JUDGING RULES
Blind judging is used in the Bakken BBQ competition. On the day of the event, each BBQ Master’s team will be issued a number at random. To avoid nepotism, judges will only be provided with the number and not the name of the BBQ Master’s team.

BAKKEN BBQ JUDGING CONTACTS:
Jackie Jenkin: 701-690-1184
Hope Hilfer: 701-590-4932

BAKKEN BBQ PIT:
Located near the stage, the BBQ Pit will serve as the central hub for all BBQ Master’s team needs, including judging information, wristbands, assistance, and questions.

RATINGS:
Scoring will be based on the following scale:
1 – Poor
2 – Below Average
3 – Average
4 – Above Average
5 – Excellent

Scoring criteria:

• Appearance: The food should look appetizing, show clear signs of the smoking process, and represent BBQ. Examples include a smoke ring on brisket, a pinkish tone on chicken, or the red hue of pork.

• Aroma: In your opinion, does it smell like BBQ?

• Creativity

• Moisture

• Taste: Consider personal preference, including 1) the flavor of the smoke; 2) the spice taste; and 3) overall appeal of the meat and spice combination.

• Texture: Is the meat moist, and is it cooked just right?

• Tenderness

• Overall Impression: What is your total impression of the BBQ?

COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
Companies may cook as many dishes as they wish but are required to enter at least one (1) category, with a maximum of two (2) being judged. If a company does not sign up for a category before the deadline, they will not be judged—no exceptions.

If a company enters their dish in an incorrect category, they will be disqualified from that category. Please notify Jackie or Hope if you have any changes to your menu.

Deadline: June 7, 2024.

• Beef Meister: Beef

• King Clucker: Chicken

• Notorious P.I.G.: Pork

• Smoke & Dagger: Other meat, such as fish, bison, alligator, etc.

• Legendary Smokers: People’s Choice

AGENDA:
Bakken BBQ will provide the judging schedule at the BBQ Master meeting on Friday at 10:00 A.M. This schedule will specify the time your dish should be delivered to the BBQ Pit Tent. Presentation times will be staggered so judges can fully enjoy each entry. The food will be presented to the judges by volunteers. Please arrive at the BBQ Pit Tent at your designated time. Late arrivals may result in disqualification.

CONTAINERS:
BBQ Masters’ teams are required to use containers supplied by Bakken BBQ. Containers will be either Styrofoam boxes, aluminum containers, or neutral-looking plates. The Bakken BBQ Committee will place each team’s assigned number on the container.

SUBMISSION:
Food should be delivered by the BBQ Master’s team to the BBQ Pit Tent. Presentations may not indicate the team’s origin. For example, branding buns with a company logo that reveals team identity is prohibited and will result in exclusion from judging. Each submission container must include exactly one serving for each judge, with the number of judges determined by entries in each category. Judging will occur from 4:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.

BAKKEN BBQ FOOD TRANSPORTATION:
Each BBQ Master’s team is encouraged to bring suitable transportation, such as a collapsible wagon or box, to deliver food to the BBQ Pit Tent.

JUDGES SELECTION:
The judging panel will be randomly selected and announced only after the competition. The number of judges in each category will depend on the number of teams entered.

JUDGES AREA:
Judging will take place inside the West River Ice Center to provide a secure and cool environment for judges to enjoy the BBQ. Judging volunteers will present the food, with a Bakken BBQ representative present to assist with any questions.

TIE BREAKER:
In the event of a tie, a coin toss conducted by the judges, volunteer team representative, and a Bakken BBQ representative will determine the winner.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT:
The judges will announce the winners of each BBQ category and the People’s Choice trophy at approximately 8:30 P.M. Each winning BBQ Master will be asked to come to the stage to accept their trophy and take a team photo.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE:
Each attendee may vote once for their favorite BBQ team using the QR code. Judges will announce the winner onstage at approximately 9:00 P.M. Cheating will not be tolerated. Companies may not share their code on social media or any electronic communication; doing so may lead to disqualification and future ineligibility.

TWO-STRIKE RULE:
Any inappropriate behavior or misconduct at the event may result in a strike. The Bakken BBQ board enforces a zero-tolerance harassment policy and will determine if a strike is warranted.