Garnish
- Thread starter Pappy Q
- Start date
Bourbon Barrel BBQ
is one Smokin' Farker
We've scored decent at times with our pork box with no garnish in it. Never brave enough to do it with other categories yet.
Rookie'48
Quintessential Chatty Farker
In theory it shouldn't matter. Notice that I said "In theory". :mad2:
The new CBJ classes are shown two boxes for each category up on the screen. One has garnish, one doesn't. Judges are reminded at each judges meeting not to judge the garnish or lack thereof. I still don't know if I'd risk it
.
The new CBJ classes are shown two boxes for each category up on the screen. One has garnish, one doesn't. Judges are reminded at each judges meeting not to judge the garnish or lack thereof. I still don't know if I'd risk it
.
Rookie'48
Quintessential Chatty Farker
I should have added that I do my best to ignore the green stuff after checking it for legality. The big problem with the garnish / no garnish debate comes down to this:
Imagine that you have two identical pictures of the Mona Lisa.
Put one picture in a frame from Tiffany's.
Put the other one in a frame from a dollar store.
Observe the difference.
Same basic picture, different perception.
Imagine that you have two identical pictures of the Mona Lisa.
Put one picture in a frame from Tiffany's.
Put the other one in a frame from a dollar store.
Observe the difference.
Same basic picture, different perception.
columbia1
is one Smokin' Farker
Given a choice I would always go for the garnish, even if the judges were to score both boxes the same, garnish helps hold your meat in place and keeps it from sliding around in the box.
Uncle Buds BBQ
is one Smokin' Farker
Like others have said we judge the meat as presented....but...
In the dozen contests I have judged this year I have yet to see a box cross my table without garnish. So why handicap yourself?
S
Smoke Ring
Guest
You usually don't have very long to look at an entry, usually only a few seconds, and come up with an appearance score. Unfortunately most of that time is used up looking for illegal garnish rather than evaluating the meat. If you really want judges to focus on the meat then get rid of the garnish. It serves no purpose.
S
Smoke Ring
Guest
If judges judge the meat as presented then why is no garnish a "handicap"? That's a contradictory statement.
Uncle Buds BBQ
is one Smokin' Farker
Garnish does a few things...
1. It can help to elevate the meat.
2. It can keep the meat from sliding around in the box.
3. It can hide any puddling of juices or sauce.
So those teams that don't use garnish MAY lose appearance points without it.
Pappy Q
is Blowin Smoke!
You are absolutely correct in this reasoning. It makes no sense to not garnish since that is the expectation but I've been known to do stupid things before. It will probably end up being a last minute decision. If I get ballsy enough to try it, I'll post the results.
SuperQue
Full Fledged Farker
I judged last Saturday and honestly I don't remember noticing the garnish until someone asked. I focus totally on the meat
GreenDrake
is Blowin Smoke!
I have mentioned this before but I am of the opinion that at the cook's meeting they should hand out standard 9x9 patches of astro turf that looks like nice dark putting green. It should not be judged but is, therefore the playing field is leveled and the food quality probably improves because people are not spending hours trying to make a putting green so pretty. I am also biased because I hate the parsley box, I hate parsley. Parsley should be hung from the rafters of the tents, shot up close with a high caliber weapon, burned then tossed in a river. It's a meat competition.
SaucyWench
Full Fledged Farker
Because I'd never run across an un-garnished box since being certified in 2001, I used to wonder if I could fairly judge one. A couple years ago, I got my chance with a naked box full of amazing looking chicken. I seriously did not notice that there wasn't any greenery at first, because the meat just looked so wonderful!
I wouldn't exactly advise you to try going naked, but I hope the judges would remember we are only to judge the meat if you do!
I wouldn't exactly advise you to try going naked, but I hope the judges would remember we are only to judge the meat if you do!
bignburlyman
is one Smokin' Farker
I am the same way, someone could put green spagettii in the box and I may not notice, lol.
I have judged a few boxes without garnish, but honestly they were poorly tossed together in the first place, and the meat was not attractive, that garnish covering the meat may have helped.
ModelMaker
Quintessential Chatty Farker
I've always thought that a green 9x9 meat mat (like you get in the bottom of your meat purchase at the store) provided with your boxes at the cooks meeting would end and solve the parsley issue.
I spent some time on the internet looking at options and it could be done but would be a special order requiring a large quantity purchase. Since organisers are the ones that provide boxes it would not be feasible for each contest to purchase large quantities.
KCBS could make the purchase and sell at cost but logistics for organisers would be prohibitive.
If KCBS took the bull by the horns it could be done but organisers would have to purchase them etc. etc.
Just a thought...
Ed
I spent some time on the internet looking at options and it could be done but would be a special order requiring a large quantity purchase. Since organisers are the ones that provide boxes it would not be feasible for each contest to purchase large quantities.
KCBS could make the purchase and sell at cost but logistics for organisers would be prohibitive.
If KCBS took the bull by the horns it could be done but organisers would have to purchase them etc. etc.
Just a thought...
Ed
bignburlyman
is one Smokin' Farker
I like this idea, and I would think if a demand for smaller quanities started then someone with a BBQ supply business would purchase the large quanities and break the bulk down into smaller numbers. Someone on another thread had suggested green butcher paper in the box. That could be another possibility. I know that the expense for the parsley/lettuce that is used for the boxes goes right in the trash after judging. Seems a waste to me.
