, carefully, to the turn-in site. In this case, he had to negotiate a muddy field without disturbing his perfect tray. Turn in occurs on the hour and submissions must be presented within the span of 5 minutes to and 5 minutes after, no exceptions! Yes, they do use a time clock for this. Yes, Mr. Colombo, it is nerve wracking!! As a judge, I'm pulling for everyone. I don't want to see anyone fail.

In the Mid-Atlantic area, the health department rules do not allow contestants to sell their products to the general public from their cook sites. (In some states this is allowed. Many of those areas hold a People's Choice competition the night before the main competition.) However, there are a few competitors at every contest that also have Vendor Licenses and do sell their fantastic meats to festival attendees. Smoke'n Dudes are one such cook team. They are always plagued by long lines but the food is well worth the wait. People even stood in line in the rain this year!

We normally wait around to watch the awards ceremony as judging is all done by a double blind system so even we don't know who was "best" until these announcements. While we were sitting, waiting for the awards to be presented the skies opened and it began to pour heavily. We gave up and made a run for the car. We'll just have to wait to see how our various friends, and the Colombos, made out when the organizers update the website with the winners' names later this week.

Now, all I have to do is figure out what to do with all these leftovers this week!!

Post BBQ Leftovers

After every BBQ contest, we are faced with the same old question: "What to do with all these leftovers?"

We are accredited by and judge for the Kansas City Barbeque Society which is the largest bbq organization in the world. As such, they are the sanctioning body for the majority of the BBQ competitions held throughout the U.S. When you watch specials on the Food Network about the American Royal competition held annually in Kansas City, you are watching a KCBS event.

All KCBS sanctioned contests MUST include four basic categories which are always done in the same order over a two hour turn-in period. There may be additional categories associated with any specific contest and those may be judged the same day or on the previous night but any KCBS event will consist of chicken, ribs, pork and brisket, in that order.

The judging process is serious business. Every judge is asked to sample and rate six samples from each category. Each sample is tasted and rated on its own merits. Sample #1 is tasted and then completely graded before moving on to sample #2. They are not compared to each other. There are specific elements we are looking for in each entry.

Ultimately, each judge will be presented with 1 1/2 - 2 lbs., or more, of meat at a contest. Obviously, most of us cannot eat every piece of food in its entirety while judging. Most take two, maybe three, bites of a sample before grading it. When the category is done, we are entitled to go back and eat the whole thing if we desire, pack it up to take with us or throw it away. I, like most judges, carry ziplock bags and a cooler with us to contests.

In the chicken category, turned in at 12 noon, we are most often served six thighs. Cooks can submit any part of the chicken but most find thighs cook the most consistently and retain their moisture in the submission box. (Breasts tend to dry easily. Wings and legs tend to turn out less consistently.) I have been served all parts at various contests and this week my table was served five thighs and one submission of sliced breast meat. Obviously, between the two of us, we have a pretty good stock of leftover chicken at the end of the category. (Incidentally, spouses cannot judge at the same table so we never judge the same entries.)

Ribs tend to produce the least leftovers. Often, by the time we've taken 2 or 3 bites, there really isn't much left on the bone. Nonetheless, I usually have a few ribs left over.

The pork category consists of pork butt and can be served as pulled pork, sliced or chopped. When we first began judging back in 2005, the vast majority were turned in as pulled pork but we are now receiving just as many sliced and frequently chopped samples these days. This is usually another large batch of leftovers as samples tend to be sizeable servings.

The final category, turned in at 1:30 in every contest, is beef brisket. We are generally served one decent slice per sample. This doesn't sound like a lot, but by this time, we are getting somewhat full. Most judges test for tenderness by pulling a chunk off of the slice with a gentle tug. We then taste that piece but often have the rest of the slice left over!

Believe it or not, we have judged contests that included additional categories at this point. Many events include a sausage or dessert competition. Some have an "anything but" category and quite a few have "whole hog" judging. The most categories we've faced in one day have been seven. After that event, we brought home nine pounds of leftovers!!

Needless to say, I have learned the best ways to warm up leftover ribs and brisket slices and have come up with a variety of recipes for the leftovers. Since chicken is a mainstay of regular diet, I have never had trouble finding uses for those scraps. I've had to be a little more creative with the other categories. Tonight we had enchiladas made from the leftover pork samples.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas:

I generally dump the pork in a bowl (shredding any sliced or chunked samples) add just a speck of my own rub for seasoning, some chopped onions and bell peppers (precooked in the microwave) and some shredded cheese. Mix well and fill and roll soft tortillas to form enchiladas. I open a can of black beans and poor it into a large rectangular glass baking dish and then add one drained can of black beans and two drained cans of diced tomatoes with chiles. Stir this well and then place the enchiladas on top of the bed of beans and tomatoes. I drizzle a little sweet bbq sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle a little more shredded cheese over that. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, until the cheese browns.

***A little pulled pork really stretches this way. I made 8 enchiladas tonight - enough for two hungry men and myself. Oh, and we had leftovers! I put three in the freezer. These make easy, quick lunches for the guys. I wrap them separately and they can just grab them frozen. By lunch time, they've thawed and they warm them in the microwave at work.