Rule Question: Deep Frying

[ique]

Originally Posted by Slamdunkpro

I remember this. What struck me about that incident was that the rep didn't bother to go ask the competitor, they just assumed it was fried and DQ'd it at the judge's table.

This was the last year of the infamous Grill Kings event I believe. It was an unfortunate DQ but should the rep really stop everything, go out to the tent and ask the team if they fried and then make the call on DQ? Push the boundaries of legality and you will get burned eventually. Its happened to me multiple times in NEBS grilling contests.

[roksmith]

Yea.. I think they should. It's part of their job.
To decide that the manner in which something was cooked without seeing it, or at least asking the cooks about it is completely wrong.

[Slamdunkpro]

Originally Posted by ique

This was the last year of the infamous Grill Kings event I believe. It was an unfortunate DQ but should the rep really stop everything, go out to the tent and ask the team if they fried and then make the call on DQ?

Yes, absolutely. If the rep or a contest official didn't see it being fried, poached, parted and put back in the cooker or whatever, no sculpting, no sauce pooling, there are no foreign objects or illegal garnish in the box, and it's the correct type and cut of meat how can they arbitrarily decide how the meat was prepared and DQ the box? So many cooks are now doing all their prep and cooking behind tent walls or enclosed trailers that unless the contest officials / reps actually walk around and spot check cookers (what a concept), they have no idea how any of the turn ins are prepared. Cooks operate on an honor system and it works pretty well. The rep in this case made an incorrect assumption and punished an honest cook for it.

Fearless prediction: There will be a huge blow up at a big money event this year over how a competitor cooked their meat.

[CivilWarBBQ]

Originally Posted by Brew-B-Q

So one could pan fry smoked, not fully cooked, chicken in hot oil as long as it isn't fully submerged? I'm not familiar with the rule, as I never considered frying my chicken, but this is an interesting thread.

I believe there was a ruling against breading a while back, but there are so many cooks doing the butter bath thing currently it would be a huge flap to attempt to stop the practice now. But I suppose the answer to your hypothetical question is yes.

[Diva Q]

Originally Posted by Ford

Lesson learned from this - if you plan to try anything out of the norm let the reps know on Friday so they have advance notice of what you are doing. I'd even provide pics of their practice for the reps to see.

Absolutely great advice. Bring the rep over to your site if need be and show them what you are doing. Saves getting the DQ at the end if assumptions are made.

[DawgPhan]

Originally Posted by roksmith

Yea.. I think they should. It's part of their job.
To decide that the manner in which something was cooked without seeing it, or at least asking the cooks about it is completely wrong.

No their job is to make the call. You want to push the envelope go ahead, but know you might get your hand slapped...

The cook should have cleared the method with the rep prior to the contest.

[Rich Parker]

Originally Posted by CajunSmoker

It's gonna be a thin line and will depend on who's the rep.

One of the New England teams floured there chicken a couple years back and then cooked it hot to crisp it. Got DQ'd even though they didn't fry it, it gave the impression of fried chicken and that was enough for the DQ.

I think this is the thread that showed the floured chicken.

Two Fat Polocks BBQ
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...=fried+chicken

[CajunSmoker]

Originally Posted by Rich Parker

I think this is the thread that showed the floured chicken.

Two Fat Polocks BBQ
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...=fried+chicken

That's the one. I couldn't remember if it was the Anchormen or the Polocks

[AZScott]

If you have any questions about a cooking method could you call KCBS to get a ruling in writing before the contest?

[Tweedle]

I just finished this thread and then poof here it is again lolk
This talks about the butter method
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=36579

[jbiesinger]

Originally Posted by Tweedle

I just finished this thread and then poof here it is again lolk
This talks about the butter method
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=36579

its funny how, just when you think you understand something....

Thanks for everyone's input!

For semi-full disclosure, my original question had nothing to do with frying to get crispy skin. I was actually looking to fry to achieve bite through skin.

I started thinking along these lines after receiving a box of wings from a local joint that fries the stink out of them. By the time I opened the box and ate one, they were far from crisp but the skin had turned to what amounted to wet tissue paper.

[ique]

Originally Posted by Slamdunkpro

Yes, absolutely. If the rep or a contest official didn't see it being fried, poached, parted and put back in the cooker or whatever, no sculpting, no sauce pooling, there are no foreign objects or illegal garnish in the box, and it's the correct type and cut of meat how can they arbitrarily decide how the meat was prepared and DQ the box?

If I am on the same table as that box my entry will sit there getting cold as the reps walk around the contest to find the cook and ask them if they fried it. No thanks.

And if a rep walks into a competitors tent at 12:10 and asks,.... did you fry this?... answer: uhh... no? I'm not saying anyone is a liar but does the cooks response really matter? Same deal with sculpting... did you mean to put 6 volcano shaped mounds of pulled pork in your box? Its the reps call and they need to make it on the spot. There is no time for a hearing on the legality of a box at a contest. If you dont want to get DQ'd, just cook BBQ.

[Slamdunkpro]

Originally Posted by ique

If I am on the same table as that box my entry will sit there getting cold as the reps walk around the contest to find the cook and ask them if they fried it. No thanks.

That shouldn't happen. The table should proceed as normal while the rep pulls the box number and checks it out. If it's a procedural violation then they should come back and instruct the table to cross out the score for that entry and write in "1"'s . Other entries should not be impacted. At least this is what I was taught in judging class.

Originally Posted by ique

And if a rep walks into a competitors tent at 12:10 and asks,.... did you fry this?... answer: uhh... no? I'm not saying anyone is a liar but does the cooks response really matter? Same deal with sculpting... did you mean to put 6 volcano shaped mounds of pulled pork in your box? Its the reps call and they need to make it on the spot. There is no time for a hearing on the legality of a box at a contest. If you dont want to get DQ'd, just cook BBQ.

Big difference - You can see sculpting. Trying to determine how something was cooked by looking at the end product is iffy at best. People are always talking about how the judges need to take the time, effort and money that cooks put into an event into consideration, shouldn't they be afforded the same consideration if there is a question about preparation?

If you get right down to it, cooking method DQ's should be caught and doled out on-site. If an entry makes it to the judge's table unchallenged, then nobody is really in a position to determine how it was cooked with any accuracy.