IBCA Chicken question

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Lynn,

Removing the Keel (aka Breast or Sternum) bone really only eliminate having a 1/2 cut piece of sternum bone & cartilage on the edge of the breast meat. The only real benefit that I see is that it would be easier to sample the breast meat with it being out. But it was really more of a technical question to IBCA in the beginning as to if it was allowed. Its not like the 1/2's would look any different and as you may have noticed from this forum, teams are turning them in with and without it with no issue by judges. The tutorial Thillin pointed out on the Weber Virtual Bullet site shows their method for cutting a chicken into halves. If you watch that video, you see what we've been talking about and if the back bone being removed is still fully jointed then i would think others might agree that removing the keel bone is still fully jointed. All other bones would still be intact.

[gmholler]

I thought the original question was whether or not a deboned chicken could be turned in for an IBCA contest, no?

Lynn H.

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

You're right. That was the original question and deboned chicken is not fully jointed. I apologize that i got off topic by replying to a post of "fully jointed is fully jointed". It is just a little frustrating that there is no clear answer from IBCA other than it might be discussed in the future. I'll just drop the subject since there is no answer. Maybe I can talk to you and Andy in Gonzales if ya'll are the head judges there.
My apologies to all!

[ElJefe]

I would like some clarification. Backbone in or out? Breast cartilage in or out?

[RangerJ]

Originally Posted by gmholler

And the reason for removing the bones would be?

Would the chicken, without bones, be arranged to look the same when turned in as a chicken half with bones? (i.e. it wouldn't look so different as to be considered "marked")

Lynn H.

Of course it would be arranged the same.

As for your first question, removing the keel bones are a cooks choice as no rule says we can't. That bone is not a joint.

[Swamp Donkeyz BBQ]

Is the rib cage considered a joint, and if so, how?

[JS-TX]

I take the backbone and keel bone out, leave the breast cartilage in and trim back a little on the ribs so they don't stick out.

[gmholler]

Y'all are over-analyzing this; it's not that difficult! A fully jointed half chicken is just that. What the head judge will tell you at the cooks meeting is that all the boxes will ideally look the same - the judges are told to sample the meat (for chicken, stick with white meat if they like that, dark meat if they like that) and score on that.

Backbone in or out? It's up to you - but, as the head judge will tell you, THE BOX MUST CLOSE. Period.

Come watch the judging sometime (yes, you're allowed to observe); I think you'll find the judges are more concerned about whether or not the chicken is completely cooked than what bones are or aren't there...

Lynn H.

[bbq.tom]

Originally Posted by chromesporty

What about 2 deboned halves cut into thirds for KCBS? Think it would fit in the box?

Yes, it would probably fit (depending on thickness of the garnish if any used), but why would you want to???

Definitely more difficult to cook all parts evenly than to split it up before cooking.

Plus, some judges might deduct on appearance as it would NOT all look the same. (Some can't understand the "judge the meat on it's own merits" instruction.)