The Top 3 Ways Pitmasters In Cheat In Competitions
April 2, 2025
, OH: My brother-in-law is a piece of sh*t.
Have you ever met someone who wants all the glory and riches without doing any work? That’s my brother-in-law. If there is a shortcut or a way to cheat, he is on it like a dog on a bone. He reminds me of those 2 fishermen who got caught cheating a few years ago. If you love seeing scum get what they deserve, check out the video below.
I’ve competed in many BBQ contests. I’ve also hosted or judged quite a few. My brother-in-law, who lives far away, also competes. We don’t see each other often, but when we talk, I pretend to be interested in his BBQ “shortcuts” to learn how he cheats. This helps me know what to look for as a judge. Over the years, I’ve learned his most effective “strategies.” After some experience and research, I found he’s not alone.
Here are the top 3 ways people cheat at BBQ competitions. This is the most common cheating method. Competitors like my brother-in-law buy several briskets. They prepare them at home under controlled conditions. They choose the best one, carefully package it, and transport it to the competition. At the site, they reheat it and add final touches like glaze or fresh smoke.
1. Pre-Cooked Meat
This is the most common cheating method. Competitors like my brother-in-law buy several briskets. They prepare them at home under controlled conditions. They choose the best one, carefully package it, and transport it to the competition. At the site, they reheat it and add final touches like glaze or fresh smoke.
As a judge, I stop this by:
- Performing thorough inspections of meat and equipment before the competition starts.
- Conducting random inspections during the competition.
- Doing temperature checks at various times. We do this to ensure the meat is within the expected range. Abnormal temperatures get further inspection.
- Using experienced judges who can tell by taste and texture if the meat is freshly cooked.
2. Premium Meat
Some competitions provide the meat or have rules on the grades allowed. Cheaters, like my brother-in-law, buy higher-quality cuts with better marbling and tenderness. In a private area, using a teammate as a lookout, they swap the assigned meat with the premium meat.
As a judge, I stop this by:
- Weighing the assigned meat at the start and end of the competition. Abnormal weight differences get further review.
- Assigning each judge a set of competitors. The judges conduct random spot checks for tampering and substitution.
- If we suspect cheating, we casually interview the team individually. Evasive, defensive, or inconsistent answers are often signs of dishonesty. Suspected cheaters are disqualified for life, and their entry fees are refunded.
2. Artificially Enhanced Meat
This type of cheating is subtle and harder to catch. Here are the most common methods of artificially enhancing meat:
- Curing Salts: Curing salts like Morton’s Tender Quick artificially enhance the appearance of the smoke ring.
- Food Coloring: Enhances the color of meat, making bark look perfect. It also helps ribs and chicken appear more consistent.
- Illegal Injections: Injecting the meat with MSG, phosphates, or both. This is a cheap and easy way to enhance flavor.
As a judge, I stop this by:
Hell if I know, man. This is a hard one. Below is the best we can do.
- Curing Salts: Use test strips to detect high nitrate levels. This indicates the use of curing salts. However, we found it easier to simply not award points for smoke rings.
- Food Coloring: Proving enhancement by food coloring is difficult. It requires scientific measures we don’t care to do.
- Illegal Injections: Catching this requires scientific measures we don’t care for. Historically, we’ve simply caught competitors red-handed during inspections.
This is everything I know about cheating Pitmasters. I hope this rant helps you.
Pro Tips:
- Here is something most pitmasters don’t know. Smoke rings are overrated. The ring is a chemical reaction. It does not reflect how well the meat tastes. Never get hung up on it.
- Searing meat does not seal juices. It will create a flavorful crust but it will not prevent juices from escaping.
- For brisket, use Bald Buck Seasoning in place of your salt. For chicken or shrimp, use Bald Buck Seasoning by itself. This seasoning is one of my best kept secrets. It creates a flavor profile everyone loves but can’t quite put their finger on. Be sure not to go too heavy on your chicken and shrimp with stuff or your food will be too salty. There are a lot of YouTube reviews about