Arkansas Extreme Outdoors

AEO SUMMER SAUSAGE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RULES & REGISTRATION

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP JUDGING RULES

1. Judges will be escorted to a closed room indoors.

2. Each team in the competition will be issued a Number by AEO Staff. Each team will cut (2) slices of sausage for each judge, place on a container, and present it to AEO Staff along with their assigned number and recipe label/sign.

3. AEO Staff will present the team's container to the judges in the closed room. Each team will take turns one at a time. Team members stay at their booth. while judges vote.

4. Judges will judge according to the judging criteria listed below and will assign each number their final totaled score already tallied from all categories.

5. AEO Staff will present the final score to each team and the winner will be declared!

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP JUDGING CRITERIA

1. Each judge will score the teams on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the best possible score) for each individual category. The categories are:

   1. ***APPEARANCE*** - Appearance judgment of summer sausage focuses on its color, texture, casing condition, uniformity, absence of spoilage signs, and overall attractiveness to determine quality and edibility.

   2. ***AROMA*** - Judging the aroma of summer sausage involves detecting characteristics that signal freshness, proper curing, and desirable flavor profiles, while being alert for any off or spoiled smells. A well-made summer sausage should smell fresh, meaty, slightly smoky, and spiced, without any sour, rancid, or chemical off-notes.

   3. ***TASTE*** - Summer sausage offers a complex flavor profile that is smoky, tangy, salty, and often peppery, with a firm yet slightly chewy texture; judging its taste involves assessing these key characteristics alongside freshness and seasoning balance. Judging summer sausage flavor involves noting its smoky, tangy, and salty character, balanced spice, and pleasant firm texture.

   4. ***TEXTURE*** - A well-made summer sausage features a balanced texture — firm and sliceable, moist yet not greasy, with a tender chew and well-blended fat and meat. Evaluating these factors by touch, appearance, and tasting will help determine the quality of the sausage.

2. The judges will combine each category's score to tally a Final Score for each team.

3. After completion of the Blind judging of each team's summer sausage, the AEO Staff will present the team's container back to the team, along with the Final Score.

4. Once all teams receive their Final Score, AEO Staff will determine and announce the winner.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP REGISTRATION FORM