chopped brisket & chicken

[Puppyboy]

Originally Posted by BadBoysBBQ

I was always told that slices should be the width of a number 2 pencil. Anyone else heard of this?

In KCBS Judge class this past weekend, though we were told "about the thickness of a #2 pencil", but there is no standard. It was said a thicker slice could hide the meat from being over cooked and a thinner slice could hide the meat from being under cooked.

[Puppyboy]

Originally Posted by Bossmanbbq

What if they turned in chopped chicken but its boneless? I have seen guys do that and do real well, just trying to avoid the judges figuring out that it wasnt boneless, skinless to begin with.

As a judge, I would expect a chopped/pulled chicken entry to be bone free. Of couse you can not asume this.

[Plowboy]

Originally Posted by Puppyboy

In KCBS Judge class this past weekend, though we were told "about the thickness of a #2 pencil", but there is no standard. It was said a thicker slice could hide the meat from being over cooked and a thinner slice could hide the meat from being under cooked.

That kinda sucks that judges are being told how to judge tenderness by appearance. The word "COULD" is key in that sentence. I see no reason to make that statement to judges at all. Tenderness should be judged by the mouth and not the eyes.

[G$]

Originally Posted by Plowboy

That kinda sucks that judges are being told how to judge tenderness by appearance. The word "COULD" is key in that sentence. I see no reason to make that statement to judges at all. Tenderness should be judged by the mouth and not the eyes.

I agree.

If they want to make that such a well published and repeated standard, just define the slice thickness and be done with it.

Not complaining, but I just think they can leave the guidelines of 'tender' as they have them now, and not mention thickness. To me, the best mouth feel of a slice IS about pencil thick, so if someone had a tender but thinner piece, I think I would intuitively prefer the tender but thicker cut anyeay.

Just $0.02.

[cmcadams]

Originally Posted by Bossmanbbq

What if they turned in chopped chicken but its boneless? I have seen guys do that and do real well, just trying to avoid the judges figuring out that it wasnt boneless, skinless to begin with.

The problem with the entry I saw was that it looked bad... My first thought was dog food. It also was cold, fatty, and tasteless. I couldn't swallow it at all.