Other than meat competition question...

T

Thunder's Wife

Guest
Well, my first KCBS competition is next month (Capital City Cookoff). I think I'm ready for the cooking part, but just have some questions about other rules. For example:

6. "... Propane or electric is permitted as fire starters, provided that the competition meat is not in/on the cooking device." So, I guess I'm ok to use a pot on top of my propane fish fryer base to heat water?

17d. "Sanitizing of work area should be implemented with the use of a bleach/water rinse." So I guess that means those wipes like anti-bacterial Clorox Clean-Ups aren't allowed?

17g. "After cooking, all meat: Must be held at 140 or above OR..." Does someone go around checking to make sure meat you have cooked & wrapped in foil, sitting in a cooler, is at the correct temp?

Just a few thoughts running thru my head. Thanks!

 
6.You can heat water however you like.. a lot of folks will be heating water using electric water heaters.. so have at it.

17d. We use those wipes... usually to sanitize after we've washed a table down.. I can't see anybody giving you a hassle over that unless you are vending. Take a bottle of bleach with you in case they decide to be particular.

17g. Never been checked.. but anything you are going to turn in has to be kept safe for eating. It's not usually had to keep meat at or above 140 until turn-in.

Just have fun and enjoy it.. don't let it stress you out :)
 
Don't sweat the small stuff. You can heat water any way you want to. Sanitizing for vendors requires bleach and water (usually a local health department requirement in addition to good practice) but many contestant non-vendors use the wipes and I've never heard of any problems. Finally, always time your cooks and have your equipment ready to keep meat at the proper temperature before you box it. The time between turn-in and judging cools stuff but it isn't long enough to allow bacterial growth if the entry was properly temped to start with.'

Just be safe and use good general cooking practices. This is a courtesy to the judges and everyone else (including yourself!) who'll eat your food.
 
^^^ What roksmith said.

6. The propane/electric rule only applies to cooking the meat. We heat our water that way then dump it into a 5 gal. Igloo cooler (the beverage type) to keep it hot - works great.

17g. Keep a digital thermometer in your meat while it's in the cooler so you can monitor the temps. Remember, everything can go back on the cooker with the exception of pork after it has been parted/pulled/sliced.
 
We've only done a couple comps but what rocksmith said was our experience as well. They did check the three washing bins though, soapy water, water rinse and then bleach solution. So I'd guess you'd need to bring bleach for that.
 
We keep a small bottle of bleach in our trailer, you only need a copful per gallon of water. We were inspected in Milwaukee last year by a HD inspector. Not sure why, as we weren't vending, but we passed anyway:p

Used to use a 30qt turkey fryer for hot water, but LOVE my Coleman instant. Way less space, and works great. (but it did set me back a few$$$)

Never had cooked meat checked for temp. We had someone use an IR thermo on our raw meat in MI, never saw that before. Usually if it's on ice, they say ok. We've only done 16 total, so others may know more
 
I wouldnt worry about a thing, looks like you got it covered. just keep meat covered/wrapped in coolers, or use a cambro. buy disposable pans and cutting boards, last thing you want to do is wash a cutting board, I even use a different knife for every turn in, just to keep from washing anything during turn in's. the last thing you want to mess with, is washing stuff, watching water boiling, ect.

I really highly doubt that someone is going around making sure you are using bleach water to clean everything, but I just use wipes, like you, and use a bleach water in a spray bottle, with papertowels to clean. I treat everything I turn in like I was serving my family and close friends, which sometimes is the case .

Anyways, GOOD LUCK on your first comp, HAVE fun!
 
Just one more thing from the last KCBS board meeting, regarding amended meat inspection guide.

2. All meats must be stored at a temperature of 40 degrees or less. Use common sense. If the meat is packed in ice, or in a refrigerator and is cold, then it is presumed the meat has met the requirement. Please do no use a temperature probe, injected into the meat, to measure internal temps. You may check the temperature of the ice chest or the refrigerator. We do not want to cross contaminate any meats. Meats, which are warm, must be removed from the contest area and may not be used in competition. Do not open meat packages, which you can see through, unless from the looks you suspect some type of improper marinade.
 
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