Try competing in a local BBQ contest!
If you aren’t already competing in BBQ & grilling contests, you should be. I mean why not? It’s fun, it’s local, it’s delicious, it’s community, it’s life. You should compete, I can’t say it enough.
I want to convince you to try out local BBQ competitions. I want to give you the resources to find and compete in those contests. And I want to share your story and my story along the way. But, none of that works if you don’t step out of the backyard to compete!
A brief history of my competition experiences (Feb, 2020).
So far, I’ve only been in 2.5 BBQ competitions. One in the 2019 season, my first competition, the last year at Juarez Canyon with PNWBA and the most perfect introduction to competition BBQ I could ask for.
The second, half contest, I was involved in was at the very tail end of the 2019 season and was actually more of a competition BBQ class. The kicker? The class was a competition. And it was a great time, if you get the chance take it.
My third and most recent BBQ contest was the most special in a few ways. It was a KCBS competition in Albany, OR called the Bacon Championship. We had 2 more of my good friends join the main meat team and my girlfriend and another friend tackled the Bacon Championship, and killed it with 5th place!
Why should you compete in local BBQ contests?
Mostly for fun to be honest, you know, as a hobby. But what a hell of a hobby, let me tell you. Grilling in your yard with your wife and neighbor is a good time and I enjoy it as much as the next guy. But what about the next level? What about when you’re past the entry level backyard bullshit and you’re ready to really prove your BBQ to yourself and your friends?
So for fun and competition mostly. But also, for community. I tried a few different structured contests before settling on grilling. And to be honest, the reason I ended up loving BBQ competitions is because of the community. Need some kale? They got you. Need a beer? They got you. Good conversation? Yep, on point. Crazy how many good people you will meet.
What are the barriers to entry?
Mostly just equipment and money. But let me get into it more. You’ll need a smoker, some cleaning and safety equipment, and money for the entry fee and meat. Although, you also have opportunities to make money back…
As far as smokers go, you’ll need one if you want to compete in BBQ. You need a wood fired smoker. Meaning a charcoal or wood fired smoker or a pellet smoker like a Traeger or GMG smoker. In a typical KCBS or PNWBA competition you’ll cook a brisket, chicken, ribs, and a pork butt. So make sure you have enough grill space.
For competition BBQ you’re also going to need some safety and cleaning equipment. It depends on the sanctioning body but you’ll usually need at least a fire extinguisher and a dish cleaning station. Check the rules for the sanctioning body you’re working with for more detail.
Entry fees are usually $100-$300 per contest. On top of that, plan on spending $200+ on meat per competition as well. So $300-$500+ per competition, which, yes, is a lot of money. The caveat is you can also win money back…
When it comes to getting money back from BBQ competitions you can earn money from samples and you can win money from winning categories. Check out the competition you’re looking into but it’s not uncommon to win $50-$100 for a 2nd or 3rd place walk in a local contest. You can also usually sell samples for a profit of $1-$2 each. Meaning you can sometimes break even.
How to find a local BBQ competition?
The easiest way to find a local BBQ competition is to search on the sanctioning body websites directly. They aren’t always updated because sometimes events come in last minute. But if you’re serious about BBQ check the sanctioning bodies you’re interested in weekly. Make sure to read comments and sign up for forums so you don’t miss anything.
I follow a few different sanctioning bodies. I’ll summarize them below and give links to their websites so you can check when your next local BBQ competition is.
For those of you in Portland
I put together a list of competitions within ~200 miles of the Portland, OR metro area. This is the area I compete in and the event calendar should be very helpful for others in my area!
KCBS BBQ Competitions
KCBS is probably the largest smoking competition sanctioning body. It stands for Kansas City Barbeque Society and this organization has hundreds of competitions in the U.S. every year. For me in the PNW, there are 5-10 good KCBS competitions in a reasonable distance for me. This should be the same experience for most people in most locations.
The check out KCBS competitions and find one to compete in, try checking out the KCBS Events web page. KCBS is a really good sanctioning body to start out it. Check out KCBS events here: https://www.kcbs.us/explore_events.php
PNWBA BBQ Competitions
PNWBA is a local to me BBQ competition organization. I live in the PNW and PNWBA stands for Pacific Northwest BBQ Association. So there are a bunch of events local to me, but the PNWBA may not be the best choice for you if you are not in the Pacific Northwest.
If you are in the PNW, the PNWBA is an amazing sanctioning body to work with and their competitions is where you’ll find me. That doesn’t mean you’re local competition BBQ association is bad, it’s most likely good! Go check it out, and if you’re near me check out the PNWBA: https://www.pnwba.com/Events
SCA Grilling Competitions
The SCA, or Steak Cookoff Association is pretty new to me but seems like a cool opportunity. As the name implies, it’s mostly a steak competition. But it seems like I’ve seen them with side competitions as well. Either way, this is a more approachable competition especially if you’re a big steak cooker.
I believe SCA typically takes a bit less time than other competitions, it’s a great contest if you’re a confident or aspiring steak chef. I can bet you will find people to learn from and to be inspired by: https://www.steakcookoffs.com/cookoffs