Sun Festival Alexander City

Sun Festival Alexander City

SunFestivalAlexanderCity

BBQ Cook Off

Guidelines for July 25, 2015

In an effort to make sure that all who participate (teams, sponsors, and public) have a fantastic experience, we keep the rules as simple as possible! Fire up those grills and let’s get cookin’!

Entry Fee: $25 per category entered

Teams may consist of up to 4 people

Categories: Ribs

Brisket

Chicken

Boston Butt

Tailgate Specialty (this is your best dish created on the grill – not necessarily just meat)

Teams may enter as many categories as they would like. The winner for each category will receive the 2015 Sun Festival BBQ Cook Off trophy for that category and fifty percent of the collected entry fees for that category. All winners will be announced and brought to stage at the David Nail concert after opening band and David Nail takes stage. (Approximately 8:00 pm in the stadium)

Judging:We will assign each team a number. Event coordinator will be the only person who will know who belongs to what number and will not be a judge. An additional score will be factored in for the appearance of your tailgate area. You are encouraged to decorate, wear team uniforms, give away promotional items, and may display a banner up to ten feet long. Have fun with it and be creative! If you’ve won previous BBQ trophies, feel free to display them. Get competitive and make it fun for the crowd with friendly bantering between teams. Your entry will be tasted by at least 3 different judges.

RIBS: For judging, you will be asked to prepare 1/2 slab of pork ribs with extra sauce on the side. You may choose either spare ribs or back ribs, but not country style ribs. Judges will taste your ribs without sauce and then taste your sauce. The judging criteria are: presentation, tenderness, flavor, and overall impression.

CHICKEN: You will prepare three pieces of chicken (one for each judge) of which ever cut of chicken you prefer. If you are using a sauce, please place it on the side. Judging criteria are: flavor, tenderness, and presentation.

BRISKET: You will need to submit enough brisket for a minimum of 3 judges. Judges will taste your brisket without the sauce and then taste your sauce. The judging criteria are presentation, tenderness, flavor and overall impression.

BOSTON BUTT: You will need to submit enough Boston butt for a minimum of 3 judges. Judges will taste your Boston butt without the sauce and then taste your sauce. The judging criteria are presentation, tenderness, flavor and overall impression.

TAILGATE SPECIALTY: This can be any dish that you can come up with that can be cooked on the grill. It doesn’t have to be a meat dish. Judging criteria are: creativity, presentation, and flavor.

People’s Choice: People’s Choice presentation to the public will be up to each team. Choose the category you feel is your best dish. Plates will be provided for sampling. People’s Choice will be determined by whichever team raising the most money in their voting bucket. Voting buckets will be provided. All funds contributed to People’s Choice voting buckets will go to the winner of this category. Teams should prepare enough for sampling of public in order to maximize their opportunity to win. People’s Choice and judges choice may or may not be the same team but do not hinge on one another.

You provide:Teams are responsible for their own meat and barbecue equipment. No precooked meat or processed meats will be allowed and no parboiling. All meat must be in unopened and original packaging. You may cook with gas, charcoal, or wood. No electrical grills are allowed. You will need to comply with the following Health Department regulations:

  1. Keep raw food items that need to be kept cold at 45 degrees (F) or colder.
  2. Keep raw food items that need to be kept warm at 140 degrees (F) or warmer.
  3. Keep a food thermometer in each of your containers to monitor the temperature.
  4. No side items may be served to the public.
  5. Keep cooked food items that need to be warm above 140 degrees (F) and cold items at 45 degrees (F) or below.
  6. Dispose of your hot coals in designated barrels marked for coal only
  7. Leave your cooking area as you found it free of trash and all provided tables, chairs and tents as set up at the beginning of the day
  8. Persons who handle food should use utensils instead of hands when possible. Food handlers need wash before the food is touched and after the food is touched. Hand washing station will be available.
  9. A mild bleach and water solution needs to be used to wipe counters and utensils. Flies will also avoid areas which have been wiped by a bleach solution.
  10. A team member must remain at the fire area at all times.
  11. Your own trash bags.

We provide:The following items will be provided by the Sun Festival coordinator:

  1. You will have access to your cooking area at 6:00 am on July 25, 2015
  2. Each team will have a 10 foot X 10 foot tent with a minimum of 20 additional feet behind each tent.
  3. 2 – 8 foot tables and 4 folding chairs will be provided per team (if you need more, you will need to bring them)
  4. Running water will be available at the hand washing station
  5. Plates for People’s Choice tasting
  6. Small cups for sauce judging
  7. Tins with lids for judging dishes
  8. People’s choice voting bucket
  9. Trash cans
  10. Barrels for hot coals disposal

Each team member (up to four) will receive an arm band ticket for the David Nail and Winn Dixie Firework Show. Teams that enter all four categories will also receive an additional 10 arm bands to give to friends and family to help support their chances for People’s Choice. Arm bands are required for entrance into the Tailgate and BBQ Cook Off and gain you entrance to the concert as well. Additional arm bands can be purchased for $15 each.

Emphasis: Please return your tailgate area to its original condition. Teams leaving their area in disarray will not be allowed back to compete in upcoming years.

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