I'm cooking in my first comp of the year on Friday/Saturday. For you competition cookers, how do you ensure that your meat is warm for the turn in boxes? Does it even matter. For those who judge, do you typically expect to judge warm meat? Does it even matter? I look forward to all the great responses.
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This is a good question. I have always wondered this. How long is it from turn-in until the judges actually judges your food? Cold BBQ tastes and feels different at certain temps, as we all know. -
Maybe I'm too late with the reply, hope all went well. Anyway...
When I'm judging, I don't always expect it warm, but if there's a warm entry next to a cold entry, the warm rib will have an advantage.
Spinaker Most competitions try to get the entries to the judging tables asap, so once they have the 6 boxes, they're brought out to the tables (after they go through a re-numbering process to anonymize the boxes). Little advantage if you're the last box turned in before they're brought out, versus first, but the time is usually short enough that it probably doesn't make much difference.
Regarding question about how to keep food warm - timing is important.
Turn in times are staggered (usually 12:00 chicken, 12:30 pork, 1:00 ribs, 1:30 brisket), so there is some opportunity to time the end of your cook to coincide with turn in times.
I think the strategy for each meat is different and depends on how you're cooking it:
1. Chicken - usually thighs, and fairly easy to time to finish before turn in, put in box and turn in.
2. Pork (usually pulled, and/or sliced money muscle): pulled pork you have a lot of flexibility on when to pull it and with rest times, and amount of time it retains heat, it's usually easy to time. The money muscle is trickier, because over-cooking will cause it to fall apart. Unfortunately you can't cook the money muscle separate by starting it later, so it will be done first. The money muscle will likely need to be reheated prior to boxing, it's so small it reheats easily. I've seen some teams sacrifice the rest of a shoulder by cooking the money muscle separate, and starting it later. Remember, each piece of pork must be 4 lbs pre-cooking weight, so can't just seperate the money muscle.
3. Ribs - most have cooked ribs often enough that timing within an hour of done can be done pretty easily, but you can also keep wrapped if they're cooking too fast, then finish back in the smoker prior to turn in.
4. Brisket - Most competitors rest their brisket for 2-4 hours, so that's a good size buffer to plan. Keep in a cambro or faux cambro. http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...ux_cambro.html
Good luck!Comment
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Not sure a warm box has an advantage over a cold box as boxes cannot be compared right? Each box is judged on its own merit. At least in KCBS anyway. I'm I missing something here?Last edited by Jon Solberg; April 23, 2017, 06:17 PM.Comment
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You're right, not supposed to compare entriesr. Though I'd add a couple points:
1. a number of judges don't write their answers until they've tasted each entry
2. even if comparison doesn't happen, I think a warm box will have a better chance of scoring higher - warm bbq just tastes better
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Number 1 isn't so. In KCBS, every entry is judged for appearance. Judges pass trays to put samples on their plates. Once each judge has a sample from every entry, they start tasting but each entry is judged for taste and tenderness before the judge moves to the next entry. -
CandySueQ Might be the contest I've judged, but this is a pet peeve of mine, & I've seen it happen too often. Everyone not being certified contributes, and I some think they can score better by comparing. I bring it up after, but doesn't often change behavior -though it does for new judges/non-CBJ's
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Cold meat doesn't fare well. Judges aren't supposed to compare but if a hot entry is followed by a cold entry, the cold entry will suffer. But if weather is bad, all entries will cool. AND remember, there's going to be some sitting time for big meats at a KCBS contest. The trays have to be sorted so that no team's entry goes to the same table of judges more than once. Best way to do pork is pull your samples and hold in a foil packet either in a hot Cambro or in the cooker (if it needs some more heat). This weekend I cooked 4 butts, picked the best bits off of all 4 and put in a half pan. Foiled it and put it in the cooker after glazing. Took it to the Cambro before I turned in ribs. All I had to do then was build the box. I was cutting brisket after rib turn in. Defatted the juice into a half pan, then chose my slices and panned in the juice. Back into the cooker for a heat blast. Then build the pork box. I can get some clean up in before I build the brisket box. I live by the timer.Comment
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As a judge I can tell you that I have scored cold meat lower than I would have if it were hot/warm. However, my decision wasn't based on the fact that it was cold, it was based on the same criteria as always: taste and tenderness. The fact is that taste and tenderness is negatively impacted the lower the temperature of the meat. It is like eating crab with a cold stick of butter instead of hot melted butter. Butter still tastes like butter, but certainly not in the way you'd like it too with crab. If that makes sense.Comment
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Idk if you have a trailer or not but I've read where some competitors have placed meats in microwave for 10 sec before placement in box. I've practiced using a therepudic heat pad in a cooler (need electricity) and that works surprisingly well. Hot / cold packs may work if you boil it and place in cooler. Keep cooler in sun. Get a blue one, that way it absorbs heat from sun.Comment
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Thank you. Just read that in kcbs rules. Plan B was to use my pellet cooker if need be.Comment
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Sorry bud been wanting to share something with you. have found styrofoam coolers work really well. My last comp I placed meats in a couple. Meats that were shipped. I cleaned them out and reused those. One lid I accedently cracked and that was the one that worked best. Let some steam out. Budget friendly too.
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Has anyone used sterno packs to keep a heat source under the meat?Comment
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It is an amazing idea.Comment
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