Pre-trimming meat, how early?

[tduffy]

Last year I pre-trimmed chicken only at home. This year I'm going to start trimming all meat at home. How early in the week can a person do this and not affect or spoil anything If you are bagging in ziplocks and sealing chicken with food saver? Last year I did it on Thursday nights but I already have enough on my plate on Thursdays. Your advice and expertise on the subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[BBQ Church]

I trim all meats Wednesday with no problems for the competition. I do keep the trimmed meats in a dedicated refrigerator, not the one in the kitchen that gets opened often.

 

[tduffy]

I trim all meats Wednesday with no problems for the competition. I do keep the trimmed meats in a dedicated refrigerator, not the one in the kitchen that gets opened often.

Thanks. I do the same. I have a dedicated comp meat fridge.

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday night at midnight :-D...

We shoot for Wednesday but if the schedule is open for a different day then we run with it.

 

[Untraceable]

Usually lean wednesday/thursday (ribs/brisket). But its raining out today and might try a tuesday jobber here so I can take care of the lawn on the nicer days this week.

Wendsday is nice for ribs, find a shiner and get another day to procure a replacement.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I have prepped ribs and chicken mid week on Wednesday and I just wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and put my meats back in the fridge.

 

[Rookie'48]

I "try" :roll: to get everything trimmed Wednesday evening because Thursday is garbage day..

 

[tduffy]

I have prepped ribs and chicken mid week on Wednesday and I just wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and put my meats back in the fridge.

I didn't know you've actually cooked a contest before.

Something tells me kcbs meat inspectors are not going to be too impressed with meat wrapped in foil when it comes to verifying legal cuts of meat.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I didn't know you've actually cooked a contest before.

Something tells me kcbs meat inspectors are not going to be too impressed with meat wrapped in foil when it comes to verifying legal cuts of meat.

No they didn't have a problem with it in Lanexa, VA. They opened the packs up and checked the ribs as we only had ribs pre trimmed. No issues with the way we wrapped at all that I was made aware of.

We cook Amateur we are not a pro team. We have cooked twice in New Wilmington an amateur event for some reason we do terrible there. Yet in VA we got a 7th in ribs and 13th in Pork and 10th overall. We wrap in pans for chicken and ribs get plastic wrap and then foil and put on ice. We wrap them pretty tight. I have no problem opening them up for them. It is not against the rules so I don't see the problem. Don't get me wrong I would love a food saver but this was how I was instructed to wrap meat when I worked as a meat prep cook. I was under the chef so I just did what I was told. It is completely safe. Pork I just leave in the package and trimmed it at the contest. In Lanexa we had a kcbs rep inspect our meat and he was really awesome. He was a huge help in explaining everything. It really was a blast and I plan to compete in Lanexa every year because it was a blast. The Pickin N Pullin competition was our first and only one overnight so far. I can't wait to do it again. I never have had so much fun in my life. I know it was amateur and not a big deal but for us getting a top 10 finish over all out of 21 teams and a 7th in ribs I was over the moon about it as we improved. We are competing in Buckhannon WV on June 20 in the backyard event. We are also trying to get into the Shade Tree division at the Jack Daniels Invitational. The Shade Tree is the backyard division you probably already know that or could figure it out.

I know a lot of people view me as a troll but I am really not trolling. I am just terrible with people when I communicate over the net. I think I tend to be better with people in person. Not saying I haven't had the occasional spat with someone but usually it is minor. I don't remember the last time I argued with someone in person. Seems to just be on the net I have problems communicating with people.

If you are ever at a contest that I am at stop by and say hello get to know me before you pass judgment on me. I love to cook bbq and I do it constantly I just don't post every single cook. I would love to shoot the breeze with anyone who wants to meet me just to see what I am really like.

 

[Pappy Q]

I have prepped ribs and chicken mid week on Wednesday and I just wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and put my meats back in the fridge.

How many comps have you done?

 

[ITBFQ]

I usually trim ribs and pork on Thursdays, but that does make for a busy night. They go into the XL ziploc bags and into the fridge. Then into the meat cooler Friday morning.

 

[Ron_L]

I "try" :roll: to get everything trimmed Wednesday evening because Thursday is garbage day..

That's exactly why I trim on Wednesday :thumb:

 

[tduffy]

That's exactly why I trim on Wednesday :thumb:

Nothing is worse than rotting chicken in the trash. Luckily I have a great relationship with a local butcher who lets me throw that in his dumpster that gets picked up several times a week.

 

[K-Train]

Weds night for me. However when I know time will be limited I have prepped,vac sealed, and frozen chicken a few weeks early. I know that isn't the best situation though.

 

[tduffy]

No they didn't have a problem with it in Lanexa, VA. They opened the packs up and checked the ribs as we only had ribs pre trimmed. No issues with the way we wrapped at all that I was made aware of.

