TooSaucedToPork
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2009
- Location
- Buffalo NY
I saw a bunch of comments lately on what exactly the judges are instructed to do...so I went back and read the latest CBJ Manual. This is what judges are told, everything else, besides updates in the rep book, is personal preferences.
HELPFUL GUIDELINES JUDGING THE FOUR BASIC CONTEST CATEGORIES
CHICKEN:
Chicken may be presented with or without the skin. It may also be presented with a combination of dark and white meat or all one or the other. The type presented should not in any way affect the way it is scored. Properly smoked chicken will be moist and have a nice texture and any juice present should be clear. Smoked chicken has a tendency to produce a red coloring around the bone areas, especially in the thigh and leg meat. To some it gives the impression that is was undercooked. Always check the juices and if they are clear you will find the chicken is properly cooked. There may be, at times, a pink appearance to the breast meat if it has been smoked for some time. However, we do not judge chicken on its color as some cooks prepare their chicken in such a way the breast meat will remain white.
PORK RIBS:
Everyone has his or her own idea of what a good rib should be. However, when judging competition ribs you must take a few factors consideration other than what we may feel is our favorite rib. We first must determine how well it was cooked. When eating a properly cooked rib, the meat should come off the bone with very little effort and only where you bit into it should the meat be removed. If the meat falls off the entire bone while biting, it is a good indication it is overcooked. When overcooked, the meat has a tendency to be mushy with little or no texture. Usually when you take a bite out of a well-smoked rib that is properly cooked, the exposed bone will have a tendency to dry almost at once. A good example of this is to look at a steak bone that has been cooked medium to one that has been cooked well done. Ribs should be moist, have a good flavor and can be presented with or without sauce. They may be turned in with double bones, single bones, heavy meat on both sides of a single bone and in some cases a touch of loin meat attached to the rib bone. The latter may apply to a custom cut rib. In no way should it appear as a pork chop. Any question should be directed to the Contest Official.
PORK SHOULDER:
Pork shoulder or Boston butt should be very tender with a definite texture to the meat. It is easily overcooked to get it tender and the judge should make certain in his or her mind that it is not mushy. Mushy meat dissolves in your mouth with very little effort when chewing it. A sliced piece of this meat should pull apart with very little effort, be moist; and when eaten, have a good texture. You will also see this meat turned in as a pulled or chopped pork entry. Here again check for it being properly cooked and not overcooked. It is quite easy to hide the fact that it is overcooked when presented as a pulled entry. Many cooks will include the "bark" (crusty outside surface) of the product that is formed while being smoked and is very tasty.
BRISKET:
This is perhaps the toughest piece of meat the contest cook will be cooking and have a few factors in judging brisket must be considered. Brisket, when sliced, will have a tendency to dry and lose its moisture quite rapidly. A well-experienced contest cook can take precautions concerning this fact. The judge must evaluate this as well as how it was cooked concerning its tenderness. A good way to determine tenderness is to pick up the piece of brisket and see how easily it will pull apart. It should break apart with little effort and maintain a good texture. If it is overcooked, it will fall apart when it is picked up. Some will present the brisket in very large slices in order to keep it from falling apart (if overcooked); or , it may be presented in very thin slices (if undercooked). However, always judge the brisket for the way it is cooked, not by the thickness of the slice. Keep these factors in mind and take your time in judging this cut of meat. Although smoke ring add to the presentation of brisket, we do not take it into consideration, as some cooks chemically enhance the smoke ring in order to give a better presentation score. The latter has been explained in class.
HELPFUL GUIDELINES JUDGING THE FOUR BASIC CONTEST CATEGORIES
CHICKEN:
Chicken may be presented with or without the skin. It may also be presented with a combination of dark and white meat or all one or the other. The type presented should not in any way affect the way it is scored. Properly smoked chicken will be moist and have a nice texture and any juice present should be clear. Smoked chicken has a tendency to produce a red coloring around the bone areas, especially in the thigh and leg meat. To some it gives the impression that is was undercooked. Always check the juices and if they are clear you will find the chicken is properly cooked. There may be, at times, a pink appearance to the breast meat if it has been smoked for some time. However, we do not judge chicken on its color as some cooks prepare their chicken in such a way the breast meat will remain white.
PORK RIBS:
Everyone has his or her own idea of what a good rib should be. However, when judging competition ribs you must take a few factors consideration other than what we may feel is our favorite rib. We first must determine how well it was cooked. When eating a properly cooked rib, the meat should come off the bone with very little effort and only where you bit into it should the meat be removed. If the meat falls off the entire bone while biting, it is a good indication it is overcooked. When overcooked, the meat has a tendency to be mushy with little or no texture. Usually when you take a bite out of a well-smoked rib that is properly cooked, the exposed bone will have a tendency to dry almost at once. A good example of this is to look at a steak bone that has been cooked medium to one that has been cooked well done. Ribs should be moist, have a good flavor and can be presented with or without sauce. They may be turned in with double bones, single bones, heavy meat on both sides of a single bone and in some cases a touch of loin meat attached to the rib bone. The latter may apply to a custom cut rib. In no way should it appear as a pork chop. Any question should be directed to the Contest Official.
PORK SHOULDER:
Pork shoulder or Boston butt should be very tender with a definite texture to the meat. It is easily overcooked to get it tender and the judge should make certain in his or her mind that it is not mushy. Mushy meat dissolves in your mouth with very little effort when chewing it. A sliced piece of this meat should pull apart with very little effort, be moist; and when eaten, have a good texture. You will also see this meat turned in as a pulled or chopped pork entry. Here again check for it being properly cooked and not overcooked. It is quite easy to hide the fact that it is overcooked when presented as a pulled entry. Many cooks will include the "bark" (crusty outside surface) of the product that is formed while being smoked and is very tasty.
BRISKET:
This is perhaps the toughest piece of meat the contest cook will be cooking and have a few factors in judging brisket must be considered. Brisket, when sliced, will have a tendency to dry and lose its moisture quite rapidly. A well-experienced contest cook can take precautions concerning this fact. The judge must evaluate this as well as how it was cooked concerning its tenderness. A good way to determine tenderness is to pick up the piece of brisket and see how easily it will pull apart. It should break apart with little effort and maintain a good texture. If it is overcooked, it will fall apart when it is picked up. Some will present the brisket in very large slices in order to keep it from falling apart (if overcooked); or , it may be presented in very thin slices (if undercooked). However, always judge the brisket for the way it is cooked, not by the thickness of the slice. Keep these factors in mind and take your time in judging this cut of meat. Although smoke ring add to the presentation of brisket, we do not take it into consideration, as some cooks chemically enhance the smoke ring in order to give a better presentation score. The latter has been explained in class.
