What It Takes to Win the World's Largest BBQ Competition - Smoke Point: The Competition

[@thomashernandez1738]

Where do I sign up to be a judge 😅

[@eater]

You'll have to come back next week to watch as we dive further into the judging process of the American Royal World Series of Barbecue!

[@Giveme100ksubs]

@@eater ok

[@Mactastic25]

Some of those judges don't look so healthy. Guessing many spots open each year.

[@grahamsong4585]

😂

[@jesselund360]

You're 20 years away from being a year away...

[@OskeeWowWowIllinois]

I'm a KC local and my realtor competes in it and invites all his clients every year to eat at his tent for all the meat he doesn't send in for judging. Even the cast offs are delicious! He did a wagyu brisket last year that was like smoked meat butter it was so juicy. I think he placed in the Top 100.

[@andyhunter5869]

How was your post competition bbq poop?

[@OskeeWowWowIllinois]

@@andyhunter5869 Like a tub of Crisco and liquid smoke.

[@dustinsmith9212]

I bet even the 100th place finisher tastes delicious

[@andyhunter5869]

@@dustinsmith9212 not when it's a bukaki

[@johnmarkmike]

20:38 "So what I do is I come, and I just hit it with some of my liquids" BBQ videos never disappoint when taken out of context

[@lilchiefer0308]

23:16

[@ZUCChinishrIMP]

Anyone else feels like there's no way they can accurately rank 500 teams just from 6 bites of each category...

[@dhvmpyr]

Way too many contestants… any human would get taste blind

[@jerryjerrylahngenhairy4724]

Butter sugar meat

[@skizztrizz4453]

Seems like it's a good excuse for doing what they love and great BBQ is a tasty byproduct. 🤔😂🤣

[@phillipcarroll6625]

There is no way. The competitions are pointless.

[@icebrg.]

Idk, I think that there are ways of making sure palettes are cleansed every once in a while for food judges. The way food looks is also a major factor, which is probably the greater factor for the larger food competitions. Flavor is so important, but the way it looks is also important.

[@um931]

Judges are looking for a specific flavour. Heavy on sauce and spices. Aaron Franklin did a competition and summed it up perfectly. They are looking for a very specific definition for brisket etc not neccessarily what the best BBQ spots sell.

[@devonm5037]

I've tried comp BBQ and its disgusting. Like they said its more a 1 bite and look thing. You cant eat comp BBQ youll get sick with how bold and rich it all is. But its a competition so I get it you're catering to what wins.

[@Mactastic25]

Butter, Sugar and Maple Syrup. You would think they're making a cake, not BBQ.

[@anothertarnishedone5960]

So, they look for the meat to don´t taste like meat at all.

[@PlaySA]

Honestly that looked way, WAY overseasoned. I mean ridiculously so. Barbecue doesn't have to have a million different flavors and ten layers of sugar, apple juice, maple syrup etc. I'd prefer a much cleaner meat.

[@Frogbjb]

They’re trying so hard to be perfect that they lost touch with what makes good bbq so good. All this food looks like it was made by a machine not a human.

[@AS__77]

BBQ competition videos are a hidden gem for out of context sayings. “It’s all about concentration on the best bone” 😂

[@maikepunkt1442]

multiple meats to worry about

[@TakeaSwigofTheJuice]

Huge pause

[@ClearGalaxies]

Those butts are feelin' good.

[@Gatebreakerglitcher]

20:38 😳😳😳😳

[@Bongz187]

I just want to be a taster, no judging, just tasting 😂

[@Ducktility]

Do you like dog meat?

