IBCA Questions

You can cook the chicken in separate halves or spathcocked if you want. If the thigh becomes unjointed but does not tear away from the rest of the bird you will not be disqualified.

Dipping your brisket slices in the jus will not disqualify you unless it pools in the bottom of your box. Also, separate the fat in your jus or it will leave "jelly" on your slices when they cool.


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I'm sure GMHoller will be along soon with some better explanations as he judges IBCA year round and does a great job, but here's my take after doing IBCA this last year. Yes, the chicken needs to be fully jointed, not in pieces when it is boxed. I usually cook 2 split chickens for each IBCA comp. This gives me 4 to choose from because invariably one will get a bit of skin pulled back or a wingtip burnt, etc. I also try and find birds that weigh 5#'s or less, they just fit into the box better and make for a nicer presentation. As far as the dipping, saucing and pooling of sauces, they suggest you bring a paper towel to turn ins incase you have some pooling of sauces in the bottom of the box, so you can wipe it up. Outside that, GMHoller or another IBCA expert will have to clarify the other answer for you. Good luck with your cooking!

^^ This is my understanding as well.

I guess I'd like to know what you mean by "unjointed"? falls apart and separates from the breast and wing? If that is a yes, then you can't turn that in.

Think 1/2 chicken. That's what goes in the box. Make sure the processing plant has left the wing tip.

for #2.

Meats may be cooked with sauces and/or other liquids, but once the cooking is complete, sauces and/or liquids may not be added once put into tray. NO PUDDLING IN BOTTOM OF TRAY.

Pay attention to my bold, that's a change.

Good luck, I hope to see you out there.

Friscoag said:

Ranger,

What I mean is that when I cook the ball of the joint comes out of its socket. The skin is still all intact, but it's really easy to pull it away from the rest of the bird. It still looks all intact.

Maybe I'm clearly not doing something right.

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If you have 1/2 chicken like these...



Turn em in!

RangerJ said:

If you have 1/2 chicken like these...

Turn em in!

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I need those in Irving next month. Can you fedex'm to me?

RangerJ said:

If you have 1/2 chicken like these...

Turn em in!

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Them's some good lookin' yard birds!

bruno994 said:

I'm sure GMHoller will be along soon with some better explanations as he judges IBCA year round and does a great job,

Click to expand...

Haha you mean "she" right?

Two questions

I am gmholler's husband who is also a head judge. She is currently posting today's IBCA results to their page. Here are some thoughts on the two very good questions:

1. Cooks cannot on purpose cut the pieces of the half chicken. The intent of the action is what is important here. I had a cook ask once if he could cut some rib bones out of his entry so he could flop the chick together to make it cook better (the cooks words). I as head judge disallowed this because of the very rule we are discussing. The intent of the rule is cooks need to prepare a half chicken, not two quarter chickens in the box, and so forth. Talk to the head judge(s) at the event. It helps everyone when cooks and head judges are in the same page.

2. Again, it is the intent of the rule that is important. Adding sauce in excess where it collects on the bottom of the tray is what we are trying to avoid. This is simply a mess waiting to happen in the judging area if it spills. Keeping pieces in juice to keep them moist is not usually a problem, as long as you don't let the juice collect in the bottom. The workers/head judges will likely ask you to blot up and remove excess juice if it is observed in the box at turn-in. Again, talk to the head judge(s) before the event. This is good general advice. Situations are easy to avoid before a problem happens.

I hope this helps. Come over and cook some events in Louisiana. We would love to have you.