All teams must read and agree to the following participation guidelines in order to register their team.
TEAMS
A cooking team may consist of a group, a couple, or a single individual. A team will be represented by a sponsor. Teams may have up to 4 members. Each team must make a minimum donation of $250 to participate in the Habitat for Humanity Great Tailgate BBQ Cook-Off. There will be no refund of entry fees for any reason, except at the election of the organizers. Teams are required to provide a combined total of 30 pounds of meat minimum to ensure that there is enough for judges as well as event attendees.
CATEGORIES
Teams may enter up to one dish in each regular category, but a single team can only win 1st place in one category. There will be trophies awarded for first place in three categories: beef, chicken, and pork. There will also be an award for “People's Choice,” which is voted on by the event attendees. It is recommended that teams bring their favorite tailgate dishes to serve with the barbecue; however this is not required. Dishes will be judged on taste and originality with taste weighted more heavily. Originality includes imagination, uniqueness, and difficulty of the dish.
COOKING
Access is available to the Cook-Off site on the day of the event for any participants who wish to set up for roasting, smoking, etc. Some participants may prefer to cook their entries at other locations and simply warm or reheat the dishes at the Cook-Off site. Each team will be assigned a cooking space. Teams are not allowed to share an assigned cooking space or cooking devices.
SANITATION
Cooks are to prepare and cook in as sanitary manner as is possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the Promoter. Infractions identified by the judging committee shall be immediately corrected or the cook will be subject to disqualification. It is the responsibility of the team to see that the assigned cooking space is clean and orderly following the contest. All fires must be put out and all equipment removed from the site. It is imperative that clean-up be thorough. The use of any tobacco products while handling meat is prohibited. Cleanliness of the team members, cooking device(s), and the team's assigned cooking space is required. Shirt and shoes are required to be worn.
BBQ PITS AND SMOKERS
PIT – Any commercial or homemade, trailered or untrailered, pit or smoker normally used for competitive barbeque. A BBQ Pit may include gas or electricity for starting the combustion of wood or wood products but NOT to complete cooking. However, if electricity is necessary, teams must provide their own generator. Pits should be of a permanent design that contains separate individual cooking chambers and heat sources (no sharing of heat sources).
BYC (Backyard Cooker) – any cooking device by design or nature that is inherently portable and by design is intended for recreational cooking. Teams are required to provide their own fire extinguishers.
JUDGING
Judging takes place prior to the event at noon, and tasting will be available to the public 12:30 or as soon as judging has concluded. An entry will be judged only at the time established by the organizers. The allowable turn-in time will be five minutes before to five minutes after the established time.
Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa will provide the following:
Cook-Off teams are responsible for bringing the following items to the site necessary for their special barbecue entry:
A cooking team may consist of a group, a couple, or a single individual. A team will be represented by a sponsor. Teams may have up to 4 members. Each team must make a minimum donation of $250 to participate in the Habitat for Humanity Great Tailgate BBQ Cook-Off. There will be no refund of entry fees for any reason, except at the election of the organizers. Teams are required to provide a combined total of 30 pounds of meat minimum to ensure that there is enough for judges as well as event attendees.
CATEGORIES
Teams may enter up to one dish in each regular category, but a single team can only win 1st place in one category. There will be trophies awarded for first place in three categories: beef, chicken, and pork. There will also be an award for “People's Choice,” which is voted on by the event attendees. It is recommended that teams bring their favorite tailgate dishes to serve with the barbecue; however this is not required. Dishes will be judged on taste and originality with taste weighted more heavily. Originality includes imagination, uniqueness, and difficulty of the dish.
COOKING
Access is available to the Cook-Off site on the day of the event for any participants who wish to set up for roasting, smoking, etc. Some participants may prefer to cook their entries at other locations and simply warm or reheat the dishes at the Cook-Off site. Each team will be assigned a cooking space. Teams are not allowed to share an assigned cooking space or cooking devices.
SANITATION
Cooks are to prepare and cook in as sanitary manner as is possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the Promoter. Infractions identified by the judging committee shall be immediately corrected or the cook will be subject to disqualification. It is the responsibility of the team to see that the assigned cooking space is clean and orderly following the contest. All fires must be put out and all equipment removed from the site. It is imperative that clean-up be thorough. The use of any tobacco products while handling meat is prohibited. Cleanliness of the team members, cooking device(s), and the team's assigned cooking space is required. Shirt and shoes are required to be worn.
BBQ PITS AND SMOKERS
PIT – Any commercial or homemade, trailered or untrailered, pit or smoker normally used for competitive barbeque. A BBQ Pit may include gas or electricity for starting the combustion of wood or wood products but NOT to complete cooking. However, if electricity is necessary, teams must provide their own generator. Pits should be of a permanent design that contains separate individual cooking chambers and heat sources (no sharing of heat sources).
BYC (Backyard Cooker) – any cooking device by design or nature that is inherently portable and by design is intended for recreational cooking. Teams are required to provide their own fire extinguishers.
JUDGING
Judging takes place prior to the event at noon, and tasting will be available to the public 12:30 or as soon as judging has concluded. An entry will be judged only at the time established by the organizers. The allowable turn-in time will be five minutes before to five minutes after the established time.
Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa will provide the following:
- One 6ft or 8ft table
- Tablecloths, paper napkins/towelettes, sample cups, and utensils
- Food handler gloves and “Clorox water” (a jug of cold water and a cooler with ice are provided in accordance with State Health Department requirements)
- A team sign with team name and sponsor
Cook-Off teams are responsible for bringing the following items to the site necessary for their special barbecue entry:
- Grill, smoker or other cooking device
- Warmer such as a large pot or chafing dish with heat source
- Charcoal/propane or other fuel & matches
- Generator and extension cords (in the event that electricity is necessary for your team)
- Serving utensils
- Chairs and additional tables if needed