[@usamaepekonis]

That venue must have the best smell in the world

[@Ais4Drew]

I’ve been seeing a lot of comments about “how can they really judge the competitors offer a few bites” and wanted to mention some things I’ve heard from my short time in the industry that reinforces that exact idea. Trophies are nice. I don’t have any for my cooking/BBQ. But I do have a ton of friends and family who have smiled and told me that my brisket is “better than their dad’s” or “some of the best I’ve ever had”. Most seasoned cooks and chefs have told be the same thing. Competition is a young man’s game. They can be fun, stressful, and more work than it’s worth sometimes. A good award can really start your career off strong too. It can also give your carer a big boost as well - And props to superstar chefs (young and old) who grind it out and can perform at that level. But there’s a lot of politics, vanity, and inconsistency (as we saw in the video) that comes with these competitions and that coveted award - whatever it may be. A trophy will never replace the joy of nourishing and sharing a meal with those you care about. People get into this industry because they want to feed, entertain, and bring joy to their community. You don’t need a ton of bling to do that. 😎

[@justaguy328]

That's with any human competition. But there are a group of people that consistently perform better than others like Myron Mixon and Tuffy, and people like that, so you can't simply chalk it up to politics, vanity, etc. There are people who are just better at BBQ competitions than others.

[@v.tantov.14v]

world BBQ competition,,,??? really 😂 how many countrys on this competition??? even the sistem is not tournament n jugdes don't deferent taste all around the world BBQ 🤭

[@derbsmcbergs]

How many of these peoples restaurants are closed now?

[@markchristopher4165]

Appreciated how gracious both of these guys were when they didn't place this year

[@ChefBurns1]

Thanks for the spoiler 😂

[@Mutiny960]

Idiot. They are business owners ON CAMERA. You think they're going to cuss out the judges??? LMFAO. How dumb are you? They do that behind closed doors where no one can post their rant on the internet.

[@katheebmuzammil9197]

The CEO of the BBQ society looks exactly like how I've imagined a CEO of a BBQ society would look like.

[@bakunawa3191]

Tuffy Stone is really a great guy.

[@willie123567]

All that effort to place that low, brutal!

[@rosameltrozo5889]

That low? almost 500 teams, not so bad seen like that.

[@willie123567]

@@rosameltrozo5889 I guess, coming off winning both titles last year 88th or whatever is pretty brutal

[@cococock2418]

yes that low. they hyped up the cool smoke guy as a 6 time 1st place champion, thjen he finisheds like 300th or something lmao@@rosameltrozo5889

[@jones68442]

Makes me miss BBQ Pitmasters and Pit Wars!

[@dustinsmith9212]

Imagine how precise and next-level you have to be to beat out 500 other expert barbecuers

[@v.tantov.14v]

scum competition BBQ 🤭,,, the funny is they claim World competition BBQ,, 😂 how many countrys on this competition??? even the sistem n jugdes don't know how many deferent taste BBQ around the world 🤣

[@LinkOmega1]

Oh man, what did the first place stuff look like?

[@avoidingtrees6692]

Humble respect from France !!!!

[@kamotetops1572]

17:23 The competitors are stressed out on handing over their final product, meanwhile... 17:53 The facilitators of the competition nonchalantly handling them. The competitors needs to take this into account.

[@CharlieSmurffy]

As somebody who makes backyard BBQ, this looks nauseating to eat. Idk how the judges handle all that flavor.

[@anothertarnishedone5960]

Yeah, looks like they don´t want the meat to taste like meat at all.

[@Frogbjb]

They’re trying so hard to be perfect that they lost touch with what makes good bbq so good. All this food looks like it was made by a machine not a human.

[@Descentperson4213]

I'm watching this at 3AM and I'm freakn hungry

[@scuze__]

PETA gonna cry watching this lmfao

[@oldgruntbbq]

Y’all were just across the aisle from us at the Royal when you were recording Tuffy.

[@tomypreach]

Wow... A good healthy bunch of people.

[@LawrenceNguru-w4b]

This is very educational.I love it.

[@charlesorr5038]

Rod Gray CEO OF KCBS..didnt know, wow!! Love his rubs..most powerful...zero to hero..won me money in back yard kcbs!! Still use these rubs today at home.