We cook Amateur we are not a pro team. We have cooked twice in New Wilmington an amateur event for some reason we do terrible there. Yet in VA we got a 7th in ribs and 13th in Pork and 10th overall. We wrap in pans for chicken and ribs get plastic wrap and then foil and put on ice. We wrap them pretty tight. I have no problem opening them up for them. It is not against the rules so I don't see the problem. Don't get me wrong I would love a food saver but this was how I was instructed to wrap meat when I worked as a meat prep cook. I was under the chef so I just did what I was told. It is completely safe. Pork I just leave in the package and trimmed it at the contest. In Lanexa we had a kcbs rep inspect our meat and he was really awesome. He was a huge help in explaining everything. It really was a blast and I plan to compete in Lanexa every year because it was a blast. The Pickin N Pullin competition was our first and only one overnight so far. I can't wait to do it again. I never have had so much fun in my life. I know it was amateur and not a big deal but for us getting a top 10 finish over all out of 21 teams and a 7th in ribs I was over the moon about it as we improved. We are competing in Buckhannon WV on June 20 in the backyard event. We are also trying to get into the Shade Tree division at the Jack Daniels Invitational. The Shade Tree is the backyard division you probably already know that or could figure it out.

I know a lot of people view me as a troll but I am really not trolling. I am just terrible with people when I communicate over the net. I think I tend to be better with people in person. Not saying I haven't had the occasional spat with someone but usually it is minor. I don't remember the last time I argued with someone in person. Seems to just be on the net I have problems communicating with people.

If you are ever at a contest that I am at stop by and say hello get to know me before you pass judgment on me. I love to cook bbq and I do it constantly I just don't post every single cook. I would love to shoot the breeze with anyone who wants to meet me just to see what I am really like.

So first you tell me you prep ribs and chicken on Wednesday and then you say you only prepped ribs. So that makes me wonder if you've really ever done any of it.

I see a problem. It's inefficient and messy to be opening up foiled meat packages to show meat inspectors when if they are in vac packs or ziplock bags it's as simple as them looking in the cooler and checking you off their list. Everything I do from the beginning of the week to loading the trailer after last turn in is done to be as efficient as possible and eliminate as many steps and time as I can. Your method takes something simple and turns it into a waste of time.

 

[didisea]

For Sat/Sun contests, I trim chicken and freeze it in ziplocs on Monday/Tuesday. If I'm doing back to back to back weekends, I'll even try and trim chicken way in advance so I don't have to worry about doing it.

On Wednesday, I buy the ribs and pork, and trim it on Thursday and put it in 2 gal ziplocks. The brisket is trimmed on Thursday as well and hopefully fits into a 2.5 gal Ziploc (I find those ziplocs at Walmart). As long as your chicken, pork, and ribs are very fresh and not right on their sell by date, you should be able to trim them on Wednesday. Also, how hot it is outside and the cooling power of your ice chest ultimately plays a part. I use 2 ice chests and put my cam chiller plates in the bottom, then the meat, and ice paks on top. In the PNWBA, when they do meat inspection, they have a temp gun to actually temp the meat, so I always want mine really cold.

 

[INmitch]

I trim chicken in March vac seal and freeze.
I'll trim a few comps of ribs at a time and vac seal and freeze.
I'm cooking a bunch of ribs for a bachelor party next week. I'm going to cherry pick the best racks and trim n freeze enough for my next and last 4 comps for the year.
Pork I trim week of.
Brisket trimmed weekend or two before the comp.

 

[Kave Dweller]

Chicken I trim weekend before and freeze (Note: I'm known for horrible chicken)

Big's and ribs weds or Thursday night.

 

[tduffy]

For Sat/Sun contests, I trim chicken and freeze it in ziplocs on Monday/Tuesday. If I'm doing back to back to back weekends, I'll even try and trim chicken way in advance so I don't have to worry about doing it.

On Wednesday, I buy the ribs and pork, and trim it on Thursday and put it in 2 gal ziplocks. The brisket is trimmed on Thursday as well and hopefully fits into a 2.5 gal Ziploc (I find those ziplocs at Walmart). As long as your chicken, pork, and ribs are very fresh and not right on their sell by date, you should be able to trim them on Wednesday. Also, how hot it is outside and the cooling power of your ice chest ultimately plays a part. I use 2 ice chests and put my cam chiller plates in the bottom, then the meat, and ice paks on top. In the PNWBA, when they do meat inspection, they have a temp gun to actually temp the meat, so I always want mine really cold.

I got a Yeti. It can almost freeze stuff if not careful.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

So first you tell me you prep ribs and chicken on Wednesday and then you say you only prepped ribs. So that makes me wonder if you've really ever done any of it.

I see a problem. It's inefficient and messy to be opening up foiled meat packages to show meat inspectors when if they are in vac packs or ziplock bags it's as simple as them looking in the cooler and checking you off their list. Everything I do from the beginning of the week to loading the trailer after last turn in is done to be as efficient as possible and eliminate as many steps and time as I can. Your method takes something simple and turns it into a waste of time.

The ribs were for Lanexa. When we did chicken it was for whitings. Pork and ribs were the only categories in VA.

That's just how I choose to wrap them back up. Saves on buying extra supplies. We use foil and plastic wrap more frequently at home. Either that or Tupperware. No sense buying something we don't use.