Sixth Annual Guadalupe County Fair Barbecue Cookoff & Jackpot Beans

Friday, October 1 - Saturday, October 2

Download the Entry Form

Winners will be announced around 4pm on Saturday, October 2. Head Judge for the cook-off this year will be Mike Jonas, assisted by his wife Julie.

RULES & GUIDELINES

Entry Fees:

• Entry Fee - $85 for all 3 meat categories - includes four day passes to the Guadalupe County Fair.
• Jack-pot Beans - $10 per entry - no more than 2 entries per team.
• Cook's Choice - $10 per entry - Meat or Dessert

Teams:

A team will consist of one head cook and up to 4 assistants.

Categories:

• Brisket: Seven full consecutive slices approximately 1/4" to 3/8" thick.
• Pork Spare Ribs: Seven individual ribs (bone in). No Baby Back Ribs, Country Style Ribs or Loin Back Ribs allowed.
• Chicken: One half (1/2) of a fully jointed chicken (must include the breast, wing, leg and thigh). (NO Cornish Game Hens). Entry must be fully cooked or entry will be disqualified.
• Pinto Beans: Turn in a 20 oz. cup. No canned beans allowed. Anything added to the beans must not be larger than a bean.
• Cook's Choice: Turn in a 20 oz. cup or a foam plate with enough for seven servings. Entry must be cooked on the pit or in a dutch oven. (Entry can't be brisket, ribs, chicken halves or beans).
• Fair Association Showmanship Award: Awarded to the team showing the most creativity, flair and crowd interest.

Site Set-up:

1. Teams may begin checking in to the cook-off grounds on Friday, October 1, at noon. They must be in place by 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 2.
2. ALL VEHICLES MUST BE MOVED OUT OF THE COOKING AREA BY 9 A.M. ON SATURDAY.
3. All props, trailers, motor homes, tents and any other equipment may not exceed the boundary of the team’s assigned space without special permission from the BBQ committee.
4. No tent stakes may be driven into the asphalt.
5. Hook-ups are limited, bring your own generator.
6. Each team must supply all their own equipment (pit, canopies, tables, chairs, etc.)

Inspection:

All meats must be inspected by a BBQ Committee member or the Head Judge before cooking may begin. NO pre-seasoning, pre-marinating or pre-cooking is allowed before inspection.

General Guidelines:

1. Barbecue Cook-off will be held rain or shine.
2. NO glass containers of any kind are allowed on the cook-off grounds.
3. Music within your team area is allowed. However, excessive loud music and/or sounds which interfere with announcements, schedules, or which intrude upon or interfere with the comfort of fellow teams WILL NOT BE ALLOWED NOR WILL IT BE TOLERATED. Offenders will receive no more than 3 warnings from either the Barbecue Chairman, Vice Chairman or Security Vice Chairman, and non-compliance will be grounds for disqualification from the cook-off and expulsion from the BBQ cook-off grounds.
4. The head cook for each team will be responsible for the conduct of his/her team, guests or invitees. The head cook will also be responsible for his/her team's compliance with the rules and regulations herein set forth.
5. EXCESSIVE use of alcoholic beverages will be grounds for disqualification. Teams must not give, offer, sell or donate alcoholic beverages to the general public. TABC rules must be followed at all times.
6. Any nudity, lewdness or any form of vulgarity WILL NOT be allowed. This is a family oriented event and teams should act accordingly.
7. NO pyrotechnics or explosives are allowed.
8. NO golf carts, ATV's, scooters, etc. will be allowed on the grounds except those used by the BBQ committee.
9. Animals of any kind are NOT PERMITTED in any team's space nor will any animal be permitted on the Barbeque Cook-off grounds, except for seeing-eye dogs.
10. Teams WILL NOT be allowed to SELL BBQ but are encouraged to give samples to visitors.
11. Each team must provide their own trash bags. Receptacles will be provided and there will be dumpsters located on the grounds to drop trash. Each team is responsible for ensuring that its space is clean following the cook-off. A team may be disqualified from further participation in the cook-off or any subsequent cook-off in the event that the team either causes damage to the grounds or leaves its space in disarray or with loose bundled trash following the cook-off.
12. Barbecue Committee members may make additional rules as the situation warrants.

Security:

A licensed peace officer will provide security on behalf of the Cook-off Committee from 7 p.m. Friday, October 1, until 7pm, Saturday, October 2. However, neither the Cook-off Committee nor the Guadalupe County Fair Association is responsible for theft or damages to the property of a team, its members or its guests. Furthermore, the Cook-off Committee is not responsible for injury to any such person(s).

Cooking/Judging:

1. All meats and beans must be cooked on site.
2. Teams may use any type of barbecue pit or smoker they choose. However, open fires, ground pits or gas grills are not allowed. All meats must be cooked over a wood or wood product fire. Gas or electricity MAY be used to start the fire but NOT to complete cooking.
3. Pinto beans may be cooked on the pit, on a gas burner or in a dutch oven.
4. Each team is required to have a fire extinguisher readily available.
5. Teams are to cook in as sanitary a manner as possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the BBQ Committee members. Unsanitary conditions are cause for team disqualification.
6. There will be only 1 team per pit. There will be only 1 entry per meat category per pit. Multiple entries in the same category or from the same piece of meat WILL NOT be allowed.
7. All head cooks MUST attend the cook's meeting Saturday at 8:30am in the Hall of Fame.
8. Turn in trays will be handed out at the cook's meeting.
9. A secret double number system will be used for judging. This system assures a fair competition. Winning numbers will not be revealed until time to announce the place in each category.
10. The Head Cook will be responsible for delivering his/her entry for each category to the Judging Area located in the Hall of Fame.
11. There will be a ten minute window before and after the stated turn-in times.
12. The official time will be that one as kept by the Head Judge at the turn-in table.
13. Judging trays MUST be free of damage or any markings.
14. Meats may be cooked with sauces and /or other liquids, but once the cooking is complete, sauces and/or other liquids or garnishes may NOT be added to the trays for judging. NO PUDDLING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAY.
15. You may add sauces and/or liquids and garnishes to your Cook's Choice entry only.
16. IBCA rules and guidelines will be followed even though this is not a sanctioned event.
17. Decisions of the Barbeque Committee and Judges are FINAL!

Turn-In Times:

• Pinto Beans - 11:00am
• Cook's Choice - Noon
• Chicken - 1:00pm
• Pork Spare Ribs - 2:00pm
• Brisket - 3:00pm

Awards:

• Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at about 5:00pm on Saturday, October 2, 2010.
• A cash award and trophy will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place team in the 3 meat categories. 4th thru 8th place winners will be awarded ribbons only.
• Jack Pot Beans and Cook's Choice winners will be awarded 50 percent of the pot with the remaining 50 percent going to the scholarship fund.
• Teams must present their ticket to be matched to the winning ticket to receive their award.
• A trpohy will be awarded to the team selected for the Showmanship Award.
• An overall Grand and Reserve Champion trophy will be awarded to the team with the overall best standing in the 3 meat categories.

Check Out:

Teams may begin packing up after the awards ceremony. All teams must be gone by 12:00 Noon on Sunday, October 3, 2010.