Question for IBCA cookers

[MoKanMeathead]

In IBCA you have to turn in 1/2 of a "fully jointed" chicken. What is a fully jointed chicken? Can I remove the breastbone, ribs, and back bone from the chicken? It would be a 1/2 chicken with the leg, thigh, and wing bones but the breast meat would be basicallt boneless.

Not that I am planning on cooking ant IBCA contests...just wondering. :wink:

 

[gmholler]

In IBCA you have to turn in 1/2 of a "fully jointed" chicken. What is a fully jointed chicken? Can I remove the breastbone, ribs, and back bone from the chicken? It would be a 1/2 chicken with the leg, thigh, and wing bones but the breast meat would be basicallt boneless.

Not that I am planning on cooking ant IBCA contests...just wondering. :wink:

The backbone you'll often have to remove to get the box to close.

As far as removing the breastbone and ribs, I've personally never seen that done and I don't think it's a good idea, but I don't know how you'd do it so that the chicken wouldn't look really different from others and be considered a marked tray. A "fully jointed" chicken is just that - "[FONT=&quot]one half (1/2) fully jointed domestic chicken that includes a breast, wing, thigh, and drumstick".

Lynn H.
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[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Lynn H. is 100% correct. Only the backbone may be removed to assist in closing the box. The passage below is from IBCA:

Yes removing the backbone is okay - but you should cut the keel bone as close to half as you can - The main reason that it is legal to remove the backbone to help in making the chicken half to lay down into the turn-in trays for those that think that the bigger chicken then cook the more that the judges will eat - which is not the situation at all - they are allow 1 bite - either white or dark meat but not both. --

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING IBCA
Lynn Shivers
Executive Administrator
817-389-2214
817-389-2294 fax
info@ibcabbq.org www.ibcabbq.org

 

[chromesporty]

Wayne-Remove only the backbone then trim the ribs flush. Cut the breastbone in half.
Done down with trimming. Wasn't that easy?

 

[thillin]

I always remove the backbone.

 

[benjet]

In IBCA you have to turn in 1/2 of a "fully jointed" chicken. What is a fully jointed chicken? Can I remove the breastbone, ribs, and back bone from the chicken? It would be a 1/2 chicken with the leg, thigh, and wing bones but the breast meat would be basicallt boneless.

Not that I am planning on cooking ant IBCA contests...just wondering. :wink:

That's the way I've turned mine in and it was a qualified entry. I could add that it was a 6lb chicken and barely fit in the oversized box even after doing all that work. The head judge said "I've never in my life seen a bird that big", I replied "I thought everything was bigger in Texas", apparently not the fowl.

 

[ZILLA]

There is a very slick technique for removing that Sternum bone in the breast. When done properly it allows for a very clean cut down the center between the two breast halves. If the backbone is cut out correctly the two halves can be trimmed very nicely. Chickens that have a starting weight between 5lbs and 5.25lbs (with an empty cavity) fit perfectly in the container either when turning in one half in a 9x9 or both halves in the large container. This weight bird also cooks out very well grilling or smoking. As long as the chicken half has the leg, thigh, breast and wing attached and is not deboned in anyway you will be fine.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Zilla,

per IBCA executive director Lynn Shivers, you cannot remove anything other than the Backbone. You can't legally remove the breast bone or any other bone.

 

[RangerJ]

per IBCA executive director Lynn Shivers, you cannot remove anything other than the Backbone. You can't legally remove the breast bone or any other bone.

Interesting note, considering judges are recruited from the general populace as long as they leave their adult beverage outside the judging area.

 

[Dustaway]

Zilla,

per IBCA executive director Lynn Shivers, you cannot remove anything other than the Backbone. You can't legally remove the breast bone or any other bone.

Chicken — one half (1/2) fully jointed domestic chicken that includes a breast, wing, thigh, and drumstick. (NO Cornish Game Hens)
As Zill has stated before you can do his method.

Interesting note, considering judges are recruited from the general populace as long as they leave their adult beverage outside the judging area.

What does that haft to do with the question?