[@DaraVODs]

if i had to guess, the skin splitting is probably the result of wrapping it too tightly when you tuck some of the skin under the meat of the thigh. having it sit a little looser would help with that

[@SheaT789]

not to mention it took 5.5+ minutes just to terrrine each thigh…I respect this guy’s efforts and passion, but he didn’t even temp the thigh without poking more holes in the skin

[@mikemurdoch9653]

YOU COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG, JUST STOP, STOP I SAY

[@mandelbomb99]

The skill, effort and attention to detail these people put into excellent barbecue rivals that of Michelin star chefs in many ways. Its really impressive

[@davekragness4725]

Some seriously delicious looking leftovers that some lucky group of friends is going to get to dive into for each of these teams!

[@Garylhairston]

Great to see what goes into competition bbq.

[@dylant8110]

Pockets are definitely getting greased here I bet

[@Chris-pd9hp]

Ever just watch something and smile… that’s what this is for me right now 😂

[@bbqbourbonblues3257]

Awesome video! It's nothing like competition BBQ!!!

[@frequentlycynical642]

Huh? That's what it is.

[@bbqbourbonblues3257]

I know bro. That should say it's nothing better than competition BBQ!@@frequentlycynical642

[@simmonsgoats]

Those are some TINY pits. Come on down to the HLSR late February to see some real barbecuing.

[@LittleKey93]

Amazing that they didn't even score well after all that haha

[@dmc3079]

Been there. It sucks.

[@jordanbabcock9349]

​@@dmc3079LOL. 400-500 competition teams and you couldn't find something good? You are the problem.

[@dmc3079]

@@jordanbabcock9349 I was referring to being in competitions and not scoring well even though I thought I did everything right.

[@dmc3079]

@@jordanbabcock9349 "You are the problem." - not sure what you are talking about.

[@whip8]

Makes you realize it’s about the table of judges you get, as opposed to just the meat.

[@billzjr222]

It's been a while since I've seen Tuffy on tv. He was in the BBQ Pitmasters tournament with the legendary Myron Mixon, Johnny Trigg, and Moe Cason.

[@RataStuey]

This is fascinating. I’m totally going to try to make a chicken thigh in that style, it’s unreal! Also the judge sounds just like John Goodman doesn’t he?!

[@jimbrickles9336]

Why are all the comments so critical but they all watch. They have a passion and love what they do bet your asses most on here cant do better like any event or competition you play by there rules out of 500 teams you finish in top 100 you done well.

[@Panster7]

"It's a one bite competition"

[@shane864]

I will never not be entertained by watching people at the top of their game doing what they love. I don't care what the thing is. This is a show about humanity, not food.

[@vashlash6870]

Springer Mountain chicken is great! I made some lemon pepper wings using that brand, and i could not recreate it until i realized it was the chicken.

[@Ted_P]

There are some questions and misconceptions in the comments. Competition BBQ really isn’t the same as restaurant or home cooked BBQ. It is prepared to a specific standard based on (in this case) KCBS judging. It’s judged on appearance, taste and texture with taste weighted 4 times more than appearance in the score calculations. This is a World championship as the KCBS is an international organization sanctioning contents in a good number of countries. For example, Australia, Italy, Netherlands…. Of course, travel to the US and securing equipment and food would likely be prohibitively expensive. Not as much food is wasted as it appears. Judges are allowed to take home what they judged and left overs are collected and shared with staff and volunteers and in some cases donated. Anyone can be a judge. You will need to join the Kansas City BBQ Association and sign up for a Certified BBQ Judging course. My experience is with KCBS, there are many other organizations that sanction events.

[@chilangochongo6487]

Waaaay too many people to be accurately judged. There needs to be preliminary competitions. You can't possibly judge 6 dishes from 500 contestants.

[@TearitoffE]

You know your the real deal when you got 1st place bbq trophies throughout your whole bbq restaurant

[@Sajuuk]

Tuffy looks like he doesn't eat the food he prepares, unlike the judges 😂

[@colbyfaucett3372]

great video! maybe consider changing the thumbnail tho, the red border at the bottom makes it look like a previously watched video at a quick glance.

[@mariodelgado9729]

Well the problem with being judged on flavor by a bunch of so called judges is SUBJECTIVENESS!

