That judge's comment about sauce on ribs still bugs me

Went to a backyard comp in Memphis last Saturday and one of the certified judges told my buddy his ribs were 'too saucy' before he even touched them. I've been running my offset for about 5 years now and I've seen this same thing happen at three different contests. People spend $80 on entry fees and 14 hours babysitting a fire only to get dinged for a personal preference that has nothing to do with technique. I get that sauce heavy vs dry rub is a style thing, but if you're judging, at least take a bite before you form an opinion. My go-to method is a light glaze after the wrap, but I've seen guys win with a thick layer too. Has anyone else dealt with judges who seem to make up their mind based on looks alone? What's been your workaround for that? Maybe I'm overthinking it and should just cook what I like and skip the stress.

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abby_palmer1mo ago

Is it just me or does this whole thing sound like every other hobby out there? People get so stuck on their own way that they forget the point is the experience, not the trophy. I've seen it at BBQ comps, at dog shows my sister drags me to, even at the damn farmers market where someone judges your tomatoes by size instead of taste. The real problem is people are lazy, they take the shortcut and judge on looks because actually tasting takes work. You put in the fire time, you know your ribs are solid, so that's what matters at the end of the day. Cook what you like, trust your pit, and let the scorecards be whatever they're gonna be.

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park.troy1mo ago

Damn, that exact situation made me switch to a lighter sauce glaze on top after the turn-in box, never had a complaint since.

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