KCBS Survey On Possible Pork Rule Change

[gettinbasted]

Anyone ever seen a meat inspector with a scale?
Anyone ever seen a rep spot check a cooker?

Does it really matter what the rule reads?

I get your sentiment, but it does matter because I believe the vast majority of cooks want to play by the rules.

 

[The B]

I'd like to see either #2 or #4. It seems like many of the rule changes/proposed rule changes make it easier to cook the product, hence not needing as much skill as before to make good que. I've been competing for the last 5 years, and this is the first year that I haven't been stoked to get to the next competition, and the next competition, and the next competition because of this direction. Don't get me wrong, this is the best by far we've been doing, and our scores are reflecting that, but in no way are we an elite team.

It seems most comps top 15 scores are above 670. Why is that?

1. Teams are practicing more.

2. People are educating themselves more via classes and the internet.

3. Better tools/smokers.

4. Better cooking processes.

By being a able to separate the MM will make the cooking process that much easier, hence less skills will be required.

The trend to me is that comp BBQ is becoming "too easy". I would like competition BBQ to stay challenging, and not get any easier like the trend has been going.

 

[Atlasman]

How long before we will see guys searing MM's on a propane grill or infrared grate and that will be considered comp bbq LOL

Pork is the only category they are picky over so why bother??.....it's only a matter of time before they cave in and just say pork is "........." and you can cook and turn in whatever part you choose. No differnet then chicken. You don't HAVE to cook and turn in a flat and point and you don't HAVE to cook a full rack of ribs. Why they fuss about pork and nothing else is a bit strange.

Think of the money the first pork company will make that starts carving and packing just MM's for comp guys and charging them $30 each which they would gladly pay.

You're welcome Smithfield :wink:

 

[LongTong]

#4
More options, more flavors and textures...

 

[BoneDaddy's]

I voted option 3, simple, inspect meat, then let pitmaster cook however they want!

 

[Funtimebbq]

I voted for number 2 because it is the most specific. What I would prefer to have read was for cooks to turn in one pork butt and have the judges pick it apart themselves, with their fingers. That way there is no question about parting or minimum weight. Trim the fat, cook a butt, turn it in.

 

[Smokin Hoggz]

I voted #3, because the other three meats are very simply explained, why should pork be any different.

CHICKEN: Chicken includes Cornish Game Hen and Kosher Chicken.
PORK RIBS: Ribs shall include the bone. Country style ribs are
prohibited.
BEEF BRISKET: May be whole brisket, flat, or point. Corned beef is
not allowed.

 

[BMerrill]

Vote for rule #5 yet to be written.

Pork is defined as the shoulder or any part there of. Once cooked, it can only be turned pulled or chopped. Slices and chucks are prohibited.

 

[bpeyton89]

It's getting to the point where I have to take an attorney along just to cook bbq in a parking lot. It's an unenforceable rule to begin with.

 

[GrillBillie_D]

I didn't get that email but I would vote #3 if I do receive it.

 

[EngineeredBBQ]

why 4 lbs? there is no weight restrictions on chicken, ribs or brisket. Guys are now cooking 2 little hocky pucks for brisket and it is totally legal. Just tell us what to cook and I will decide the best way to cook it.

 

[Juggy D Beerman]

A Little KCBS History

Until the 1993 KCBS contest season, ANY cut of pork was a legal entry as long as the cut was not spare or back ribs. Country style loin cut ribs were a legal entry as long as you did not submit them for your rib entry. (Yes loin cut country style ribs were a legal rib entry at this time, but shoulder cut country style ribs were not.)

Loins, tenderloins, shoulder cuts were all legal for pork. It was believed at the time that judges may have been making comparisons between different styles of cuts and that some cuts were easier to cook than others. The BOD decided to make the pork category consist of shoulder only so that every team turned in the same cut of meat. At that time, the general consensus was that a shoulder took longer to cook and degree of difficulty of properly cooking a shoulder cut was harder than cooking a loin cut such as pork chops.

This rule change began in 1993. That same year, the rib category was changed to making only spare ribs and back ribs as being a legal rib entry.

So there is your history lesson for the day...........

Lager,

Juggy D Beerman

 

[Smoke'n Ice]

It might be that the BOD take a page out of the IBCA rules and write it as:
* Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Boston Roast, Picnic and/or Whole Shoulder, weighing a minimum of four (4) pounds at the time of inspection. It must be turned in whole only. KCBS would supply foil pan with top lid for turn ins

Then the judges would be given a plastic knife to cut off a chunk after appearance and go from there.

Solve a lot of the BS and level the field because you can either cook a whole piece of meat or you can't, no ambiguity!

 

[EngineeredBBQ]

That is an interesting solution. It really dumbs down the process.....No creativity allowed, you don't need to know about different muscles contained in the shoulder or how to cook them......all you do is cook it until it is all plastic knife tender.....like what I do for catering.....

It might be that the BOD take a page out of the IBCA rules and write it as:
* Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Boston Roast, Picnic and/or Whole Shoulder, weighing a minimum of four (4) pounds at the time of inspection. It must be turned in whole only. KCBS would supply foil pan with top lid for turn ins

Then the judges would be given a plastic knife to cut off a chunk after appearance and go from there.

Solve a lot of the BS and level the field because you can either cook a whole piece of meat or you can't, no ambiguity!

 

[thirdeye]

That is an interesting solution. It really dumbs down the process.....No creativity allowed, you don't need to know about different muscles contained in the shoulder or how to cook them......all you do is cook it until it is all plastic knife tender.....like what I do for catering.....

Well, "plastic knife tender" is easier to understand than "probes like butter".

 

[Smoke'n Ice]

That is an interesting solution. It really dumbs down the process.....No creativity allowed, you don't need to know about different muscles contained in the shoulder or how to cook them......all you do is cook it until it is all plastic knife tender.....like what I do for catering.....

The town I grew up in a looooong time ago prides itself on cooking pork shoulder that not only taste good but is not mush and still be fork tender. Just saying, it takes a hell of a lot more to properly cook whole pork shoulder than just doing it for catering. Just look at the number of joints in Lexington that have come and gone over the years because they could not compete.

 

[EngineeredBBQ]

The town I grew up in a looooong time ago prides itself on cooking pork shoulder that not only taste good but is not mush and still be fork tender. Just saying, it takes a hell of a lot more to properly cook whole pork shoulder than just doing it for catering. Just look at the number of joints in Lexington that have come and gone over the years because they could not compete.

But why dumb down the process and take creativity out of the boxes? to put everybody on an "even playing field" as you said? Let us do what ever we want as long as it comes from a pork shoulder, that is where the difficulty comes in, now you have to beat me with my favorite portion of that shoulder cooked the way i want to and you don't know what I am going to turn in.....way more strategy than turning in a whole shoulder and making the judges pick what they want, I understand that some people don't like that idea because they may not be as skilled but why have a competition if we are all winners.