Team Ida Q

One of the team members for Team Ida Q, a barbecue company from Boise, Idaho, carries the team's brisket entry to the judges' tent.  They had their smoker (below right) custom-built to their specifications.  They were nice enough to let us sample their brisket, and I have to say it was good.  Unfortunately, they didn't win that category, but we liked their brisket the best of those we tasted.  They told me that they use applewood, and I thought it gave the meat a great flavor.

"Of those you tasted?" you ask.  Yes!  The interesting thing is that once the competitors send their entries in a particular category to the judges' tent, they hand out samples to the crowd.  We arrived midday, and most of the competitors were handing out generous samples of pork shoulder.  Unfortunately, if you don't have a bowl/plate of your own, you get your sample in your hand.  We ended up tasting a little BBQ from a number of international competitors, including ones fro Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, Poland, Puerto Rico and Estonia.  

Even though we really had just a little from each of those places, I am pretty sick of BBQ right now. . . .Actually, I haven't been able to eat meat since yesterday afternoon, and I don't think I will for the next few days.  It's not that it wasn't good, mind you.  It was just BBQ overkill.  

I can't imagine judging one of these competitions.  There were 66 competitors from the States and 18 international ones.  There were EIGHT categories (chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket, chef's choice, sauce, home cooking and dessert), and judges were on duty from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm.

Tomorrow:  Not everyone gets to compete in the Jack Daniels BBQ Championship.