These rules are in place for the June 21 2025 Summer Smoke off-sponsored by Modern BBQ Supply
Definition of Amateur BBQ teams:
The intent of this barbecue competition is to allow amateur competitors an opportunity to compete with other, similarly experienced participants and to encourage first time teams to participate.
As this is a backyard competition, teams must not consist of any members with significant BBQ competition experience. Any team member who has competed in more than one sanctioned competition is ineligible for this Amateur Event. Decisions on Amateur status of team members is at the sole discretion of Event Organizers.
Summer Smoke off and Wing King competitions explanation:
In order to encourage new competitors into the competition BBQ community, the Summer Smoke Off will operate as a “Double Event”. The Summer Smoke Off Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion will be selected from the total accumulated scores of all on site competitors from all three categories. The Wing King Grand Champion will be selected from individual submission scores from the chicken wing category only.
Chicken Wing category scores are not cumulative. Submitting more than one wing entry will give you more chances to impress the judges, but the scores will remain separated.
On-site competitors will receive one free submission into the Wing King competition. Additional entries can be purchased for $25 each.
On-site submissions: 2pm
Off-site submissions: 2:30pm
Entries will be judged the same. The separation of times is only to allow the judges enough time to complete their scores accurately.
Off-site submissions will be transferred into provided Styrofoam boxes before being shared with the judges. All Chicken Wing Category rules will be in effect.
Off-site competitors are only able to enter the Wing King Competition.
Rules and regulations:
The decision and interpretation of competition rules & Regulations are at the discretion of event organizers and/or IBA representative. Their decisions and interpretations are final.
· Neither the IBA or event organizers will be responsible for any injury, loss or damage that may occur to the contestants or the contestant’s property from any cause whatsoever. It is the contestant’s responsibility to protect equipment and space so that no injury will result to the public, visitors, guests or persons or property.
· All competition meats (Except chicken wings) shall be inspected by the Official Meat Inspector during the times established by the contest organizer. A member of the cooking team must be present during the meat inspection. Cooking shall not begin until the competition meat has been inspected. All meat should be raw, and no pre-seasoned meat is allowed. Once meat has been inspected, it must not leave the cooking site. These rules do not apply to submissions for the chicken wing category.
· Each team should consist of a “Chief cook” and up to three additional assistants. Chief cooks and assistants can only compete as part of one team, per event.
· Each team will be assigned a cooking space and must cook on site. Teams are responsible for bringing all equipment needed for preparation, safety, hygiene, cooking and serving. All equipment (including generators) must be contained within teams assigned cooking space.
· Contestants must adhere to all electrical, fire and other codes. Each team site must have a fire extinguisher.
· Meat shall be cooked using wood, wood pellets or charcoal. Gas and electric heat sources shall not be permitted for cooking or holding. Cookers that utilize wood for the heat source but run on electricity are permitted (eg Pellet smokers). Fires shall not be built on the ground. Propane or other energy sources can be used for applications such as warming sauces. In the case of the one bite challenge, all meats must be cooked with a wood based heat source, but other ingredients can use alternative energy sources.
· Ashes and grease must be disposed of by each team, prior to leaving. Team site will be left with no garbage, ashes, debris or liquid/grease spills. If site is not left in a clean manner the IBA will clean the site and bill the team for the labor involved.
· Unless otherwise indicated for the specific event, Electricity and water will not be provided. Please plan accordingly.
· First aid is not required to be provided by event organizers. Please plan accordingly.
· Cancellation and Refunds – A team may cancel before May 1, 12:00AM and receive a full refund of fee. Cancellations after May 1, 12:01 AM will forfeit all fees. Teams on the waiting list are required to make payment in order to hold their spot. Registration fees will be refunded for Waitlist teams who do not have the chance to compete.
· If desired, teams may organize their own sponsors and display these sponsors within their designated team space. Teams who operate their own brands are welcome to include this within their signage. The competition area is not a space intended for significant levels of promotion. This includes but is not limited to handing out flyers, having “information desks” and having items for sale. Please connect with event organizer if you have questions.
