A judge at the Tuscaloosa rib cookoff told me my ribs were "clean but boring" and it stung enough to fix my rub

Jesse Thompson · 2026-10-10T03:05:05.733004+00:00

He pulled me aside after scores came out and said I had good smoke and bite but the flavor quit after the first chew. I had been running the same salt, pepper, and paprika mix for 3 seasons because it always placed middle of the pack. Turns out I was scared of sugar burning, so I added a touch of brown sugar and celery seed and cut the paprika back, and my next two backyard comps both landed top 5. Anybody else get told their cue is too safe instead of too bold?

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A judge at the Tuscaloosa rib cookoff told me my ribs were "clean but boring" and it stung enough to fix my rub | BBQ Pitmasters - The Community Guide