Introduction

CTBA was formed to establish fair and equal guidelines for all competitive BBQ cooks who insist on well-run and organized barbeque cook-offs. The Central Texas Barbeque Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting barbeque – barbeque cooking, Bar-B-Que contest, B-B-Q eating, BBQ whatever – and having a good time while doing so. No matter how you spell 'BARBEQUE' it is the hottest thing going. The CTBA was founded in 1992 with 10 members and grew to over 100 in less than a year.

The CTBA promotes barbeque by assisting civic and charitable organizations in conducting barbeque contests. For the contestants, the CTBA offers standardized rules and regulations, and the knowledge that the contest will be fairly judged. For the contest organizers, the CTBA offers free promotional listings on the CTBA Website and on Facebook. We also provide contest forms, checklists, a fair and equal judging system and a head judge to help on the day of the event.

To sanction a cook-off of 10 or less participating cooking teams, CTBA charges a minimum of 50 dollars. For cook-offs with greater than 10 teams, the fee is 10 dollars per participating team. This is for 3 meat trays and a bean cup with lid per team, any additional categories will be 50 cents per team. In addition, the promoter shall provide lodging and/or gas to cover CTBA representative's expenses and a $10.00 per team fee for the head judge. If your cook off is over 100 miles from Temple Texas the promoter is responsible for 2 nights’ accommodation for the head judge. This is usually Friday and Saturday night. Please pay your head judge before your event in over. Your head judge will contact you prior to your event.

CTBA has end-of-year awards for its members making them eligible for additional prize monies and trophies. "End-of-Year" awards are awarded to the top 15 cooking teams based on a cumulative point system. Also Brisket, Rib and Chicken Team of the year are awarded. Cooking teams may begin accumulating points after at least one team member current year's CTBA dues have been paid. However, a team that splits up and cooks at multiple CTBA sanctioned cook-offs on the same day to accumulate points from each towards the End-of-Year awards must have at least one team member that is a current paid CTBA member at each cook-off. Points awarded by placing in the top ten in brisket, chicken and pork rib categories will be added together and accumulated in an overall category. In addition a team will have 5 points added for each CTBA sanctioned cook-off in which they participate. Standings will be published on the website and on Facebook. The following criteria will be used to break ties in the end of year standings:

  1. Highest Points in Brisket (if still tied you go to step 2 and so forth ending with coin flip)

  2. Ribs

  3. Chicken

  4. Coin flip

CTBA coordinates “Quad Cities Tournaments” which awards prize money, in addition to a cook-off's awards, to cookers, (CTBA members and non-members) who participate in the required number of cook-offs of a tournament. A tournament consists of a number of designated cook-offs within a specified time frame. Prize money is awarded to the top 10 places in brisket, pork ribs and chicken and to the first and second places overall. The following criteria will be used to break ties in quad-city competition:

  1. For meat categories:

    1. Highest points in the specific category in one of the qualifying cook-offs

    2. Next highest points and so on

    3. Coin Flip

These by-laws may be changed at the December meeting of each year. Rule clarifications can be made as needed. Any by-laws changes affecting promoters may only be made in the December meeting. CTBA shall notify members through website or social media i.e facebook regarding any such changes. It is the responsibility of the promoter and head judge to be familiar with all changes that effect their cook off. Any change of the by laws must be brought up by a paid member which will then be placed on the agenda for discussion. A motion must be made to make such changes. The motion will have to seconded and a majority vote must pass in order for any rule to be changed..

Keeping Members Informed

The CTBA organization feels that it is their job to help keep members informed on upcoming events and winners of past events that have been sanctioned by CTBA. We also strive to include such BBQ events that may not be sanctioned or sanctioned by us for the benefit of our members. This information is generally distributed through our website and through social media (ie. Facebook). All members are invited to submit information or news, which may be helpful to CTBA members.

The CTBA strives to network with other barbeque organizations across the United States and around the world such as:

  • The National BBQ Association

  • Kansas City Barbeque Society

  • Memphis in May

  • The Barbeque Industry Association

  • The International BBQ Cookers Association

  • The Lone Star Barbecue Society

  • The North Texas Area BBA Cookers Association

  • The East Texas Barbeque Cookers Association

  • The Pacific Northwest BBQ Association

  • The Texas Gulf Coast Barbeque Cookers Association

  • The National Pork Producers Council

Along with such publications as:

  • The National BBQ News, Douglas, GA

  • KC Bull Sheet, Kansas City, MO

  • Tips From The Pits, Carlisle, MA

  • BBQ Business Magazine, Charlotte, NC

  • The Goat Gap Gazette, Waxahachie, TX

  • Drippings From The Pit, Bellevue, WA

  • The Pits, Dallas, TX