[@ClearGalaxies]

These men are amazing

[@BornAgain717]

I had to pause it about halfway through and pull me a pack of chicken thighs out of the freezer...

[@raheemabdul1066]

that pork was swwet as a desert and placed 400+ in competition and he thinks he needs to improve presentation lol

[@Honkiavelli]

I learned a lot in this video! :)

[@Jiiiiiiiytityiii]

What do they do with the rest of the food? Theres tonnes left over after judging

[@oldahe]

These guys are so advanced on technique. wondering what all of that sugar would do to my European palette..

[@dinckelman]

Some Americans do this, and get absolutely incredible results, and some others... put bbq sauce on a slab of boiled meat...

[@jtorola]

I’ve been traveling to over 40 states for work for almost 2 decades and I never once even heard of anyone putting bbq sauce on boiled meat

[@Frogbjb]

Is it just me or does all the perfection and making it look pretty really destroy the appeal to all this. I love bbq for all the little imperfections. I want my bbq to be stacked up on a tray and I want each bite to make me think “wow, I’d do anything to have that bite again”. Once you achieve perfection, it’s gone, and it’s no longer perfect. These people are trying so hard to be perfect that they’ve lost touch with what makes bbq so amazing to begin with.

[@jerryadams2539]

Thank you for explaining that fall off the bone is over cooked the most misused term in BBQ!

[@Fotosynthesis858]

I will never understand why anyone would choose to bbq with propane

[@GrillSergeant]

I will do 1 pushup for every like this comment gets. I need to burn off all the BBQ I eat. 🍻

[@emilianocastillo8709]

Oil up

[@samtirelli]

@@emilianocastillo8709pause????

[@mailman2332]

Good one!

[@drilled4798]

Spread your cheeks boy

[@jordanbabcock9349]

Pushups aren't burning that off. Nice generic comment though.

[@billybaddewd1986]

The real winners are the judges.

[@justinmcslappy]

That tabulation error at the end is a major buzz kill.

[@BLACKS4BBB]

So make a video of the top contenders.

[@NigelTufnel612]

Rod Gray has a great job.

[@HandleThisBichh]

Can we maybe see this from an actual winner’s perspective rather than someone who doesn’t even place in the Top 10?

[@baptixm]

You’re not BBQing if presentation is your number one priority ~ you’re posing.

[@jigglepuff1218]

You've never been in a bbq competition.

[@Djamieson713]

i'm going to join and turn in some burnt/nasty bbq just to wake up the judges

[@BoredAndBrowsing]

There is a huge problem with this competition. Too many judges.

[@v.tantov.14v]

scum competition 😂

[@Zalkard]

Dude sounds like John Goodman

[@spider2544]

At 8:28 what brand of bbq pits are those?

[@alexmartin8003]

Gateway Drum

[@brownhues]

Kansas has the worst bbq of the major styles. Carolina whole hog and Texas brisket are the kings. I just prefer pork bbq, personally.

[@saturnv2419]

So en...... Are they still open for judge application?

[@daandemeyer1708]

”six time world bbq champion” It never stops to amaze me that americans are not aware there are other countries 😅

[@Frogbjb]

I mean tbf anyone in the world is welcome to compete 😭 either way this bbq looks so bad. American BBQ is all about the imperfections and these look so machine-made

[@jamesbueker11]

I lived in Serbia for 20 months. The barbecue there is excellent

[@gokuformanvsfood]

There were 27 different countries competing in this competion wtf are you talking about? Its what the US is known for as well, its not like they were holding the world best curry competition or something...

[@daandemeyer1708]

@@gokuformanvsfood I did a quick research and you're right. I take it back. I assumed incorrectly that it was another all american world series and it's not. Like they said before in this comment section, this is almost a certain win for the usa. You guys have the best bbq, only the mac and cheese with it is very weird.

[@kiranvajjha9731]

looks like a meaty paradise. Wish i was around

[@corgeousgeorge]

Who do I have to NOT sleep with in order to get on this Judging panel?!

[@catlee8064]

World series....only US teams in the comp.

