Brisket is known to be one of the most difficult and one of the most recognized categories in barbecue competitions.
This is a lean and dense muscular meat cut which is found in the lower half of the cow but contains much connective tissues.
To turn it into something rich and tender, wet and delicate, the pitmasters employ low and slow method of smoking that can take 12-16 hours.
There are various factors, which are taken into consideration while judging the steak the main one being the brisket.
- Bark Formation – A high brown layer that results due to controlled smoking, seasoning crust as well as the fat deposited on the surface of the meat.
- Smoke Ring – A ring of pink at the bottom which should result from efficient smoking.
- Tenderness – The meat should be so soft that it should not be breaking apart when sliced with a slightest jerk of the knife.
- Flavor – Smoky, savory, and in some cases, flavors from the rubs and sauces have been incorporated.
Slicing is usually done crosswise because this enhances the tenderness of the meat and some of the competing entrants offer burnt ends as a bonus.
This category requires the patience, precision and experience of years in that line of work.
Ribs – Smoky, Sticky, and Tender
Ribs are considered as one of the most popular barbeque items and at the same time one of the main attractions when it comes to BBQ contest.
The two broad categories of pork ribs by which they are categorized include
These ribs are less wide than spare ribs and have a curved part of the animal back, they are optimally tender.
- Spare ribs –typically bigger and fattier ribs with a greater density of taste Spare ribs – the larger ribs that have more fat and that are said to be more flavorful.
- Barbecue masters expose ribs for some time in order to have the meat soak up the smoky flavor and become soft. The perfect rib should:
- The last characteristic of properly cooked meat is that it should not be too tender to detach from the bone but, at the same time, it should not be impossible to detach at all which means it should just be easily separable from the bone.
- Be juicy and flavorful – Membranes should be smoky, savoury and slightly sweet, although not excessively so.
