ICBA comp in KCBS territory...

[Brian in So Cal]

Thom sets up several of these IBCA comps each year in Cali, and these are a lot of fun to do.

 

[Bentley]

When you put something in all caps it is yelling.

I was looking at the IBCA rules last week for last weekends event.

Dustaway just cut and paste, that is the way it is on the IBCA webs site...LOL

 

[Countryhb]

This is one of the few times you will ever hear this come out of my mouth..."Listen to Thom on this". We Left Coasters compete in quite a few IBCAs put together by Thom and he does a great job...except for explaining in full thoughts...

 

[ThomEmery]

HUH what you say?

 

[C Rocke]

HUH what you say?

That's about as full a thought as you'll get...

 

[ThomEmery]

Always got to go one more dont ya sweetie?

 

[Jeff Hughes]

I cook the chicken and ribs for our team in IBCA. One thing I found with the chicken (also been told) When you cut the chicken in half use the one side with the backbone still on it. It stands up a little better. My butcher can split the backbone so sometimes I have him do it.

Hope that helps some.

Yes, that helps...

Thank You...

 

[ThomEmery]

You can remove the Backbone if the Bird will be difficult to fit in the box
The smallest Chicken you can find is a best bet
Cornish Game Hens are not legal in these contests

 

[tony76248]

Oh Brudder.......

ya'll are making it tough here.....

Cook two half chickens, turn in the best half (the joke here is that we always turn in the wrong half) unless it is a large event and then you need to turn in both halves. I suggest that you completely remove the backbone (it sits lower in the tray), cook the chicken, add sauce at the end if you use sauce. Most folks will try to cook it on, but it has a tendency to pool up in the valley under the wing. Don't use too much sauce or it will pool into the tray. If it does pool, use a paper towel to sop it up prior to turn in. It isn't rocket science......

In reality, the rules governing judging allow the judges to taste one bite of the chicken (actually all meats) and to be fair, you should taste the same type meat on all chickens, therefore if you start with dark meat, stick to it for all the entries.

I have done pretty well with chickens over the last few years in IBCA. Feel free to email me or you can call me if you have any questions about any of the categories.

Also remember that you do not need to sauce brisket for it to be good. Do not sauce the back side of your brisket or you will be DQ'd. If your brisket isn't that good and you feel the need to sauce it, then wait until you get home to do it......

Also, Spares only, no BB's. They look better anyway, so there isn't a need to debate here.....

BTW we don't use garnish because it is a meat contest. While that statement may elude some of you, it is definitely true. :icon_shy

 

[thillin]

Ditto on removing the backbone all together. Tony has some good advice. It goes along way.

And yep, take a paper towel when you walk it to turn in.

And at the Keller comp, No trimming brisket end after cooking to fit in the box. They would DQ as marking. They said make it curve to fit.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

I trim brisket to box size before cooking already...

No sauce works for me, but will it work for KCBS acclimated judges?

Thanks the helps guys...

 

[tony76248]

I trim brisket to box size before cooking already...

No sauce works for me, but will it work for KCBS acclimated judges?

Thanks the helps guys...

As far as KCBS acclimated judges go.... my thoughts are that they should read the rules and abide by them. I have seen where folks at a IBCA event last year in California (the pictures were posted here) did sauce the brisket. They were not DQ'd but should have been.

The rules in IBCA are very plain and simple and the head judge should be able to keep things straight. Plus you get the added bonus of not having to garnish.

I think that folks will find that if you abide by the IBCA rules, they will find that with one overall score that it will be all about taste and texture and appearance will have very little weight. I have seen some of the best melt in your mouth ribs win 1st place and they looked like they were black. Now that isn't the way I do mine, but at least everyone has a chance if the food tastes good. That's the best part about IBCA if the meat is good, they will score well regardless of what an individual judge's idea of appearance is.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

As far as KCBS acclimated judges go.... my thoughts are that they should read the rules and abide by them.

If only...

Thanks again...

 

[Gowan]

Very helpful thread. My team will be trying our first IBCA event this year. Thanks to all the experienced cooks who have chimed in to help orient us newbies!

 

[Vince RnQ]

The whole IBCA "cooked on" thing with sauce can be confusing but in reality those of us who do KCBS more often than IBCA tend to over think it. Most people in KCBS cook on their sauce on chicken and ribs so it really isn't any different. It's the brisket that often causes problems. (Pork also if that meat is being used in the IBCA event.)

The rules on the IBCA website, http://www.ibcabbq.org/topbar/rul.html , clearly state that the sauce is to be cooked on so the only way to know for sure what the expectation for that day's event will be is to consult directly with the Head Judge and then hope that that standard is what is actually enforced at the event.