Date: 11/1/25

Location: CoHatch 75 North Main Street, Zionsville, IN 46077

 

Overview:

Teams will compete to prepare the best Willy’s Wagyu brisket flat, ribeye (1-pound cuts), and boneless short ribs in Kansas City barbecue style, emphasizing low-and-slow cooking or hot and fast cooking method. The organizer provides all Willy’s Wagyu beef. Entries are judged on Appearance, Taste, and Tenderness. Prizes are awarded for first place in each meat category and the overall Grand Champion.

 

Prize Awards:

$250 Winner for each meat category – 1^st Place only

$1000 2025 Grand Champion

 

General Rules

 

1.   Meat: Teams must use Willy’s Wagyu beef (minimum A3 grade) provided by the organizer, distributed raw and unseasoned at 8:00 AM. No outside meat allowed. No pre-marinating, pre-treating (e.g., sous-vide, boiling, mechanical tenderizing), or pre-seasoning before distribution.

2.   Sides: Prepare your own signature side. Creativity is encouraged, but side items must be prepared same-day and on site. Side item will be turned in with the Beef Short Ribs in a separate turn-in box. (Note: only six side-bites, enough for each of the six judges, need to be submitted with turn-in box.) No garnish required for side item.

3.   Cooking Method: Cook low-and-slow or hot and fast on wood, charcoal, or pellet smoker/grill using wood or wood products (no gas/electric for primary cooking; allowed for fire-starting). Manage heat carefully to avoid over-rendering Willy’s Wagyu’s high fat content.

4.   Seasoning: Apply your choice of seasoning. Try not to over season the protein.

5.   Sauce: Sauce is optional. No side sauce or pooling sauce in turn-in box. Over-saucing may lower taste scores.

 

 

6.   Presentation: Submit entries in 9x9-inch foam clamshell boxes provided by Willy’s Wagyu. Garnish is limited to green leaf lettuce, curly parsley, or cilantro.  No other fillers (e.g., sauce cups, foil unless provided by Willy’s Wagyu for the sides). No marking boxes to identify teams. If box is marked in anyway, that team will be disqualified.

7.   Judging Criteria: Scores range from 2 (inedible) to 9 (excellent). Blind judging with no team interaction. You will be scored on:

•      Appearance: Visual appeal, smoke ring, bark, marbling visibility.

•      Taste: Balance of smoke, rub, sauce, and Willy’s Wagyu’s umami-rich flavor.

•      Tenderness/Texture: Melt-in-mouth quality, not greasy or mushy.

 

8.   Turn-In: Submit 6+ portions per box (slices, chunks, or burnt ends) within 10-minute windows (5 minutes before/after):

•      Ribeye: 2:00 PM (1:55–2:05 PM)

•      Boneless Short Ribs and Side: 3:00 PM (2:55–3:05 PM)

•      Brisket Flat: 4:00 PM (3:55–4:05 PM)

•      Late entries disqualified.

 

9.   Prohibited: Teamwork between competitors, off-site pre-cooking, non-approved equipment, alcohol/drugs during prep. Violations result in disqualification.

10.        Sanitation: Use gloves, clean workstations, store meat at 40°F or below post-distribution. Organizer ensures proper storage before 8:00 AM.

11.        Safety:  Each team IS REQURED to have a fire extinguisher in the team area.

12.        Judges:  Chef David Locke, Evan Norris, Jon Keen & “People’s Choice” Winner