 

[Bayou Boogie BBQ]

Can somebody tell me how you can cut a breastbone down the middle? I know that some cooks cut the chicken where only one half has the breastbone, but they cook both halves. If the half with out the breastbone comes out better they turn that in. I've never seen a DQ for this. Since the breastbone is not a joint (like the backbone) I think it should be removable. I can't find any written rule that you can't remove the breastbone or where you can remove the backbone. Of course this is just my opinion. As always I could be and probably am wrong. Lynn S is the boss and I will do what she says, but I think maybe this is a rule that should be discussed at the next IBCA meeting.

 

[chromesporty]

Can somebody tell me how you can cut a breastbone down the middle?

With these:

 

[Alexa RnQ]

We've cooked our share of IBCA contests, and I've never seen a DQ for removed breastbone either, including contests at which Lynn herself was the head judge.

 

[thillin]

I also remove the breastbone on every chicken half I turn in. I was consistantly top 5-10 last year.

This is the technique I use, then seperate the halves. LINK
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/butterflychicken.html

 

[GrillsGoneWild]

I think the problem is the lingo being used. I believe Lynn is trying to say that you can't debone the breast to have a boneless breast meat. Taking out the cartlidge that holds the two breasts together can be removed (and is suggested). Once you remove that cartlidge, a sharp knife or kitchen scissors is all you need to split the breasts up.

 

[gmholler]

I'm not the Lynn being referenced, but I think GrillsGoneWild is on the right track. Don't make too much of this; the judges are asked to take small bites to start with - judging isn't a substitute for lunch! Nor are the vast majority of them specialists in chicken anatomy. And the main thing you want to stay away from is butchering the chicken so much that it's so vastly different from the rest of the meat turned in that it's obviously a marked tray!

Lynn H.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

I was really only trying to help.... In fact i would prefer removing the breast bone and was practicing the same method as THILLIN posted in the link. Then i saw a post saying only the backbone could be removed. Being a new cook, i emailed IBCA and asked for a clarification so I would not accidentally break any rules. Below is my original email and the reply from IBCA:
Hello,
>
> I am hoping i can get a clarification on a rule. I keep reading conflicting
information on what constitutes a 1/2 chicken. The rule is listed as:
>
> Chicken — one half (1/2) fully jointed domestic chicken that includes a
breast, wing, thigh, and drumstick. (NO Cornish Game Hens)
>
> I am told that it is ok to remove the backbone (tail and neck) but it is Not
ok to remove the Keel (breast bone). My questions are:
> 1. Is the above statement correct?
> 2. If i am removing the back bone then is it really "fully jointed" and if so
why would removing the keel bone be different?
> 3. If the Keel bone has to be included, do i have to cut it perfectly in half?
If i do not then one half of the chicken may end up without the keel bone which
could theoretically open me to disqualification should that piece be turned in
for judging.
> Thanks in advance for your time.
> Clint

IBCA Reply:
Yes removing the backbone is okay - but you should cut the keel bone as close to
half as you can -

The main reason that it is legal to remove the backbone to help in making the
chicken half to lay down into the turn-in trays for those that think that the
bigger chicken then cook the more that the judges will eat - which is not the
situation at all - they are allow 1 bite - either white or dark meat but not
both.

--
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING IBCA

Lynn Shivers
Executive Administrator
817-389-2214
817-389-2294 fax
info@ibcabbq.org
www.ibcabbq.org

 

[thillin]

What if you buy chickens already halved and there is no keel bone on either one? I'll most likely see Lynn and I'll press the issue. I had a seasoned comp cook refer me to the link I posted to half chickens. He's head judged a few of the area IBCA comps. But it's gonna be a grey area unless they put the wording in the rules to make it black and white. As the rules are written, you can trim it down as long as it's fully jointed. I'll continue to remove the keel bone, wishbone, fat globs, excess skin, etc until it's ruled on otherwise. Is it cheating? No. Does it give me an edge? Who really knows. Can anyone do the same? Yes.

 

[Carnivorous Endeavors BBQ]

Thillin,

I agree with your point of view. It should be allowed to be removed. It does not affect the shape and would not in any way make the turn in "marked". It serves no purpose on a 1/2 chicken. There is still the leg, wing, breast and thigh. I was simply worried about getting a DQ so i asked IBCA. My only point is that if something is allowed for one team it should be allowed for all teams and i don't think anyone can disagree that.

 

[ZILLA]

I wish you wouldn't bring it up to her. I have never in all my cooks seen a judge check under a chicken. Just forget it, nobody will ever know the difference because that's not what we are looking for.