[@TravelTime1991]

I’ve never been to one of these. How much to enter just to eat? Not to compete but to just eat lol

[@tepsan]

Where do I sign up to be a judge? :D

[@jpbanksnj]

The judges were angry that day my friend... and couldn't even count apparently...

[@sactownism]

Until the Texas barbecue joints (Goldees/Franklin Bbq) pull up...

[@77Brainfreeze]

That's restaurant style bbq and they would come in dead last in this competition serving what they have at the restaurants in this competition. Grant is cooking two SRF Gold briskets that costs about $240 each and cutting 70% off it off and just throwing it away so his slices will fit perfectly in the box with bark all around. It's also packed with so much salt and flavor you wouldn't actually want to eat more than one slice. The judges pallets get so shot the competitors have to keep packing in more and more flavor.

[@Aztecian_prick]

Franklin did pull up and lost 😂.

[@Frogbjb]

@@77Brainfreezedisgusting.. idk how people got the idea that this was peak bbq. This doesn’t even look manmade anymore.

[@Frogbjb]

@@Aztecian_prickthey just want bbq that looks like it was made in a lab and 50 lbs of spices on top bc they have no tastebuds left anymore. No true good bbq here

[@77Brainfreeze]

@@Frogbjb No idea. I thought about doing competition bbq for a while but came to the same conclusion. Competition chili is the same way. It's perfectly cubed meat in a smooth sauce. No one wants to eat that.

[@eagledirect]

More importantly, is this an event open to the public? Can people come in to access or try some of that BBQ food?

[@Productions-nt4zv]

So who was #1??

[@ThomasBurlando-i3d]

Schiller Route

[@juansequitur]

so who won?

[@ciambellina]

The world: let's put some salt an pepper on our good meat US: let's get any crap we can find in a plastic tray, cover it in excessive spices and inject it with some oversugared apple juice 😂

[@goose9816]

Cooking dozens of pounds of meat to serve maybe 2 pounds of it and trash the rest is the definition of American excess. Each competitor should get 1 of each item and that’s it.

[@mytake1465]

Well I don’t think the judging is really fair . And that brisket did not have the right smoke ring. I’m hooked on TX bbq .

[@aaronp1392]

So this is a competition that judges the perfect look and not the actual taste. As long as it looks edible who cares if it look’s perfect just needs to taste good.

[@bensmith7536]

Without a control, who knows which judge values and recognises a particular taste / flavour / texture, what could be perfect for one may be too salty / not salty enough / too soft / not enough bite etc for others. Rolling the dice really.

[@v.tantov.14v]

scum competition 😂

[@pepedeltoro6647]

Wouldn't the judges be taste blind after awhile? lol

[@lester8403]

Is it competitors from all around the world or just the US? Because if its only the US its just a national championship!

[@chuckwhaler]

The competitors are truly from all over the world. I have competed there and met them.

[@gokuformanvsfood]

27 different countries

[@grahambunton377]

Where do I apply to be a judge !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

[@jazzfall9493]

Who won then?

[@Zenobeus]

Has any Competitor ever put "illicit substances" on a finished piece of meat? To, you know, give it that extra something special.

[@javiertorres2193]

Should be titled "what it doesn't take to win..."

[@ACT1O1]

So how do I become a judge ?

[@chuckwhaler]

You can become a judge by taking a one day judging course. It is offered at many of the competitions and cost about $100.

[@captks940]

seasonings almost half of the meet lol

[@dylant8110]

This is America. Love it

[@chuckwhaler]

One must wonder how a team whose best placement out of four meats is 33 and the team overall placement is 31, given that there are 488 teams competing??? Am I missing something here?

[@tpai302]

WARNING!!! Don't watch this if you're hungry. I'd love to be a judge for something like this.

[@Childishron]

Might be the closest thing to heaven on Earth TBH

[@Kenya.Kay.MBA...]

Seems they were focused on the aesthetics. Didn't hear them really talk about flavor much.😢

[@chuckwhaler]

As a judge, I can verify that taste and tenderness carry the most weight over appearance in the judging formula.

[@en-v1069]

those judges are lucky