Sweet VS Spicy

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ddog27

Sous Chef
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
544
Location
Queen Creek, AZ
I have a bunch of the BBQ contests that are shown on Food Network stored on my Tivo. And last night I was watching some of them. I usually watch them because I love BBQ and I watch to get some tips and tricks that are being used by people who compete. One thing I noticed last night that a lot of the people who place in the top ten with ribs and chicken are shown pouring honey and brown sugar on their ribs and chicken before they foil them. I usually make my ribs and chicken with more spice than sweet. In the two contests I have taken part in my ribs took 8th and 12th place. My chicken has taken 4th place. I was wondering if I would score higher if I were to make my ribs and chicken more sweet than spicy. What are your opinions on this? Does sweet beat spicy in a competition? Let me know what you think!
 
ddog27 said:
I have a bunch of the BBQ contests that are shown on Food Network stored on my Tivo. And last night I was watching some of them. I usually watch them because I love BBQ and I watch to get some tips and tricks that are being used by people who compete. One thing I noticed last night that a lot of the people who place in the top ten with ribs and chicken are shown pouring honey and brown sugar on their ribs and chicken before they foil them. I usually make my ribs and chicken with more spice than sweet. In the two contests I have taken part in my ribs took 8th and 12th place. My chicken has taken 4th place. I was wondering if I would score higher if I were to make my ribs and chicken more sweet than spicy. What are your opinions on this? Does sweet beat spicy in a competition? Let me know what you think!

Generally, Yes. Sweet on the front and a little heat on the finish that comes surprisingly late and pleasant. Don't get too much going on and find a flavor or spice that is interesting but not blatent.

If winning contests is what you want to do, then you might have to modify your thoughts on flavor profiles in general. I quit putting the Q that I like into contests years ago. I like Q simple. Now, I've modified my profile into what a judge may like. I still think it's damn good pork barbecue, it just has a couple of more layers to it.

Good Luck and Good Q!

Jack
 
To add (maybe) to what Jack said... the pork we turned in at Boone Hall was the sweetest pork we have cooked together. It had me wondering if it was too sweet (but it tasted goooooooooood). It came in second with the big boys that were there. :(
 
Finney said:
To add (maybe) to what Jack said... the pork we turned in at Boone Hall was the sweetest pork we have cooked together. It had me wondering if it was too sweet (but it tasted goooooooooood). It came in second with the big boys that were there. :(

I had the same feeling about that product. It might have been the difference in 1st and 2nd place. The peeps liked it. I gotta figure out where the extra sweet came from. Hell, we use some sort of sugar in every step.

Jack
 
I've added honey in with a tangy (kc style) bbq sauce before turn in. just a light glaze does it and it goes over well.
 
If this trend continues folks will be brining with sugar, mopping with sugar and dusting the final product with confectioners sugar and nothing else. Gone will be any hint of pepper, herbs or spice. Rib Lollipops and pulled pork flavored jawbreakers. Perhaps that is why so many of the judges seem to be on the rotund side?

Dang near gets me motivated enough to become a judge. This could be the start of a movement. :horse:

In a few years might be able to turn the Sugar Juggernaut around. Good old Vinegar based sauces will be all the rage :grin: Instead of making molasses, those sugar calories can be used to make ethynol so we can save the world from global warming by hauling our pits with a E85 Ford/Chevy product.

Just my .02
 
Being from Texas, I never really tasted bbq with sweet and heat until I tried Wolfe Rub. I like the combo very much and use Larry's rub on just about every cook.

I am also very partial to bbq rubbed with spices and herbs kinda like what comes in Emeril's Essence. BAM!!!

I like them both so now I have to smoke two racks instead of just one :!:
 
I think that trends change over time. 10 years ago there were different flavors that were doing well. As the top trend setting teams change, so will the flavor profiles. Our BBQ has plenty of pepper, spices and heat on the finish. IMHO, overall people don't like to be blasted with heat, they prefer a more pleasing dining experience. I'm more concerned that tender has become mushy, and that a slight pull off the bone is now more gravity driven. :)

Good Q!

Jack
 
Spicy doesn't automatically mean heat. I use a Rosemary based rub for chicken that imparts a delicate mediteranian flavor that some reason always crisps the skin. Not a gram of refined sugar in it, and IMO its darn good -thank you very much. Sugar (refined) has its place, just in my kitchen it's on the back shelf of a lesser used cupboard.
 
OK, just this one time =D> , but only to prove my point [-o<
It can be found in the poultry recipe section
 
I saw something else about this subject that bothered me. On Saturdays the BBQ America show is on my local PBS station. On the show this week they talked to a BBQ judge about how to judge a BBQ contest. The first question asked was, “Do you cook BBQ?â€
 
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