category-deep-dive
Bean Cook-Offs: The Category That Rides Along
Beans are almost never a standalone contest. They run as a side category at chili cook-offs and Texas BBQ contests. How the format works, what it costs to enter, and where to find one.
Resources
Reference material for competitive cooks: category deep-dives, regional rundowns, and "how does that sanctioning body actually work" explainers.
category-deep-dive
BBQ Sanctioning Bodies, Explained
A plain-language overview of KCBS, IBCA, MBN, LSBS, FBA, and the other organizations that run competitive barbecue in the United States: what they judge, where they operate, and how to tell them apart.
category-deep-dive
Steak Cook-Offs and SCA
How competitive steak cooking works in the U.S., what the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) judges, and how to enter your first event.
category-deep-dive
Chili Cook-Offs and CASI
How competitive chili works in the U.S., the two main sanctioning bodies (CASI and ICS), and what to expect at a CASI-sanctioned cook-off.
category-deep-dive
Wing Cook-Offs: The Festival-Driven Category
Why chicken wing cook-offs work differently from BBQ and chili: no national sanctioning body, a festival-driven calendar, and how the major wing events fit together.
guide
What CookoffList Is and Isn't
A short, plain explanation of why this directory exists, what we cover, and what we won't do.