Rules and Regulations
Special rules for the Chili category are HERE

1. Cooking team: Each team will consist of one chief cook and as many team assistants as necessary. The chief cook will be responsible for the conduct of the team and any guests within the team area. No team will share a cooker and no two teams can be in the same area.

2. Team cooking site: Spaces are first come first served based on the available open spaces from Saturday. Each team needs to stay in that space including all equipment, vehicles and tents.

3. Teams will provide all necessary equipment, cookers and meat etc. Water & electricity will be available and is shared. Please bring extension cords, hoses & splitters for both. The Oinktoberfest committee does not guarantee against any interruption of power. Teams must be prepared for any interruption.

4. Teams will keep their sites clean. All fires will be put out and equipment will be maintained in a sanitary manner. All cooking sites must be cleaned up upon leaving, including removal of all trash. Any team not abiding by the rules could be disqualified.

5. All types of cookers are allowed; this includes homemade, commercially made, electric, pellet and propane equipment. Propane tanks have to meet all local and state codes.

6. Fuel sources can be wood, charcoal, wood pellets, electric or propane.

7. All teams must meet all local, state and federal fire, electric and health codes. 

8. Official meat inspection: No official on-site inspection. Food may be marinated or pre-seasoned off-site but must be cooked on-site. Health codes require that before cooking all meat be kept on ice or refrigerated at 40 degrees or less. After cooking, food must be maintained at 140 degrees or above in a covered container. 

9. Categories are: chicken wings, any pork except back, St. Louis or spare ribs, chili (see separate rules HERE), chef's choice side dish & dessert. All food must be prepared & cooked on-site, except as noted. Cooking can only start after check-in which begins at 6am the morning of the contest. If the dessert needs cooking, it must be done on-site & to the extent possible the ingredients should be prepared on-site. Chef's choice side dish is this year's theme, anything that is considered a side is allowed. Please see #14 regarding the turn in containers. All entries except chili are open garnish, ie. anything goes as long as the lid closes on entries that are in the provided 9x9 boxes.

10. Rib Oink-Off: Pork back ribs, spare ribs, or St Louis cut ribs are allowed, bone in. Country style ribs are not allowed. Any fuel source is allowed. Open garnish, ie anything goes as long as the box closes. At least 6 separate ribs must be presented in the 9x9 boxes provided.

11. There will be no excessive use of alcoholic beverages by a team and any member of the public or guest in a cook site area. No alcoholic beverages will be given to the public. There will be no use of any controlled substance. There will be no use of unacceptable language. Teams are subject to being disqualified for violation of these rules.

12. Loud radios and excessive noise from team members or their guests are not allowed.

13. All entry fees will be non-refundable except in the case of an emergency.

14. Judging will start at 12 Noon Sunday. There will be 30 minutes between each category and the turn-in window will be five minutes before and five minutes after that window. No entry will be allowed out of that timetable. Please check official Schedule for turn in times.

15. All entries except for dessert, side dish & chili must be turned in using the provided 9in x 9in Styrofoam containers. The container for the chili category WILL also be provided as noted in the Chili rules. If it is deemed necessary, you may turn in the dessert & the side dish in your own containers & trays. Trays will be limited to a maximum size of 18in x 12in or 16in diameter & any container on the tray may be no taller than 12in.

16. Each team must submit enough food for six (6) judges to taste. Any judge not presented meat will score a one (1) for taste and tenderness on that entry.

17. The containers will have pre-assigned numbers that are changed before judges are allowed to score any entries. If using your own container, you must bring your original provided container with you for turn in.

18. Judging will be blind. Entries will be judged on appearance, taste and tenderness.

19. No pooling of sauce is allowed. No containers of sauce are allowed. Any sauce used in the entry must be on the meat.

20. These rules apply to all teams: There will be no use of tobacco in the cooking area during preparation. All work surfaces must be sanitized with bleach and water. All teams must provide their own water containers. ABC Fire Extinguisher near all pits will be mandatory. No pets will be allowed in the cooking area including motor homes if team members prep meat inside. NO sampling to the public is allowed. If you are caught doing so it will result in disqualification.

21. All decisions and interpretations are at the discretion of the Oinktoberfest committee representatives and officials and their decisions are final.

22. Awards: Awards will be presented at approximately 5PM.

23. When possible the Oinktoberfest committee would like you to submit your recipes.  These will be used within our newsletters, website and possible cook books in the future. Proper acknowledgements will be given for your courtesy.

Oinktoberfest 2012
Oh Canada
BBQ Competition & Cook-off
Sept. 21 - 23, 2012
716 759-4328 or 1 855 270-7184