GrillMstr, tell us about steak competitions

[sharky]

GrillMstr,

I'm very glad you have decided to join our forum. I have seen the Food Network shows about the Steak competitions and have always thought that would be VERY interesting.

Can you tell me more about this? How is it judged, do you cook over wood/charcoal/gas/indirect? What's the rule on this?

What do the judges look for in a good steak?

How do I become a judge!?!?!?! haha

Do you have any photos from your competitions?

[Grillmstr]

GrillMstr,

I'm very glad you have decided to join our forum. I have seen the Food Network shows about the Steak competitions and have always thought that would be VERY interesting.

Can you tell me more about this? How is it judged, do you cook over wood/charcoal/gas/indirect? What's the rule on this?

What do the judges look for in a good steak?

How do I become a judge!?!?!?! haha

Do you have any photos from your competitions?

Thank you Sharky, I'm glad to be here.
The "World Championship Steak Cook-Off" held here in Magnolia the third week end in May is the big event of the year for Magnolia. It is not a santioned event by the Kansas city BBQ society or any organization like that, which has its pluses and minuses.
The judges are celebrity judges. There are usually 7 or more of them. By celebrity I mean the weatherman from the Little Rock television station, a VP of the Cattlemans association of something like that. Mainly just people who know a good steak when they taste it.
The steaks are judged on appearance first, they want then medium, no blood. Just clear juices with a pink center. Then they naturally judge on taste.
There are up to 50 teams cooking, like the year I won there was 46 teams, so what they do is have one panel of judges that taste the steaks and narrow them down to the final 5 or 6 and then they have some more judges that rate those.
The charcoal and lighter fluid is furnished, it has been by Royal Oak, but this past year it was by someone else. I don't like using lighter fluid so I just bring it home and use it on bon-fires for the kids in the winter.
My grill has propane burners in it, one in the firebox and one in the main cooking chamber. Oh yeah, there is also a rig construction contest for the best cooker. The corporate sponsored guys always win this one. What I tell the judges when they get to my grill is "this rig is made for cookin' not lookin'". I do show them the stainless steel burners I made that are in it and how it is fueled by propane and not lighter fluid but they are after sparkly and new looking not practical and efficient. I paint mine every year so it does look good but it is not a $10,000.00 grill ;) I built it in my backyard.
Usually that week end is very hot here, but the last couple of years it has been very nice. We set up a tent and booth and just have alot of fun.
Here are some pics of the past years.

[sharky]

Thanks for the great reply!

I'm assuming you have the meat directly over the gas burners, on low, and then smoke in the chamber to give it some extra flavor?

Also, I just placed an order for some rub. I can't wait to try it out!

[sharky]

One more thing:

What type of steaks do you cook? Is there a particular size you cook? How many are there! I think I saw on the food channel people were cooking quite a few, and selecting only the best.

[Grillmstr]

One more thing:

What type of steaks do you cook? Is there a particular size you cook? How many are there! I think I saw on the food channel people were cooking quite a few, and selecting only the best.

Thanks for the order!
Yeah, I pick out 6 or 8 of the best looking ones and cook them separate from the rest and pick one from them to turn in to the judges, then we put the rest on to be served to the people who have purchased tickets.
The steaks are 1" thick rib eyes. I usually cook 100 steaks, I can put 45-50 on my grill at a time. When I'm doing steaks like that I have charcoal in both the firebox and the main chamber with some wood in both. I use hickory since that is what I have on our place here but my preference is pecan. I get the temperature up to around 500* and put them on and boy does it smell good! We (all of the teams) cooked 3500 steaks last year.
Grill

[sharky]

wow. 100 steaks? At about $7-10/pop, that is an expensive hobby!

How does your cooking all those steaks differ than when you throw a few on the grill for Dinner?

[Grillmstr]

wow. 100 steaks? At about $7-10/pop, that is an expensive hobby!

How does your cooking all those steaks differ than when you throw a few on the grill for Dinner?

Try 12.00 a ticket but that includes a salad and baked potato. We do not get any money from this, it all goes to the Chamber, which is fine by me, I just like doing it.
As for the difference in cooking, actually not alot, only the cooking times vary because of the quantity. Usually when I cook on my deck grill, I will cook my steaks on a hot fire 3-4 minutes a side for a medium rare steak. My wife likes hers with some "burn" on them on the fat. So I tend to flip hers one more time.
Boy, I'm getting hungry... might have to rustle up something
:p
Grill

[Deuce]

Grillmstr,
On a ribeye do you score the fat? How do you keep it from curling up at such a high temp?

[Grillmstr]

Grillmstr,
On a ribeye do you score the fat? How do you keep it from curling up at such a high temp?
No, what I do, is pick some that don't have alot of fat, as for the ones that do, the fat cooks off or down and all is good. The temp is high at first but with the amount of steaks it drops to around 350 which is where I like it.
Hope this helps,
Grill

[Deuce]

It does. The most ribeyes I have ever cooked was 20 on an open pit. We used racks so they all got flipped at the same time. Damn i have a lot to learn.

*when I say open pit it's just concrete blocks in a 3' x 4' rectangle about 36" tall. We use it for chicken and steaks at family gatherings.*

[FATZ]

Aren't the steaks furnished as well?

[Grillmstr]

Aren't the steaks furnished as well?

Yes, the steaks, charcoal and lighter fluid are furnished.

[sharky]

That's awesome! I would pay $100 to cook steak all day. Especially if I get to eat it too!

Are there any other steak competitions out there? there has to be some closer to Tampa!