Lettuce Discuss Presentation

[ApronGuy]

Please pardon my ignorance about compeition Que, but I was wondering why is lettuce used so much in presentation?

Is that a KCBS regulation?

[The_Kapn]

Lettuce (more accurately garnish) is optional in KCBS and prohibited in FBA and some other sanctioning bodies.

From the KCBS cooks rule handbook--(see KCBS link above right),

"Garnish is optional. If used, it is limited to chopped, sliced, shredded or whole leaves of fresh green lettuce, curly parsley, flat leaf parsley and/or cilantro.

Kale, endive, red tipped lettuce, lettuce cores and other vegetation are prohibited. (Improper garnish shall receive a score of one (1) on Appearance)"

As to "why"--it is a paradigm buried in history somewhere

"Hot Button" topic and this will probably start it all over again.

TIM

Mod note: It kind of ran together on what was and wasn't permitted, I separated out into 2 paragraphs. Might be an "old age" thing on my part. :) Mr. Kick
Mod reply: Agree 100%. Typical "rule book" grammar TIM

[ApronGuy]

Originally Posted by The_Kapn

"Hot Button" topic and this will probably start it all over again.

Well, I apologize if I'm starting something by this thread. The newbies need to know, I suppose.

I personally would FREAK OUT on someone who served lettuce next to my beloved BBQ.

I think I'll form my own BBQ Association. The Adam BBQ Association. (ABA)

Rule #1: All vegetables except beans and 'taters prohibited.

[The_Kapn]

No need to apologize.
There are just a handful of topics that evoke strong emotions and this is one of them

As to garnish or not--not really a big deal to most of us.

This is about competition, not reality
Has nothing to do with logic.

TIM

[scottyd]

Lets just put it in the box naked with out lettuce or parsley. Let the food be there for it self. that's how I am doing it this year and hey I scored a 9th in pork in Bellview. Maybe with garnish I could have scored better Hmm. I guess I will never know. Naked is where I am at. It is a Meat contest. Meat Meat Meat Meat!!!!!!!!! just my thoughts.

Moderater you may delete me if you wish. but I still go naked No Garnish this year.

[ModelMaker]

Just out of curiosity, could you post some porn of your next naked boxes?
(you other farkers, don't even start!!)
ModelMaker

[BrooklynQ]

Personally I like garnish. To me it makes it the meat look much much better and the color contrast between the green/red brown is very attractive.

It also holds the meat in place for any presentation in the box.

Here's a link to some pictures....Turn in Boxes.

[bbqjoe]

Once again, I don't compete. I serve all my meats "Dry". I believe your meat should be able to "Stand alone."
I think that it is not a beauty/presentation contest. It is about the meat.

Just my competetion uneducated opinion.

[ApronGuy]

I just never understood how lettuce somehow got equated with aesthetics.

[parrothead]

I always welcome the discussion. I don't care wid or wid out. I'll do it.

[Sawdustguy]

Lets put it this way. It is next to impossible to win without garnish in a KCBS event. Face it guys we all eat with our eyes and the garnish is meant to make our turn look more appetising. The reason the KCBS has limited our choice in garnish is to prevent marking. Don't forget you are being judged on appearance. If garnishing gets me a better mark from the judges I will garnish. If you have been following the competition section of the forum you have probably seen my thread about how I was wrongly disqualified on our chicken turn in. When you disqualify like that you are given a 1 in appearance across the board. Getting 1's in appearance cost us about 4 places. We would have finished 7th overall instead of 12th out of 42 teams (based on getting 6's instead of 1's in appearance) You may turn in your meat ungarnished but don't bitch if it does not win.

[voodoobbqIL]

I agree with Guy. His Chicken looked so good that I betting that 50% of the folks who relplied to that thread went home and made that. He would have scored 6's on the apperance...8 minumum I would guess.
I also think the meat should be the focal point and that is why the garnish is important to our turn ins. If I throw the meat in the box, no mater how good I make it look, it still is in what is essentially a Doggie Bag from a rib shack somewhere. The greens under the meat separate that meat that all of us just spent the last 12 hours+ preparing from a non-bio-degradable piece of Styrofoam. We like to think of it as nice throne for the meat to be on in a really plain castle. AND, the plus we have found is that if per chance you have some really juice pork or brisket etc you have something to hide any juices that might collect. It does not happen often but it can happen. Obviously when we cook for family and friends we "don't need no stinkin' garnish". But when I am trying to impress total strangers who I will never likely meet, bring on the flat leaf and lettuce.

That's my 2, good luck.