Dripping Springs
BBQ Cook-Off

Longhorn Last Stand Backyard BBQ Cook-Off Rules

Entry and Teams

1. Each team pays a $150 entry fee.
2. Entries are limited to 10 teams.
3. Each team consists of one Head Cook and as many assistants as needed.
4. A Head Cook or assistant may compete on only one team.
5. Each team submits one entry in each of the three meat categories: brisket, pork ribs, and pork butt/shoulder.

Check-In, Meat, and Cooking

1. Team check-in begins after 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 4.
2. All meat must arrive raw and unseasoned. It is inspected immediately after the cooks’ meeting, before any prep starts.
3. The cooks’ meeting is at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4. Teams may not start cooking until after the cooks’ meeting and meat inspection.
4. Except for the public-serving brisket supplied by Brimstone Ranch, teams may use only items they bring to the event site on Friday, December 4.
5. Unless these rules say otherwise, teams may bring any utensils, cooking tools, or supplies they need, including spices, rubs, sauces, grilling tools, butter, oils, herbs, and wood chips.
6. All seasoning and cooking must take place within the team’s assigned site.
7. Teams cook on wood, charcoal, or pellet smokers. Gas and electric heat sources are banned for cooking or holding. They may be used only to start a fire, while the competition meat is not in or on the cooker.
8. Meat must be held at 40°F or below until cooked and at 140°F or above after cooking.

Team Sites

1. Each assigned site is approximately 15 feet wide by 30 feet long. Teams must stay inside their assigned site.
2. Vehicles and trailers may park on-site.
3. Fires must be attended at all times.
4. Every site must have a fire extinguisher.
5. Teams must be self-contained and supply their own tents, tables, chairs, and lighting.
6. Teams must keep their site clean and sanitary during the contest and clean it thoroughly afterward.
7. A site left in disarray, or with loose trash outside the trash containers, could lead to disqualification. Failure to maintain sanitation and hygiene is also grounds for disqualification.
8. Teams may consume alcohol but must supply their own. No alcohol will be sold on the premises. Generators are allowed. Quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Generators may keep running during quiet hours if they are quiet.
9. Brimstone Ranch will provide separate, marked metal containers for hot ash and grease at a designated location. Teams must use these containers and may not dump ash, coals, or grease on the ground. Each team must use a drip pan or ground cover to keep grease off the ground.

Turn-In

1. Each team turns in three separate boxes: one brisket, one pork ribs, and one pork butt/shoulder.
2. Each box must contain at least 4 portions for judges, detached and separated from one another.
3. Each entry must fit completely inside the container provided by Brimstone Ranch.
4. Sauce is optional. If used, apply it directly to the meat without pooling in the container. Side sauce containers are not allowed.
5. Boxes must contain meat only. Garnish is not allowed.
6. Entries may not be identifiable. Aluminum foil, toothpicks, and other identifying items are not allowed.
7. Containers may not carry any markings other than those provided by Brimstone Ranch.
8. Turn-in times on Saturday, December 5, are 12:00 p.m. for brisket, 12:30 p.m. for pork ribs, and 1:00 p.m. for pork butt/shoulder. Late turn-ins are not judged and receive a score of 0 for that category.

Public Serving

Every team provides free BBQ for the public as a condition of entry. This requirement is separate from the judged turn-ins.

1. Brimstone Ranch will supply the public-serving brisket at check-in on Friday, December 4, and teams provide the labor and smoker time. Each team must cook and slice at least one whole brisket for the public serving window on Saturday, December 5, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
2. Volunteers serve the food for free. The organizer provides People’s Choice trays, napkins, ballots, and handwashing stations near the serving areas. Trays are held in warmers provided by the organizer, and volunteers will monitor how long trays are set out.
3. Teams must slice the public-serving brisket, place it in the provided trays, and turn it in with their judged brisket box at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5.
4. A $1,000 People’s Choice award is given for brisket only. The crowd votes by ballot during the serving window, and public-serving trays are visibly marked for voting. Teams that do not provide their public-serving brisket forfeit eligibility for both the $5,000 overall prize and the People’s Choice award.

Judging and Disqualification

Judging

1. The overall winner is determined by blind judging, led by a judging coordinator.
2. Judging takes place in a closed area open only to those approved by Brimstone Ranch: official barbecue judges, the judging coordinator, approved volunteers, and designated Brimstone Ranch personnel.
3. Photography and video are allowed only at Brimstone Ranch’s discretion.
4. Judges score each entry on Appearance, Taste, and Tenderness, with equal weight given to each.
5. All scores given by judges are used to determine the winner. A $5,000 cash prize goes to one overall winner, based on combined scores across all three meat categories.
6. Ties are broken by the highest brisket score.

Disqualification

The judging coordinator may disqualify an entry only if it:

• Is turned in late
• Poses a health hazard to judges, such as undercooked meat
• Has too few pieces for four judges
• Includes identifying items or unapproved markings

A late or disqualified box receives a score of 0 for that category.

A team may also be disqualified for the cleanliness, sanitation, or hygiene issues listed under Team Sites.