2024 General Guidelines and Rules for
South Carolina Barbeque Association Cook Teams
In the SCBA we try to make it as easy on the Cook Teams as we can with the knowledge that if we let the teams cook the way they know how we will get the best results. There are a few guidelines that make it fair for everyone, however.
Cook Teams must be members of the SCBA to be eligible for the South Carolina State Barbeque Champion
A Cook Team’s event scores will only be awarded toward the South Carolina State Barbeque Championship for events in which they, or their Head Cook, are members in good standing of the SCBA at the time of participation in that event.
A qualifying SCBA membership may include an Individual Membership for the Head Cook or a Family or Team Membership. A Cook Team’s scores and standings will be listed on the SCBA website regardless if the Team is a SCBA member.
Note: Cook Teams can become SCBA members until April 30, 2024 to have their event scores from February, March and April 2024 count toward the 2024 South Carolina State Barbeque Championship. After April 30, 2024, scores will only count if the Cook Team is a member of the SCBA at the time of the event.
The festival decides what categories of meat are to be judged
There is no SCBA requirement regarding which meat selections the festival choses to have judged. However, most festivals in South Carolina prefer pork butts as the Main Meat for the contest. The barbeque in the box may be prepared any way the team would like, including chopped, sliced, pulled, shredded, ground or any way the contestant wishes to submit it. Any uncooked/cooked meat is the property of the organization and they have final say on how the meat will be distributed and collected.
The Main Meat in SCBA Sanctioned events must come from the same source
The SCBA requires that the Main Meat for an event, which is the meat category eligible for Master Barbeque Award (MBA) points, must come from the same source thereby insuring a level playing field for all cookers. The Event Organizer is responsible for securing the meat source and providing the meat to the teams. The SCBA will not judge or award points to any Main Meat entry that is shown to be from an unapproved or outside source. Ribs used for the Master Barbeque Rib Award do not have to come from the same source unless Ribs are the Main Meat for an event.
All competition meat shall be prepped and cooked on site
All meat to be turned in for judging by the SCBA must be prepared and cooked at each team’s cook site. Competition meat to be judged by the SCBA shall not be removed from the event site once a Cook Team arrives at the contest.
All competition meat shall be prepped and cooked at the Team’s own cook site
Each Cook Team must be on a stand-alone basis and must be separate from all other cook team areas. All teams are required to have their own designated pit master, team name, cooker(s) and cook site. All competitive cooking actions such as meat preparation, cooking and sample box preparation must be proprietary to their team.
The SCBA conducts only blind judging
Entries are judged on the following categories: Appearance (0-3), Aroma (0-2), Texture/Tenderness (0-5), Taste (0-5) and Overall Impression (0-2). The maximum score is 17.
Cookers may use any heat source they wish
The SCBA allows the choice of the heat source to the cooker. It may be wood, gas, electric or any other heat source in working order. Any cooking devices that are found to be faulty or dangerous could be disallowed for use in the event.
9 inch boxes are used for sample turn-in
The SCBA uses a standard 9 inch, non-partitioned, white, Styrofoam box to hold the meat that is sent to the judging tables. For Butts entries, the SCBA asks that you provide enough meat in the box to accommodate 8 judges. Rib entries should contain a minimum of 8 ribs, which should include the bone.
Sample Box inspection is not mandatory
Cook teams are not required to have their sample box inspected at the Receiving Table prior to judging, but are given that opportunity. If you have your box inspected, you will be asked to briefly open your box for “visual” inspection. Once inspected, the entrant will be given an opportunity during the allotted turn in time to correct anything “visually” seen that could result in a disqualification.
No Markings of any kind are allowed on the turn-in box
There should be no markings of any kind on the sample box. If there are any markings, the Receiving Table will ask that the entry be transferred into a box that has no markings and be resubmitted. If that is the case, your box must be resubmitted within the normal time allotment.
No foreign material is allowed in the turn-in box
Your sample box should contain only meat. No garnish of any kind is allowed in the sample box. No aluminum foil or other type of material is allowed in the sample box. No bones or skin are allowed in Whole Hog boxes.
You may turn in your sample either sauced or unsauced
Your sample box should contain only meat, which can be sauced or unsauced. No cups of extra sauce are allowed in the sample box. Sauces should not contain any pieces or chunks of “immediately distinguishable” ingredients such as slices or chunks of fruits or vegetables.
You may wrap your sample box prior to turn-in
You may wrap the outside of your entry box in heat preserving wraps such as tinfoil, hot blankets or any other device in an effort to keep the contents warm. All such devices must be removed prior to acceptance at the Receiving Table. If a box is submitted with foil inside of the box and it is discovered during the voluntary “visual” inspection, the entrant will be asked to remove it and resubmit the box.
The SCBA tries to keep turn-in times consistent at all events
Turn In times are set by the festival not the SCBA. However, most festivals abide by the SCBA recommendation of Official Turn-In times of 10am for Butts and 11am for Ribs with a ten minute window before and after.
Head Cooks should be present during the event
It is expected that the Head Cook/Team Captain be in attendance at all events where a team is entered. Repeated violations of this expectation could result in MBA points being lost in the event that the Head Cook/Team Captain is not present. Exceptions are made for illness.
Local Health Regulations must be followed
Cook teams are required to adhere to all safety and health requirements set forth by the Event Organizer. These regulations are the purview of the agency involved (generally DHEC) and not the SCBA. Any entry disqualified before or after judging by the Event Organizer or DHEC will not be awarded points in the MBA contest.
Local Festival Rules and required Behavior must be adhered to
Cook teams are required to adhere to the code of conduct set forth by the Event Organizer. Any team disqualified by the festival personnel or the Health Department, for whatever reason, will not be judged by the SCBA.
Effective March 15, 2024