That competition judge told me my bark was too thick and I felt stupid

I spent 6 months perfecting a heavy rub layer on my pork butts because I thought more bark equaled more flavor, then a KCBS judge at a small contest in Wichita told me it was overpowering the meat. I cut my rub amount by half and started using a lighter hand with the smoke, and my scores went up by 15 points the very next weekend. Has anyone else had to dial back what they thought was a signature technique because someone told them it was too much?

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derek784mo ago

Thick bark just hides bad technique. You figured that out.

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holly8984mo ago

Wichita is where I got my start with competition cooking actually, and I remember that same feeling when a judge told my brisket bark was like chewing on leather. I see what you're saying @derek78 about thick bark covering up bad technique, but I think there's a middle ground here. I spent a whole season chasing that heavy bark look and my scores stayed flat until I started using a thinner coat of a smaller-particle rub and letting the meat sweat more before the smoke. My chicken thighs went from a messy bark to a nice thin crust that actually lets the skin stay crispy, and that's what got me noticed at the local level.

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