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Barbecue candy
Published: 2/22/2010 4:40 PM
Last Modified: 2/22/2010 4:41 PM




I recently talked to David Gelin, author of "BBQ Joints," about some of his favorite barbecue restaurants.

The conversation turned to competition barbecue, something Gelin is also interested in, particularly because of the interesting characters on the national barbecue circuit.

He said something I've heard from other competition cookers, but it's something that's still interesting.

Most of these guys admit they would never cook this kind of barbecue at home. At competition, they forget everything they might do in their own backyards. At competition, they're not cooking for friends or family. They're cooking for the judges.

In other words, they're creating barbecue candy.

Put yourself in the judges' shoes. They're eating a lot of barbecue, meaning one bite is typically all they get before making a determination about the quality. Just like when eating candy, one bite can be wonderful, but an entire bag can make you sick.

At home, your ribs might be good on the first bite and even better after the third or fourth. That won't work in a competition. You have to pack as much flavor as possible into that one bite.

A couple of weeks ago I talked to Scot Kee, the man behind the Owasso team Little Pig Town. He admitted the same thing, saying his competition ribs aren't anything like he cooks at home.

Gelin told me you would probably make yourself sick if you ate an entire plate of the competition stuff, which is sometimes loaded with butter, brown sugar and other ingredients that make it delicious for one bite. One bite of barbecue candy.


Reader Comments 1 Total
Barbecue candy, indeed!
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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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