Trimming Meat B4 Comps
 

According to the KCBS Rules there is nothing stating that I cannot do all of my trimming at home before a competition but I am told that when the meat inspector comes by they will be very skeptical that all I did was trim the meat if the seal is broken.

I can still do the trimming and cryovac seal it back up for freshness but didnt want to have a disqualification when the meat is inspected.


Any suggestions or details on how you handle this since it would save alot of time on Friday before a competition.

You shouldn't have to do anything special. You may need to take your pre-trimmed meat out of the packaging so the inspector can get a closer look. Some people save the original label from the packaging, but I am not sure what that proves.

Its legal, don't let a meat inspector tell you it is a problem.

doing anything but trimming is pretty obvious, you'll be able to see injection holes in the big pieces, and idk why anyone would brine or marinate chicken for more than a few hours anyways. Ribs, not much there but take off the membrane and trim em up. Keep the label, or receipt to show date of purchase, vac seal if you can.

The trimming would be primarily for the chicken and the brisket. Ribs and pork butts arent an issue.

idk, trimming is such a PITA, I honestly think for my next comp i am fully trimming everything the nite before. It's cleaner, got a real sink right there to wash up after each meat, can spend a little more time in the comfort of your own home, and lets you arrive that much later to set up and get going, trimming chicken alone takes like 2hrs. Butts and ribs id still pretty up at home and bring them ready to season and put on.

I trim as much as possible at home. Always chicken. Sometimes that's it, but I try to do all four when possible.

As for saving receipts or labels, I don't bother since KCBS doesn't require it.

True, but if the Health Dept shows up at a contest and wants to see them, they can. It's a PITA, and rare, but it happens.

Been trimming before comps for 5 years and haven't had a KCBS rep or Meat inspector question pretrimmed stuff. Just the HD.

Russ, you need to cook Rio Rancho....

The HD cannot get involved unless you are feeding the public, in that case they would need to do a full inspection. They have no right to get involved with a KCBS event.

I pre trim when possible and have never had a problem.

bingo!!!!

Well that may be true but I know of instances where they came by to inspect. Checked temps as well using IR for surface temp. Bottom line is if they want to get involved the organizer can't stop them and the KCBS has no say. And as petty as it is they are the law in that county/state and can shut down the comp if they want. Contest meat inspectors are antoher story and the Rep can be called in to fix a problem.

Keep labels if going to NV, NM for sure. And if there's peoples choice the odds of an HD inspection in other States go up.

The HD has no right to come into a comp where meat is only being served to judges and inspect, it is a private organization. It would be along the lines of inspecting a cookout in your backyard. They may think they have the right because no one ever questions them, I will tell you one thing and that is a fact. If they come marching in my site and had no reason to be there I would tell them to go scratch and use their wanna be authority muscles on someone else. I would pass with flying colors, but I hate when governmental departments stick their noses where they don't belong.

Rio Rancho has HD inspectors for prep, hold, ice, hand wash & general knowledge of food safety; FD for fire ext & gas inspector for propane compliance and leak testing of connections.

With all that being said, never had an issue with pre-prep as it is more sanitary to do at home with real running water and covered space.

We always pre-prep our chicken and brisket...:cool: Never had a problem or inspection from the local HD unless we were vending to the public.

On the very rare occasions when a Health Inspector has attempted to go after cook teams at a contest in these parts, all it took was a few cooks going to the organizer and asking for refunds of their entry fee because they were going home.

The Inspector disappears quickly at that point.