Contest Hand ins
As an Amateur Series Contest, on-site teams will cook all three meats:
PORK RIBS: Ribs shall include the bone. Country style ribs are prohibited.
CHICKEN WINGS: Chicken includes Cornish Game Hen and Kosher Chicken. Only the wings may be submitted. Wings can be served whole or broken down into individual segments. Teams can submit any variation of wing segments. Eg 6 flats or 3 flats and 3 drumettes. Wings must be submitted into one of three categories:
- Spicy- eg Classic Buffalo, Jerk, Thai chili, hot honey, Gochujang
- Sweet- eg Honey Soy, Teriyaki, classic BBQ sauce, Huli Huli.
- Miscellaneous-eg garlic parmesan, peanut satay, lemon pepper, “dry” wings.
Teams will submit their wings into whichever category they believe it fits into best. Points may be removed if judges believe the category is inconsistent with the flavor profile of the submission.
All chicken wing categories will be scored identically.
ONE BITE CHALLENGE: A one bite challenge encourages teams to be creative and expand outside of the realm of what is traditionally submitted in a BBQ competition. The theme for the one bite challenge is: Anything with Beef.
A one or two bite serving (Around 1-1.5 ounces) will be submitted for each judge.
· Teams will submit six individual servings of each meat, per hand in box. Meat (Excluding ribs) can be submitted chopped, pulled, sliced or diced, as the cook sees fit. Ribs must be served bone in.
· Serving sizes should be of a similar size, but do not need to be the same cut of meat. Eg, a box could contain chicken flats and drumettes.
· Boxes will not contain garnishes.
· Sauce is optional, but if used, shall be applied directly to the meat, and not pooled or puddled in the container (There is some exception for run off). No side sauce containers are permitted.
· Entries will be submitted in an approved container, provided by the event organizers.
· Scoring will be based on taste, texture and appearance. The scoring system is from 9-2, with a 1 being reserved for disqualified entries. Scores will only include whole numbers.
Causes for disqualification and eviction of a team, its members and/or guests:
Disqualification and/or eviction of a team and its members/guests is at the sole discretion of event organizers.
Disqualified and/or evicted teams will not be refunded for their entry fee, or any costs associated with the event/competition.
Judging procedures:
IBA regulations allows for blind judging only. Entries will be submitted in a numbered container provided by the contest organizer. The container may be re- numbered by the IBA Contest Rep before being presented to the judges.
· Judging will be done by a team of up to 6 persons at each judging table.
· Each judge will first score all the samples for appearance of the meat. The turn-in containers will then be passed around the table and each judge will place a sample from each of the containers in the appropriate box on the judging plate. The judge will then score each entry for taste and tenderness, before moving on to the next entry.
· The scoring system is from 9 to 2, all whole numbers between two and nine may be used to score an entry. 9 excellent, 8 very good, 7 above average, 6 average, 5 below average, 4 poor, 3 bad, and 2 inedible. Any score of 7 or lower, will require comments.
· A score of one (1) is a penalty or disqualification and requires approval by a Contest Rep. All judges will give a one (1) in Appearance for prohibited garnish, pooled sauce or less than 6 samples of meat. All judges will give a one (1) in all criteria for a marked turn-in container, foreign object in the container, incorrect meat. All judges not receiving a sample will give a one (1) in all criteria.
· The weighting factors for the point system are: Appearance – .5600, Taste – 2.2972, Tenderness – 1.1428.
· The low score will be thrown out. Results will be tallied. If there is a tie in one of the categories, it will be broken by the computer, as follows: The scores will be compared (counting all five judges) for the highest cumulative scores in taste, then tenderness, then appearance. If still tied, then the low score, which was thrown out, will be compared and the higher of the low scores will break the tie. If still tied, then a computer-generated coin toss will be used.
· Total points per entry will determine the champion within each meat category.
· Cumulative points for all categories will determine the Grand Champion.